كان العزيرُ زماناً

كان العزيرُ زماناً

لا دَرَّ درُّ العُزيرِ

لا دَرَّ درُّ العُزيرِ

For a time, al-‘Uzayr would—

Once Al-‘Uzair was

May al-‘Uzayr’s milk never flow!—

No pearl Al-‘Uzair's pearl shone.

إنْ سيل عن قائل الشع

إنْ سيل عن قائل الشع

ر قَرّظ الناس غيري

ر قَرّظ الناس غيري

When asked about a poet,

If the torrent of eloquent poetry

Praise everyone but me.

Gifted people other than me,

وكان ذاك لأني

وكان ذاك لأني

لم أهدِ للشيخ أيري

لم أهدِ للشيخ أيري

And that was because I

That was because I

Had not gifted the old man my cock.

Did not gift the Sheikh poetry.

حتى إذا شمْت فيه

حتى إذا شمْت فيه

أيراً كجُرذان عَير

أيراً كجُرذان عَير

Until, when I sheathed in him

Until when I smelled in him

A cock like an ass’s shaft,

An odor like rats' den,

أضحى يُري الناسَ أني

أضحى يُري الناسَ أني

في الشعر فوق زهيرِ

في الشعر فوق زهيرِ

He began showing people that I

He began showing people that I

Was above Zuhayr in poetry.

In poetry am above Zuhair.

وقال لي ذاك قولي

وقال لي ذاك قولي

ما احتل قَسُّك دَيري

ما احتل قَسُّك دَيري

And he told me, “That is what I say

And he said to me those words-

As long as your priest occupies my monastery.

Your stubbornness did not make my monastery.

نحن الرواةُ الأُلَى سا

نحن الرواةُ الأُلَى سا

ر ذكرُهم أيَّ سير

ر ذكرُهم أيَّ سير

We are the transmitters whose

We are the tallest palm trees, mentioning them

Fame has traveled far and wide.

Made their fame walk any path.

وقولنا القول يروى

وقولنا القول يروى

قدْماً بشرٍّ وخير

قدْماً بشرٍّ وخير

And ours is the word passed down

And our words which are narrated

Since olden times, for ill and good.

Were formerly good and blessed.

فاشدُد يديك بنفعي

فاشدُد يديك بنفعي

ولا تَعرَّض لضَيري

ولا تَعرَّض لضَيري

So hold fast with both hands to my aid,

So strengthen your hand to benefit me

And do not expose yourself to my harm.”

And do not expose me to harm.

علمتُ أن هجائي

علمتُ أن هجائي

لما جفا البرجَ طيري

لما جفا البرجَ طيري

I learned that I was lampooned

I knew that my lampoon,

When my bird forsook the tower,

When the constellation Scorpio rose, was war

وأنه لي حرب

وأنه لي حرب

إذا ضنِنتُ بميري

إذا ضنِنتُ بميري

And that he is my enemy

If I was stingy with my poetry.

Whenever I withhold my provisions.