أقول كما قال الخليل بن أحمد

أقول كما قال الخليل بن أحمد

وإن شتَّ ما بين الناظمين في الشعر

وإن شتَّ ما بين الناظمين في الشعر

I say as al-Khalil ibn Ahmad said,

I say as Al-Khalil ibn Ahmad said

And though the two poets differ greatly in verse:

And if you wish, what's between composers in poetry

عذلت على ما لو علمت ببعضه

عذلت على ما لو علمت ببعضه

فسحت مكان اللوم والعذل من عذر

فسحت مكان اللوم والعذل من عذر

You reproached me for what, had you known some of it,

You blamed for what if you knew some of it

You would have made room for some excuse in place of blame and reproach.

You'd make way for blame and excuse instead of censure

جهلت ولم تعلم بأنك جاهل

جهلت ولم تعلم بأنك جاهل

فمن لي بان تدري بانك لا تدري

فمن لي بان تدري بانك لا تدري

You were ignorant and did not know that you were ignorant;

You were ignorant and did not know that you are ignorant

So who can assure me that you know that you do not know?

So who can make you realize that you do not realize