لم أُطِلها كما أطالَ رِشاءً

ماتحٌ ساء ظنُّه بقليبِ

I did not praise them as long as Rishā' praised,

A critic whose suspicions wronged my heart.

حاشَ للَّه ليس مثلي تَظَنَّى

ظنَّ سَوْء بمُستقاكَ القريبِ

God forbid I should be suspected so!

He suspected ill of your dear faithful friend.

غير أني امرؤٌ وجَدتُ مقالاً

مُستتِبّاً في كل قَرْمٍ نجيبِ

Yet I am a man who has heard it said

Noble clans have faults that spread and extend.

فأطلتُ المديحَ ما طال فيهم

مع أنِّي قصَّرتُ غيرَ معيبِ

So I prolonged my praises, blameless though brief -

Not as long as the faults that Rishā' did append.