1. هَذي هِيَ المرآة تُجلى لِمَن

    تشرى لَهُ بِالنَفس لا بِالثَمَن

    This is the mirror, polished for the one

    for whom it is bought with the soul, not with money.

  2. صُنع يَدٍ تَنظم دُرّ الحلى

    جادَت بِها برّاً لِأَهل الوَطَن

    The work of a hand that strings pearls for adornment,

    and bestowed it generously, in kindness to the homeland's people.

  3. مِن صُنع ذي فَضل بِبَيروت لا

    مِن صُنع صَنعاءِ بِلاد اليَمَن

    The work of a man of merit in Beirut, not

    the work of Sanaa, in the land of Yemen.

  4. مِن آل عَدنان بِأَحسابها

    تَفخَر إِعجاباً عَلى ذي يَزن

    Of the house of Adnan, which, in its ancestral honors,

    boasts in self-admiration above Dhu Yazan.

  5. أَديبنا القاسم مَن جادَ إِذ

    أَجاد في نَظم اللآلي وَمَن

    Our man of letters, al-Qasim, who gave generously when

    he excelled at stringing pearls and bestowed favors.

  6. فَيا لَها مرآة حُسن صَفا

    ماء البَها مِنها لِأَهل الفِطَن

    Oh, what a mirror of beauty! Clear is

    its water of splendor for the discerning.

  7. يَهجر مِن طالع أَلفاظها

    بِنظر الفكر لَذيذ الوَسن

    Whoever studies its words forsakes,

    through the mind's gaze, the sweetness of slumber.

  8. فَاِنظُر جَمال النَفس فيها وَإِن

    تقدح فَفي نَفسك ذاكَ الدَرَن

    So behold the soul's beauty within it; and if

    you find fault, that stain lies in your own soul.

  9. لا عَيب في المرآة إِن ذمَّها

    مُستقبح الصورة بادي الرعن

    There is no fault in the mirror if it is disparaged by

    one ugly in appearance, whose folly is plain.

  10. فَهيَ كَصافي الماء بِاللُطف إِن

    خَيل لِلوَحش خَيالاً حَرَن

    For, in its delicacy, it is like clear water: if

    it shows a wild beast an image, the beast balks.

  11. تَقابل القبح بِتمثاله

    وَالحُسنَ أرّخ بِنَظيرٍ حَسَن

    It meets ugliness with its likeness,

    and beauty—mark the date—with a fair counterpart.