1. تقول الأجانب عن علمنا

    وعنّا مقالةَ واهي الفهومْ

    Outsiders speak about our knowledge

    And about us, as one of feeble understanding would:

  2. لماذا ترون السماع الذي

    بآلاته طاردٌ للهمومْ

    “Why do you approve of the musical audition that

    With its instruments drives cares away?”

  3. فقلنا لهم ما رأى المصطفى

    رأيناه فلينزجر من يلومْ

    So we told them, “What the Chosen One saw,

    We have seen; let whoever blames us desist.”

  4. وقالوا تُسَبِّحُ قلنا نعم

    نُسَبِّحُ عُوَّامَ بحرِ العلومْ

    And they said, “You set them swimming?” We said, “Yes—

    We set the swimmers of knowledge’s sea swimming.

  5. وأما الذي هو غرٌّ بها

    فيغرق في بحرها لا يعومْ

    But whoever is inexperienced in it

    Drowns in its sea; he does not swim.”