قد كان شعرُكَ صالحاً

إذ كنتَ تُسْنِدُه

Your poetry was once decent

When you had a cause to support it

والآن غيّرهُ الزما

نُ وتلكَ علّةُ غيري

But time has now changed it

And that is another's fault, not mine

ما دامَ في الوجو

دِ فلستَ تخشى فقدَ خَيْرِ

As long as you exist

You need not fear loss of talent

سيرُدُّ منك الدهرُ يو

ماً وهو أشعرُ من زُهَيْرِ

One day life will give back to you

A day when you are a greater poet than Zuhair