قالَ المَلِكُ الأشْرَفُ قَوْلاً رَشَدَا

قالَ المَلِكُ الأشْرَفُ قَوْلاً رَشَدَا

أَقْلامُكَ يا كَمالُ قَلَّتْ عَدَدَا

أَقْلامُكَ يا كَمالُ قَلَّتْ عَدَدَا

King al-Ashraf made a wise remark:

The noble King said wisely:

“Your pens, O Kamal, have grown few in number.”

Your pens, O Kamal, are few in number.

نَادَيتُ لأِجْلِ كَتْبِ ما تُطْلقُهُ

نَادَيتُ لأِجْلِ كَتْبِ ما تُطْلقُهُ

تَحْفَى وَتُقَطُّ فَهْيَ تَفْنَى أَبَدَا

تَحْفَى وَتُقَطُّ فَهْيَ تَفْنَى أَبَدَا

I called out: “From recording what you bestow,

I called for writing whatever you utter,

They wear down and are trimmed, so they are continually used up.”

As gifts that gather and then vanish forever.