يَلُومُ وَمَا أَدْرِي عَلَامَ يَلُومُنِي
كَمَا لَامَنِي فِي الْحَيِّ قُرْطُ بْنُ مَعْبَدِ
Meaning: He reproaches me, although I do not know for what he reproaches me, just as Qurṭ ibn Maʿbad once reproached me among the tribe.
ʿAlāma is a contracted form of ʿalā mā, “for what?” The repeated imperfect verb yalūmu suggests continuing blame, whereas lāmanī points to an earlier occurrence. Naming a previous critic gives the present grievance a history and makes Mālik’s conduct feel less isolated.
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Ṭarafah: Mālik, Kinship Obligations, and Injustice from Relatives (Verses 68–78)
يَلُومُ وَمَا أَدْرِي عَلَامَ يَلُومُنِي
كَمَا لَامَنِي فِي الْحَيِّ قُرْطُ بْنُ مَعْبَدِ
Meaning: He reproaches me, although I do not know for what he reproaches me, just as Qurṭ ibn Maʿbad once reproached me among the tribe.
ʿAlāma is a contracted form of ʿalā mā, “for what?” The repeated imperfect verb yalūmu suggests continuing blame, whereas lāmanī points to an earlier occurrence. Naming a previous critic gives the present grievance a history and makes Mālik’s conduct feel less isolated.