صقيلٌ صقال الطبع لم يُكسَ غيرُهُ

صقالاً ولم يَعْهدهُ مذ قُدَّ مِدْوَسُ

Polished by nature, his character was never tainted

With anything but sincerity, since his first steps

ولو شئت ماطلتُ القوافيَ جريها

مدى ما تمادى شأوُها المتنفسُ

And if I wanted, I could have prolonged the rhymes

As far as their breath would allow

ولكنني أُعطي الكلامَ حقوقَهُ

وفاءً وحقُّ الشعرِ عندك يُبْخس

But I give words their due

Remaining faithful, though to you poetry is trivial

فذاك وإني أستقي من قريحتي

وأقدحُ إذ غيري من الناس يقبِس

So I draw from my own creativity

Kindling when others take fire