أبَاO father of مُوسَىMusa شَهِدتَyou testified وَكُنتَand you were عَدلاًupright
أبَا مُوسَى شَهِدتَ وَكُنتَ عَدلاً
مُزَكَّىcertified trustworthy حَيثُwhere تَشتَجِرُquarrel الخُصُومُthe litigants
مُزَكَّى حَيثُ تَشتَجِرُ الخُصُومُ
O Abu Musa, you testified and were upright,
O Abā Mūsá, you were just when disputes arose,
of attested integrity where litigants quarrel.
An arbiter whose integrity could not be impugned.
فَإنَّكَfor indeed you are أفحَلُthe most virile الشُّعَرَاءِthe poets طَبعاًby nature
فَإنَّكَ أفحَلُ الشُّعَرَاءِ طَبعاً
إذَاwhen نَفَخَتinflated شَقَاشِقَهَاtheir throat sacs القُرُومُthe breeding bull camels
إذَا نَفَخَت شَقَاشِقَهَا القُرُومُ
For you are the most virile of poets by nature,
You are the best of poets by natural gift,
when the breeding bull camels inflate their throat sacs.
When their pipes were played by virtuosos most consummate.
صِرَاطُكَyour path مُستَقِيمٌstraight وَهوَand it is صَعبٌdifficult
صِرَاطُكَ مُستَقِيمٌ وَهوَ صَعبٌ
كَمَاjust as صَعُبَwas difficult الصِّرَادُthe path (likely intended: الصراط) المُستَقِيمُthe straight
كَمَا صَعُبَ الصِّرَادُ المُستَقِيمُ
Your path is straight, yet it is difficult,
Your path is straight though difficult indeed,
just as the straight path is difficult.
As difficult as the steep straight path.