شكا مِنَ الخطِّ ضعفاً

شكا مِنَ الخطِّ ضعفاً

وذاكَ منهُ دلالُ

وذاكَ منهُ دلالُ

He complained of weakness in his handwriting.

He complained of the line's weakness

And that was coyness on his part.

That was a sign of his own

قلتُ اشتغل بمثالٍ

قلتُ اشتغل بمثالٍ

فقالَ مالي مثالُ

فقالَ مالي مثالُ

I said, “Work from a model.”

I said, occupy yourself with an example

So he said, “I have no equal.”

He said, I have no example