قُل لِمَن جَمعَ العِل

قُل لِمَن جَمعَ العِل

مَ وَما أَحصى صَوابَهْ

مَ وَما أَحصى صَوابَهْ

Say to him who gathered knowledge,

Say to the one who gathered knowledge,

yet did not grasp its proper use:

And counted all that was right,

كانَ في الصرّةِ شعرٌ

كانَ في الصرّةِ شعرٌ

فَتَنَظَّرنا جَوابهْ

فَتَنَظَّرنا جَوابهْ

There was poetry in the purse,

There was in the bag some poetry,

so we awaited its reply.

So we awaited his response,

قَد أَثَبناكَ فَهَلّا

قَد أَثَبناكَ فَهَلّا

جلبَ الشِعرَ ثَوابهْ

جلبَ الشِعرَ ثَوابهْ

We have rewarded you; why, then,

We have proven you, so why not

did its reward not bring forth the poetry?

Bring the poetry its reward