أحدِّثُ عنْ أهلِ التزهدِ والتقى

أحدِّثُ عنْ أهلِ التزهدِ والتقى

وأجلو معانيهم وما أنا منهمُ

وأجلو معانيهم وما أنا منهمُ

I speak of the people of asceticism and piety,

I speak of ascetics and the devout folk,

And reveal their qualities, though I am not one of them.

But I gloss over their meaning though I'm not one of them.

فلمْ تلقَ غيري طالحاً ظُنَّ صالحاً

فلمْ تلقَ غيري طالحاً ظُنَّ صالحاً

ولمْ تَرَ قبلي ميتاً يتكلمُ

ولمْ تَرَ قبلي ميتاً يتكلمُ

For you have never met, apart from me, a wicked man thought righteous,

So you find no other man so seemingly good,

Nor have you seen, before me, a dead man speaking.

Nor see a dead man speak as I have done.