بيَّنتهُ يهوى الطيورَ ويُو

فيهنَّ من جَبلٍ ومِن سَهلِ

He showed his love for birds and their nests

Among the mountains and the plains alike

ولَه بذلكَ مِن عَمالَتِه

شُغلٌ وما أَخلاهُ من شُغلِ

And in this he found, from his work

Preoccupation, though not devoid of work

ولقَد مَرَرتُ بدارِهِ عَبَثاً

فَسَمِعتُ مثلَ كوائِرِ النَّحلِ

And I did pass by his house unthinkingly

Hearing within a humming like that of bees

فرَجَعتُ أطلُبُ ما أمتُّ به

فوَجَدتُه قَد حيزَ من قَبلي

So I returned seeking what I could praise

And found he had already won it before me

فَمدحتُهُ أحكي فَواختَهُ

وكتبتُ وهيَ كأنَّها تُملي

And so I praised him, speaking his virtues

And wrote as if taking dictation