أَيوسُفُ جِئتَ بِالعَجَبِ العَجيبِ

تَرَكتَ الناسَ في شَكٍّ مُريبِ

O Yusuf, you have come with such amazing wonders

Leaving people in doubtful suspicion

سَمِعتُ بِكُلِّ داهِيَةٍ نَآدٍ

وَلَم أَسمَع بِسَرّاجٍ أَديبِ

I have heard every ignorant blabberer

But never a refined poet

أَما لَو أَنَّ جَهلَكَ كانَ عِلماً

إِذَن لَنَفَذتَ في عِلمِ الغُيوبِ

If only your ignorance were knowledge

You could have penetrated the unseen world

وَما لَكَ بِالغَريبِ يَدٌ وَلَكِن

تَعاطيكَ الغَريبَ هُوَ الغَريبِ

You have no connection with the strange, but

Your bizarre behavior is the strange thing

فَلَو نُبِشَ المَقابِرُ عَن زُهَيرٍ

لَصَرَّحَ بِالعَويلِ وَبِالنَحيبِ

If Zuhair's tomb were dug up

He would wail and weep

مَتى كانَت قَوافيهِ عِيالاً

عَلى تَفسيرِ بُقراطِ الطَبيبِ

When were his rhymes ever dependents

On the commentary of physician Buqrat

وَكَيفَ وَلَم يَزَل لِلشِعرِ ماءٌ

يَرُفُّ عَلَيهِ رَيحانُ القُلوبِ

How could this be when poetry still has water

Upon which blows the basil of hearts

تَزَحزَحَ عَن بَعيدِ العَقلِ حَتّى

تَوَجَّهَ أَن تَوَجَّهَ في القَريبِ

You have strayed far from reason until

You turned whichever way in the near

أَرى ظُلميكَ إِنصافاً وَعَدلاً

وَذَنبي فيكَ تَكفيرُ الذُنوبِ

I see your injustice as justice and right

While my sin toward you absolves sins