جَرّبت شعري أبلو كيف طاعتُهُ

جَرّبت شعري أبلو كيف طاعتُهُ

وقلت هل يتأتَّى في سليمانِ

وقلت هل يتأتَّى في سليمانِ

I tested my poetry to see how readily it obeyed,

I tested my poetry with Abilu, how obedient it was to me,

And said: could it be composed about Sulayman?

And I said, can this be done with Solomon?

فجاءني فيه طوعاً لا ينازعني

فجاءني فيه طوعاً لا ينازعني

وَلَم أَخَلْهُ يواتى فيه بيتان

وَلَم أَخَلْهُ يواتى فيه بيتان

It came to me about him willingly, without resisting me,

It came to me in it willingly, not disputing with me,

Though I had not thought two verses about him would come readily.

And I did not leave it to come in two verses.

فقلت أمّا وهذا ابن طاعته

فقلت أمّا وهذا ابن طاعته

فسوف أَجزيه إحساناً بإحسانا

فسوف أَجزيه إحساناً بإحسانا

So I said: now, this being the child of its obedience,

So I said, as for this, the son of his obedience,

I shall therefore repay it kindness for kindness.

I will reward him with kindness for kindness.

وما أُراني سَجيسَ الدهر جازيَهُ

وما أُراني سَجيسَ الدهر جازيَهُ

بمثل مَدْحي به يَحيَى بن خاقان

بمثل مَدْحي به يَحيَى بن خاقان

And I do not see myself ever repaying it

And I do not think the companion of time will reward him

With anything like my praising Yahya ibn Khaqan through it.

With the like of my praise of him, Yahya ibn Khaqan.