تَبقى قَوافي الشِعر ما بَقيتُ

تَبقى قَوافي الشِعر ما بَقيتُ

وَالشِعرُ مَنسِيٌّ إِذا نُسيتُ

وَالشِعرُ مَنسِيٌّ إِذا نُسيتُ

The rhymes of poetry endure as long as I remain.

Poetry's rhymes remain as long as I remain

And poetry is forgotten when I am forgotten.

And poetry is forgotten when I'm forgotten

لَم يحظَ في الشِعرِ كَما حَظيتُ

لَم يحظَ في الشِعرِ كَما حَظيتُ

جَمعٌ مِنَ الناسِ وَلا شَتيتُ

جَمعٌ مِنَ الناسِ وَلا شَتيتُ

None has enjoyed such fortune in poetry as I have—

None has gained in poetry as I have gained

Neither a gathering of people nor a lone individual.

A people gathered, not scattered, I've been

كَم مَلِكٍ حُلَّتُهُ كُسيتُ

كَم مَلِكٍ حُلَّتُهُ كُسيتُ

وَمِن سَرير مُلكِهِ أُدنيتٌ

وَمِن سَرير مُلكِهِ أُدنيتٌ

I have been clothed in many a king’s robe,

How many a robed king I have worn out

And brought close to his royal throne.

And from his throne I've made him come down

إِن غِبتُ عَن حَضرَتِهِ دُعيتُ

إِن غِبتُ عَن حَضرَتِهِ دُعيتُ

وَإِن حَضَرتُ بابَهُ حُيّيتُ

وَإِن حَضَرتُ بابَهُ حُيّيتُ

If I was absent from his presence, I was summoned;

If absent from his court I'm summoned

And if I appeared at his gate, I was greeted.

If present at his door greeted