أَيُّها الشاعِرُ مَهلاً

قَد حَمَلنا مِنكَ ثِقلا

O poet, hold on!

We have borne enough of your burden.

لا تَكُن في النَقدِ مِمَّن

زادَ في الشَطرَنجِ بَغلا

Do not be like those who

Added more oppression to the chessboard.

إِن أَجَبناكَ فَنَقصٌ

أَن يُجيبَ العُلوُ سُفلا

If we answer you, it is a shortcoming

For the exalted to answer the lowly.