لَكَ البَلاغُةُ مَيدانَ نَشأَتِ بِهِ

لَكَ البَلاغُةُ مَيدانَ نَشأَتِ بِهِ

وَسَحَرَ لَفظُكَ لِلأَلبابِ يَختَطِفُ

وَسَحَرَ لَفظُكَ لِلأَلبابِ يَختَطِفُ

Eloquence is your arena, in which you grew up;

You have eloquence as your domain which you were raised in

And the magic of your words snatches minds away.

And your words' magic captures minds

فَكَيفَ نُدرِكُ شَأوا قَد خَصَّصَت بِهِ

فَكَيفَ نُدرِكُ شَأوا قَد خَصَّصَت بِهِ

وَكُلُّنا بِقُصورٍ عَنكَ يَعتَرِفُ

وَكُلُّنا بِقُصورٍ عَنكَ يَعتَرِفُ

How, then, can we attain a height for which you were singled out,

So how can we attain what you have been specialized with

While all of us admit to falling short of you?

When we all confess our shortcomings compared to you

مَهَّدَ لِيَ العُذرُ في شِعرِ بَعَثَت بِهِ

مَهَّدَ لِيَ العُذرُ في شِعرِ بَعَثَت بِهِ

فَإِنَّها رمية جاءَت بِها الصَدَفُ

فَإِنَّها رمية جاءَت بِها الصَدَفُ

Grant me indulgence for the verse I sent,

My excuse has paved the way regarding the poetry I sent

For it is a shot brought about by chance.

For it is an arrow released by chance

وَالأَمرُ في ذاكَ لا يَحتاجُ بَيِّنَةً

وَالأَمرُ في ذاكَ لا يَحتاجُ بَيِّنَةً

مِن عِندِهِ الدُرِّ لا يَهدي لَهُ الصَدَفُ

مِن عِندِهِ الدُرِّ لا يَهدي لَهُ الصَدَفُ

And this matter needs no proof:

And the matter in that needs no explanation

No shells are offered to one who possesses pearls.

Pearls do not come from shells