لِسانِيَmy tongue ماضٍsharp فَماso it does not يَنْثَنيbend
لِسانِيَ ماضٍ فَما يَنْثَني
وَوَجْهِيَand my face حَيٌّbashful فَماso it does not يَقْدُمُventure forth
وَوَجْهِيَ حَيٌّ فَما يَقْدُمُ
My tongue is sharp, so it does not bend;
Yet my face is bashful, so it does not venture forth.
فأَصْبَحْتُso I have become وَالشِّعْرَwith poetry مِثْلَlike الْجَبانِthe coward
فأَصْبَحْتُ وَالشِّعْرَ مِثْلَ الْجَبانِ
يَفرُّhe flees وَفيand in يَدِهِhis hand مِخْذَمُa keen-edged sword
يَفرُّ وَفي يَدِهِ مِخْذَمُ
So I have become, with my poetry, like a coward
Who flees with a keen-edged sword in his hand.
وَكُنْتَand you had تَحَمَّلْتَundertaken ليfor me حاجَةًa need
وَكُنْتَ تَحَمَّلْتَ لي حاجَةً
وَقَدْرُكand your stature مِنْthan قدْرِهاits importance أَعْظَمُgreater
وَقَدْرُك مِنْ قدْرِها أَعْظَمُ
And you had undertaken to meet a need of mine,
Though your stature is greater than its importance.
Translation model: Sol 6.1