إِنّي نَظَرتُ وَلا صَوابَ لِعاقِلٍ

فيما يَهُمُّ بِهِ إِذا لَم يَنظُرِ

I saw there's no wisdom for one whose care

Is with what doesn't concern when he's unaware.

فَإِذا كِتابُكَ قَد تُخيِّر خَطُّهُ

وَإِذا كِتابي لَيسَ بِالمُتَخَيَّرِ

Your book's script is so refined and fair,

While mine's not one that's so debonair.

وَإِذا رُسومٌ في كِتابِكَ لَم تَدَع

شَكّاً لِمُعتَنِف وَلا لِمُفَكِّرِ

Your book has illustrations leaving no doubt

For any contemplator having second thought.

نُقَطٌ وَأَشكالٌ تَبينُ كَأَنَّها

نَدبَ الخُدوشِ تَلوحُ بَينَ الأسطُرِ

Dots and shapes make clear like gashes scattered about

Between the lines guiding verbs raised up or down no doubt.

تُنبيكَ عَن رَفعِ الكَلامِ وَخَفضِهِ

وَالنَّصب مِنهُ لِحالِهِ أَو مَصدَرِ

Showing noun's case by state or object's role

And making clear what's far as what's extolled.

وَتُريكَ ما يُعيا بِهِ فِبَعيدُهُ

كَقَريبه وَمُقَدَّم كَمُؤَخَّرِ

While my brother's book lacks all of these, I'm told,

A shame for seller and buyer, poor and old!

وَإِذا كِتابُ أَخيكَ مِن ذا كُلِّه

عار فَبِئسَ لِبايِعٍ وَلِمُشتَري

Take your brother's book, don't compete or compare,

Excuse yours, and leave it bare.

فَاِقبِض كِتابَ أَخيكَ غَير مُنافِس

فيهِ وَخَلِّ لَهُ كِتابَكَ وَاِعذُرِ

Know you'll stay behind in your wisdom and care

Until you break, tear up and declare.

وَاِعلم بِأَنَّكَ لا تَزالُ مُؤَخّرا

مُستَأخِرا في العِلمِ ما لِم تَكسِرِ

I see you've barred hearing and sharing

What you partook in and tore the pairing!

إِنّي أَرى حَبسَ السَّماعِ عَلى الَّذي

شارَكتَهُ فيهِ وَكَسر الدَّفتَرِ