قسماً بمجدك يا إمام زماننا

إن المدائح إذ رجتك لفائزه

I swear by your glory, O Imam of our time,

When praises of you spring forth, for their utterer they are gainful.

سميت جدوى الشعر واجبة له

والناس سموها جميعاً جائزه

I called the usefulness of poetry an obligation to it,

While all people named it universally a prize.