كَمْ لكَ مَعنًى مَرَّ بال

كَمْ لكَ مَعنًى مَرَّ بال

دَّهْرِ كَلَمْحٍ بِالبَصَرْ

دَّهْرِ كَلَمْحٍ بِالبَصَرْ

How many a meaning of yours has passed through

How much meaning passed in time

time like the blink of an eye;

Like a glimpse before vision

أَلبْسَتهُ اللَّفْظَ فَلا

أَلبْسَتهُ اللَّفْظَ فَلا

طُولٌ بهِ وَلا قِصَرْ

طُولٌ بهِ وَلا قِصَرْ

you clothed it in words, so there is neither

You clothed it in words, so it has

length in it nor brevity.

Neither length nor brevity