ألا ليت شعري هل تؤخَّرُ حاجتي

لأوْلى بشكرٍ منك أو بثناءِ

Alas! I wonder if my need will be delayed,

When gratitude from you is more fitting than praise.

غرستَ يداً حتى إذا آنَ حملُها

شكتْ منك إغفالاً وطولَ جفاءِ

You planted a hand until when its fruit came,

It complained of neglect and prolonged estrangement from you.

ثنائيَ لا تُسبَق إليه فإنه

خُلودٌ لما تَبنِي وطولُ بقاءِ

My praise of you is unmatched, so make it

Everlasting by what you build and its enduring existence.

وتَمِّم يداً أَسْديْتَها يَنْمَ شكرُها

غداة غدٍ في الناس أيَّ نَماءِ

And fulfill the hand you extended so that tomorrow

Its gratitude grows among the people however it grows.

لعمري لقد أعطاك محمودَ حمدِه

أميرٌ غدا من سادة الأمراءِ

By my life, Mahmoud has given you his praise,

A prince who became one of the leading princes.

ويا حسنَ ذاك الحمدِ إن أنت زِنْتَهُ

بحمدِ إمرىءٍ من سادة الشعراءِ

And oh, the beauty of that praise, if you weigh it

Against the praise of a leading poet among leading poets.