قلت للمعجَبينَ بابنِ العميدِ

قلت للمعجَبينَ بابنِ العميدِ

ومُساماتهِ لعبدِ الحميدِ

ومُساماتهِ لعبدِ الحميدِ

I said to those who admire Ibn al-Amid

I said to those enamored with Ibn al-Umayyad

and his vying with Abd al-Hamid:

And his flattery of Abd al-Hamid

إنَّ هذا وذاك عبادُ أصنام

إنَّ هذا وذاك عبادُ أصنام

ومأساةُ سّيدٍ ومسود

ومأساةُ سّيدٍ ومسود

Indeed, this man and that are idol-worshippers,

That both this and that are idol worshippers

and a tragedy of master and subject.

And the tragedy of a master made to kneel

هم أناسٌ تولّعوا بالثريدِ

هم أناسٌ تولّعوا بالثريدِ

واستُميلوا بزاهياتِ البُرود

واستُميلوا بزاهياتِ البُرود

They are people infatuated with tharid,

They are people who hoped for handouts

and won over by brightly colored mantles.

And were seduced by the allure of scraps

وأتَيْنا من بعدِ ألْفٍ نغني

وأتَيْنا من بعدِ ألْفٍ نغني

النفسَ في وصف أكلِهِمْ للثَّريد

النفسَ في وصف أكلِهِمْ للثَّريد

And we came, a thousand years later, singing

And we came after a thousand years singing

to the soul, describing their eating tharid.

To delight the soul describing their eating of handouts

قد شَغَلْنا افكارَنا بقديمٍ

قد شَغَلْنا افكارَنا بقديمٍ

وَنَسِينا تقديرَ جيلٍ جديد

وَنَسِينا تقديرَ جيلٍ جديد

We have busied our minds with the old,

We have preoccupied our thoughts with the old

and forgotten a new generation's judgment:

And forgot to appreciate a new generation

أن خيرَ الآدابِ ما انهض الشعبَ

أن خيرَ الآدابِ ما انهض الشعبَ

وما فكَّ من إسارِ قيود

وما فكَّ من إسارِ قيود

that the best literature is what uplifts the people,

The best literature is that which uplifts the people

and what frees them from the bondage of chains.

And breaks the shackles of bondage