1. الشعر ما بين محمودٍ ومذمومٍ

    لذا أتى ربُّنا فيه بتقسيم

    Poetry ranges between the praiseworthy and the blameworthy.

    Thus our Lord made a distinction concerning it.

  2. في كلِّ وادٍ تراه جائلاً أبداً

    يهيم فيه لإيصال وتعليم

    In every valley you see it ever roaming,

    Wandering there to convey and teach.

  3. فإنه يطلب التعريف من شبه

    في عالم الخفض عن مزجٍ بتسنيمِ

    For it seeks to make things known through resemblance,

    In the lower realm, through mingling with Tasnim.

  4. فما تراه على نجدٍ لذاك أتى

    بالوادِ في لغتهم بكلِّ مفهوم

    So you do not see it on high ground; hence He used

    “Valley” in their language for every meaning.

  5. فإن مدحتَ به من يستحقُّ علا

    وإن مدحتَ به ضد التفهيم

    For if through it you praise one deserving praise, it rises;

    And if through it you praise the opposite of enlightenment,

  6. هوى لذا قلت فيه ما سمعت به

    الشعر ما بين محمودٍ ومذمومِ

    It falls; thus I said of it what you have heard:

    Poetry ranges between the praiseworthy and the blameworthy.

  7. كذا هو القول شعراً كان أو مثلاً

    فلا يُقال تعالى الشربُ للهِيم

    Such is speech, whether poetry or a parable;

    So one does not say, “Drinking is exalted for thirst-maddened camels.”

  8. لو يعلم الناسُ ما القرآنُ جاء به

    فيه لقالوا به في كلِّ منظوم

    If people knew what the Qur’an has brought

    Concerning it, they would apply it to every poem.