وَمُغَنَّجٍ قالَ الكَمالُ لِوَجهِهِ

وَمُغَنَّجٍ قالَ الكَمالُ لِوَجهِهِ

كُن مَجمَعاً لِلطَيِّباتِ فَكانَهُ

كُن مَجمَعاً لِلطَيِّباتِ فَكانَهُ

And a coquettish youth—Perfection said to his face:

“Be a gathering place for lovely things,” and so it became.

زَعَمَ البَنَفسَجُ أَنَّهُ كِعِذارِهِ

زَعَمَ البَنَفسَجُ أَنَّهُ كِعِذارِهِ

حُسناً فَسَلّوا مِن قَفاهُ لَسانَهُ

حُسناً فَسَلّوا مِن قَفاهُ لَسانَهُ

The violet claimed it was like his cheek-down

In beauty, so they pulled its tongue out from its nape.

لَم يَظلِموا في الحُكمِ إِذ مَثَّلوا بِهِ

لَم يَظلِموا في الحُكمِ إِذ مَثَّلوا بِهِ

فَلَشَدَّ ما رَفَعَ البَنَفسَجُ شانَهُ

فَلَشَدَّ ما رَفَعَ البَنَفسَجُ شانَهُ

They were not unjust in judgment when they mutilated it,

For how greatly the violet had exalted its own standing!