يا شاعراً أمسَى يَحُوكُ مديحَهُ

يا شاعراً أمسَى يَحُوكُ مديحَهُ

في شَرِّ جيل شرِّ أهل زمانِ

في شَرِّ جيل شرِّ أهل زمانِ

O poet who spent the evening weaving his panegyric

O poet who praises them in the evening

For the worst generation, the worst people of the age.

In the worst of eras, the worst of times

ما تستحق ثوابَ من كابرْتَه

ما تستحق ثوابَ من كابرْتَه

ورميتَه بالإفكِ والعدوان

ورميتَه بالإفكِ والعدوان

You deserve no reward from one you have stubbornly contradicted

You do not deserve reward for defying them

And assailed with falsehood and aggression.

And accusing them of lies and aggression

قومٌ تذكِّرُهم فضائلَ غَيرِهم

قومٌ تذكِّرُهم فضائلَ غَيرِهم

فيرون ما فيهم من النُّقصان

فيرون ما فيهم من النُّقصان

They are people whom you remind of others’ virtues,

A people who are reminded of others’ virtues

So they see the shortcomings within themselves.

See in themselves every flaw

فإذا مدحتَهم فتحتَ عليهِمُ

فإذا مدحتَهم فتحتَ عليهِمُ

باباً من الحسرات والأحزان

باباً من الحسرات والأحزان

So when you praise them, you open for them

And when you praise them, you open for them

A door to regrets and sorrows.

A door of regrets and sorrows

ظلَمَ امرؤٌ أهدَى المديح إليهمُ

ظلَمَ امرؤٌ أهدَى المديح إليهمُ

ثم استتاب مثوبةَ الإحسان

ثم استتاب مثوبةَ الإحسان

He did wrong, the man who offered them praise

A man who offered them praise did wrong

And then [sought] the reward for kindness.

Then sought reward for his good deed

أيُمينُهُمْ أسفاً ويطلب رِفْدَهُمْ

أيُمينُهُمْ أسفاً ويطلب رِفْدَهُمْ

لقد اغتدى في الظُّلْم والعُدُوان

لقد اغتدى في الظُّلْم والعُدُوان

Does he [kill] them with grief and seek their bounty?

In sorrow he asks back what he gave them

Indeed, he has begun his day in injustice and aggression.

Truly, they exceeded in injustice and enmity