صَبَبتُ عَلى الأَميرِ ثِيابَ مَدحي

فَكُلٌّ قالَ أَحسَنَ وَاِستَجادا

I draped the Prince in the raiment of my praise,

And all declared I had done well and found it exquisite.

وَلَولا فَضلُهُ ما جادَ شِعري

وَلا مَلَكَ الثَنا مِنّي القِيادا

Yet were it not for his merit, my verse would not have flowed,

Nor would praise have led me by the reins.

وَقالوا قَد أَجَدتَ فَقُلتُ إِنّي

رَأَيتُ الأَمرَ أَمكَنَني فَزادا

They said, "You have excelled," to which I answered, "I

Found the subject empowered me, and thus the poem soared."