أبا أحمدٍ شِعْري قَتيلُ مواعِدٍ

أبا أحمدٍ شِعْري قَتيلُ مواعِدٍ

مطلْتَ بِها والدِّين يُلزِمكَ الدِّيهْ

مطلْتَ بِها والدِّين يُلزِمكَ الدِّيهْ

O Abu Ahmad, my poetry is slain by promises

O Abu Ahmed, my poetry mourns the slain,

O Abu Ahmad, my verse lies slain by your promises,

whose fulfillment you delayed; and religion obliges you to pay blood money.

Whose blood-money you pay though the law demands.

You deferred them, yet by holy law the blood-money is due.

منحتُكَ مِن مَدحي صلاةً ورحمةً

منحتُكَ مِن مَدحي صلاةً ورحمةً

فلا تَجعَلَنَّ رفدي مُكاءً وتَصدِيَهْ

فلا تَجعَلَنَّ رفدي مُكاءً وتَصدِيَهْ

Through my praise I granted you prayer and mercy;

My praise of you is a blessing and prayer -

I bestowed upon you, from my praise, blessings and mercy,

so do not turn my gift into whistling and clapping.

Do not make my gifts mere wailing and mourning dirge.

So do not make my recompense mere whistling and clapping.