1. I swear by the two excelling poets,
And the two poets born in Tayyi',

2. And Ibn Hujr, Zuhayr and his son,
And then the two A'sha's, and then the two A'ma's,

3. Then by the lovers of thorns and pansies,
And might and waters and paths between,

4. And Abi Shaykha and Dibil and those
Who were poets of Khuza'ah in early days,

5. And the sons of al-Mu'tazz and al-Radi
And al-Sarif, then Hasan and Ibn al-Husayn,

6. And I conclude with Quss and Sahan, for
Most right that they should be the first of all,

7. Their prose and verse have decked my East
And West, shining there like pearl and coral,

8. Ibn al-Khatib led the foremost rank,
Excelling in his works the wisest men,

9. The pages fair, which I saw, bore witness
That gifts and favors filled his open hand,

10. Where meaning's grace marched equal with
The grace of words, both excellent and grand,

11.
I witness you have led the way in the

12. Right course of letters, from first days till now,
A poetry whose might and softness both

13. Are pearls to deck the diadems of verse,
Your letters flowers, whose fragrance breathes

14. Delight, and are a joy to eyes that see,
O very piercer, very interlace

15. Of solitary splendor, yours the palm!
You have remained, by God's gifts, excellent,