1. مَن لامَ لأَن كَبَتِ البَغلَه

    فَلَذَلِكَ أَحمَقُ مِن رِجلَه

    Whoever found fault because the mule stumbled,

    then that man is surely more foolish than his own foot.

  2. لِمَ لَم تُصعَق لَمّا حَمَلَت

    تَفصيلَ العالَمِ وَالجُملَه

    Why was she not struck down when she bore

    the world in all its particulars and as a whole?

  3. وَبِبَحرَ العِلمِ وَطَودِ الحِل

    مِ كَبَت وَسِواهُ اخبر تَقلَه

    And with the ocean of knowledge and the mountain of forbearance,

    she stumbled; test anyone else, and you will loathe him.

  4. فَهَنيئاً زَيدُ لَكَ اِطرِغشا

    شُكَ وَاِبرِغشاشُكَ وَالمَهلَه

    So congratulations, Zayd, on your recuperation,

    your recovery, and your respite.

  5. مَن شَكَّ بِأَنَّكَ سَيِّدُ أَه

    لِ الفَضلِ فَذاكَ هُوَ الأَبلَه

    Whoever doubts that you are master of the people

    of excellence—that man is the fool.

  6. ما أَسعَدَ مَن مِنهُم وافا

    كَ وقَبَّلَ كَفَّكَ بِالقُبلَه

    How fortunate is the one among them who came to

    you and kissed your palm with a kiss!

  7. فَالعالَمُ كُلُّهُمُ عَينٌ

    يا مَن هُوَ إِنسانُ المُقلَه

    For the whole world is an eye,

    O you who are the pupil of the eye!

  8. حَسَدَت بَغدادُ دِمَشقَ عَلَي

    كَ وَثَورَةُ حاسِدُها دِجلَه

    Baghdad envied Damascus on account of

    you; and the Tigris envies Thawra.

  9. وَتُحِبُّ المَجدَ مَحَبَّةَ عَن

    تَرَةَ العَبسِيِّ رِضى عَبلَه

    And you love glory as ʿAntarah

    al-ʿAbsi loved ʿAblah's favor.

  10. أَنا من تَقصيرِيَ مُعتَذِرٌ

    لا قُوَّةَ لي إِلا بِاللَه

    I apologize for my shortcomings;

    I have no strength except through God.

  11. كَم ذي حَسَدٍ وافاكَ فَعا

    دَ شَديدَ العِلَّة وَالغُلَّه

    How many an envious man came to you, then went

    back, gravely ill and burning with resentment!

  12. وَثَبَتَّ لِأَعداءٍ وَثَبَت

    فَكَبَت وَكَبَتَّ ذَوي الذِلَّه

    And you stood firm against enemies; she leapt,

    then stumbled, and you subdued the abject.

  13. آدابُكَ لَولا حِرفَتُها

    صُيِّرتَ إِماماً لِلمِلَّه

    Were it not for the ill fortune attending your literary learning,

    you would have been made an imam of the faith.