تَزاحَمُ في صدرى القوافى ولا أرى

تَزاحَمُ في صدرى القوافى ولا أرى

لها مستحقًّا في الزمان ولا أهلا

لها مستحقًّا في الزمان ولا أهلا

Rhymes crowd my breast, yet I see

Crowding in my heart are verses though I see

No one in this age deserving of them, nor anyone worthy.

None worthy of them in these times or tribe.

وكيف امتداحى معشرا شجرَاتُهم

وكيف امتداحى معشرا شجرَاتُهم

عَوارٍ فما تُجدِى ثمارا ولا ظِلاَّ

عَوارٍ فما تُجدِى ثمارا ولا ظِلاَّ

And how can I praise a people whose trees

How could I praise a people whose roots

Are bare, yielding neither fruit nor shade?

Are twisted, bearing neither fruit nor shade?

فلو شَرُفوا بالعلم واطرحوا الندى

فلو شَرُفوا بالعلم واطرحوا الندى

تأولتُ فيهم أننى أمدح الفضلا

تأولتُ فيهم أننى أمدح الفضلا

For had they gained distinction through learning and cast generosity aside,

Had they excelled in knowledge and shed baseness

I would have understood that, in them, I was praising excellence.

I would have praised their virtue and grace.

ولو تركوا الآدابَ عنهم بمعزلٍ

ولو تركوا الآدابَ عنهم بمعزلٍ

وجادوا لقلت أمدحُ الجود والبذلا

وجادوا لقلت أمدحُ الجود والبذلا

And had they set learning and culture aside,

Had they abandoned morals keeping aloof

And been generous, I would have said: I praise generosity and giving.

I would have praised their generosity and munificence.

ولكنهم عن ذا وذاك تزحزحوا

ولكنهم عن ذا وذاك تزحزحوا

فلم أرَ أنى أمدحُ الجهلَ والبخلا

فلم أرَ أنى أمدحُ الجهلَ والبخلا

But they have distanced themselves from both this and that,

But they have strayed from this and that

So I did not see fit to praise ignorance and miserliness.

So I do not see how to praise ignorance and stinginess.