كَمْ قَطَعَ الجُودُ مِن لِسانٍ

كَمْ قَطَعَ الجُودُ مِن لِسانٍ

قَلَّدَ مِن نَظمهِ النُّحُورا

قَلَّدَ مِن نَظمهِ النُّحُورا

How many a tongue has generosity cut off

How oft the generous cut out the tongue

that adorned necks with its verse!

That wove its verses to enchant the fair!

وَهَا أَنَا شَاعِرٌ سِرَاجٌ

وَهَا أَنَا شَاعِرٌ سِرَاجٌ

فاقْطَعْ لِسَاني أَزِدْكَ نُورا

فاقْطَعْ لِسَاني أَزِدْكَ نُورا

And here I am, a poet—Siraj (a lamp);

But I, a poet lamp, to thee belong;

so cut off my tongue, and I shall give you more light.

Cut thou my tongue and light my songs more rare.