وَقَفتُكَ لَم أَمدَحكَ لا لِمَذَمَّةٍ

وَلَكِن تَأَنَّيتُ اِنتِجاعَكَ لِلحَمدِ

I stood before You, not to praise or to blame,

But waited to call You back for praise.

وَإِنِّيَ لا أَقفو الثَناءَ بِغَيرِهِ

وَلا أَبتَغيهِ قَبلَ أَن يُبتَغى عِندي

I do not follow praise with other than it,

Nor seek it before it's sought in me.

أَهِب يا اِبنَ عِمَرانَ بِشُكري فَإِنَّني

سَميعٌ إِلى الداعي قَريبٌ عَلى البُعدِ

Answer, O Son of Imran, with thanks—for I

Hear those who call, near though far they be.

فَما مِن يَدٍ قَدَّمتَها قُلتُ مُثنِياً

عَلَيكَ وَلَكِنّي هَزَزتُكَ لِلمَجدِ

No hand have I stretched out and called blessed,

But shaken you for glory to see.

فَإِن شِئتَ أَلقَينا التَفاضُلَ بَينَنا

وَقُلنا جَميلاً وَاِقتَصَرنا عَلىالوُدِّ

If you wish, we'll vie—exchanging nobleness,

Saying finest things, content with amity.