لِلْأَعْمَشِFor al-A'mashكَلْبٌis a dogيَتْبَعُهُthat follows him
Al-A'mash had a dog that followed him on the road when he walked until he returned.
فِيinالطَّرِيقِthe road
In the road.
إِذَاwhenمَشَىhe walked
When he walked.
حَتَّىuntilيَرْجِعَhe returns
Until he returns.
فَقِيلَSo it was saidلَهُto himفِيaboutذَلِكَthat
So it was said to him regarding that.
فَقَالَSo he said
He said.
لَاNoرَأَيْتُI sawصِبْيَانًاboysيَضْرِبُونَهُbeating it
No, I saw boys beating it.
فَفَرَّقْتُso I separatedبَيْنَهُمْbetween themوَبَيْنَهُand it
So I separated between them and it.
فَعَرَفَSo it recognizedذَلِكَthatلِيfrom me
So it recognized that from me.
فَشَكَرَهُand thanked him for it
And was grateful for it.
فَإِذَاSo whenرَآنِيhe sees meيَبَبْصُwags its tailلِيat meوَيَتْبَعُنِيand follows me
So when it sees me, it wags its tail at me and follows me.
وَلَوْAnd ifعَاشَlivedأَيَّدَكَmay Allah support youاللَّهُGodالْأَعْمَشُal-A'mash
And if al-A'mash had lived—may Allah support you—to this era and time of ours.
إِلَىuntilعَصْرِنَاour eraوَوَقْتِنَاand our timeهَذَاthis
To this era and time of ours.
حَتَّىuntilيَرَىhe seesأَهْلَthe peopleزَمَانِنَاof our timeهَذَاthis
Until he sees the people of this time of ours.
وَيَسْمَعَand hearsخَبَرَthe newsأَبِيof AbuسَمَاعَةَSama'ahالْمَعِيطِيِّal-Ma'iṭīوَنَظَائِرِهِand his peers
And hears the news of Abu Sama'ah al-Ma'iṭī and his peers.
لَازْدَادَhe would have increasedفِيinكَلْبِهِhis dogرَغْبَةًdesireوَلَهُand for itمَحَبَّةًlove
He would have increased in his desire for his dog and love for it.
قَالَHe said
He said.
هَجَاsatirizedأَبُوAbuسَمَاعَةَSama'ahالْمَعِيطِيُّal-Ma'iṭīخَالِدَKhalidبْنَson ofمَالِكٍMalik
Abu Sama'ah al-Ma'iṭī satirized Khalid ibn Malik.
وَكَانَand he wasإِلَيْهِto himمُحْسِناًgood
And he had been good to him.
فَلَمَّاSo whenوَلِيَassumed officeيَحْيَىYahyaالْوِزَارَةَthe vizierate
So when Yahya assumed the vizierate.
دَخَلَenteredإِلَيْهِto himأَبُوAbuسَمَاعَةَSama'ahفِيمَنْamong those whoدَخَلَenteredمِنَfromالْمُهَنِّئِينَthe well-wishers
Abu Sama'ah entered to see him among those who entered of the well-wishers.
فَقَالَSo he saidأَنْشِدْنِيRecite to meالْأَبْيَاتِthe versesالَّتِيwhichقُلْتَهَاyou said
So he said, 'Recite to me the verses which you said.'
فَقَالَSo he saidمَاWhatهِيَare they?
He said, 'What are they?'
قَالَHe saidقَوْلُكَyour sayingخَفِيفٌkhafif (meter):
He said, 'Your saying in khafif meter:'
وَرَدَتُI turned away fromيَحْيَىYahyaوَخَالِداًand Khalidمُخْلِصاًsincerelyلِلَّهِto Godدِينِيmy religionفَاسْتَصْغَرَاand they both belittledبَعْضَsomeشَانِيof my status
I turned away from Yahya and Khalid, my religion being sincere to God, and they both belittled some of my status.
فَلَوْAnd ifأَنِّيthat IأَلْحَدْتُdeviatedفِيconcerningاللَّهِGodيَوْماًone day
For if I had deviated concerning God one day.
أَوْorلَوْifأَنِّيthat Iعَبَدْتُworshipedمَاwhatيَعْبُدَانِthey both worship
Or if I had worshiped what they both worship.
مَاNotاسْتَخَفَّاwould they have taken lightlyفِيمَاin whatأَظُنُّI thinkبِشَأْنِيmy status
They would not have taken my status lightly, as I think.
وَلَاnorصُحِبْتُwould I have been accompaniedمِنْهُمَاby themبِمَكَانِيin my place
Nor would I have held my place with them.
إِنَّIndeedشَكْلِيmy formوَشَكْلَand the formمَنْof the one whoجَحَدَdeniedفِيregardingاللَّهِGodوَآيَاتِهِand His signsلَمُخْتَلِفَانِare truly different
Indeed, my form and the form of the one who denied God and His signs are truly different.
قَالَHe saidأَبُوAbuسَمَاعَةَSama'ah
Abu Sama'ah said.
لَمْI did notأَعْرِفْknowهَذَاthisالشِّعْرَpoetryوَلَاnorمَنْwhoقَالَهُsaid it
I do not know this poetry nor who said it.
قَالَHe saidلَهُto himيَحْيَىYahya
Yahya said to him.
مَاWhatتَمْلِكُyou ownصَدَقَةًas charityإِنْifكُنْتَyou wereتَعْرِفُknowingمَنْwhoقَالَهَاsaid it
'You must give all your possessions as charity if you know who said it!'
فَحَلَفَSo he swore
So he swore.
قَالَHe saidيَحْيَىYahya
Yahya said.