وكانَ بمصرَ السحرُ قدْماً فأصبحتْ

وأسحارها أشعارُها تترقرقُ

Magic was once ancient in Egypt

and its sorcery became scintillating verse.

ويعجبني منها تملُّقُ أهلِها

وقد زادَ حتّى ماؤُها يتملَّقُ

What pleases me most is the flattery of its people,

even its water flatters excessively.