ولو أنني وقّرتُ شعري وَقارَهُ

ولو أنني وقّرتُ شعري وَقارَهُ

ولم أترفّعْ عن مكاني وموْضعي

ولم أترفّعْ عن مكاني وموْضعي

And had I accorded my poetry its due dignity,

Even if I had composed my poetry with gravity

and not risen above my place and station,

And not acted haughtily above my station and position

لأكبرتُ أن أومي إليك بنظرةٍ

لأكبرتُ أن أومي إليك بنظرةٍ

لعُظْمِكَ عندي أو أشيرَ بأصبَعي

لعُظْمِكَ عندي أو أشيرَ بأصبَعي

I would have deemed it presumptuous to gesture toward you with a glance,

I would have considered it too bold to cast a glance at you

given your greatness in my eyes, or to point with my finger.

So exalted you are in my eyes that I dare not point a finger