1. What do the praisers say
While you are the inventor of wonders
١. ماذا يقول المادحو
نَ وأنت مُخترع الغَرائبْ
2. You have defeated every virtue
Until wonders were astonished
٢. أعْجزتَ كلَّ فضيلةٍ
حتى تَعجَّبتِ العَجائب
3. And you have given the people of earth gifts
That you could not find any seeker in creation
٣. ووهبتَ أهلَ الأرضِ حَ
تى لم تجدْ في الخلقِ طالب
4. And you have exposed the superiority of the predecessors
So praising them became blemishes
٤. وفَضَحتَ فضلَ السابِقي
ن فصار مَدْحهمُ مَثالب
5. You have eclipsed the stars twice over
What the stars exceeded on earth
٥. فُقْتَ الكواكبَ ضِعْف ما
فاقت على الأرضِ الكواكب
6. So the utmost highs
Are what you have risen above in ranks
٦. فنِهاية العَلْياءِ أنْ
زلُ ما علوتَ منَ المَراتب
7. And if you decide with determination
The courses of time become straitened
٧. وإذا أَشرتَ بعَزْمةٍ
ضاقتْ على الدهرِ المذَاهب
8. And if you approach turmoil
Death is more timid than your adversary
٨. وإذا دَنوتَ من الوَغَى
فالموتُ أَجْزعُ من تُحارب
9. And if kings boast
Of the loftiness of glorious positions
٩. وإذا الملوكُ تَفاخرَتْ
برفيع أَقْدارِ المَناصب
10. To your servant's servant among them
Is the pride of lions over foxes
١٠. فلِعَبْدِ عبدِكَ فيهمُ
فَخْرُ الأسودِ على الثعالب