تالله ما أخرتُ مدحك ضلَّةً

تالله ما أخرتُ مدحك ضلَّةً

وإنَّك للصَّدرُ الأجلُّ المقدَّمُ

وإنَّك للصَّدرُ الأجلُّ المقدَّمُ

By God, I did not delay your praise out of error,

I have not delayed praising you out of error,

And you are indeed the most august, foremost dignitary.

Though you are the most revered, exalted in my heart.

ولكنَّهُ سرُّ الفصاحة شينهُ

ولكنَّهُ سرُّ الفصاحة شينهُ

وشينُ ذويهِ حين يخفى ويكتم

وشينُ ذويهِ حين يخفى ويكتم

But it is eloquence’s secret: shame befalls it

But the secret of eloquence is disgraced by it,

And its masters when it is hidden and kept secret.

And its people disgraced when it's hidden and concealed.

وأجبتُ منه أن ينمَّ فلم أجد

وأجبتُ منه أن ينمَّ فلم أجد

له مثل أن يطوى وبالمسك يختم

له مثل أن يطوى وبالمسك يختم

And I assented to its revealing itself, but found

I tried to make it sleep but could not find

No better way for it than to be folded up and sealed with musk.

A way to fold it up and seal it with musk.