وَقاكَ اللَهُ مَجدَ الدينِ عَينَ الـ

ـحَسودِ مَلَأتَ لي قَلبي سُرورا

May God protect you, glory of the faith, from the eye of

The envious, you have filled my heart with joy,

لَقَد أوتيتَ في نَظمِ القَوافي

وَفي تَفصيلِها مُلكاً كَبيرا

You have been granted mastery in composing verse

And in scanning its meter a great dominion,

إِذا اِنتَسَبَت إِلَيكَ بَناتُ فِكرٍ

حَقَرنا كُلَّ ما زانَ النُحورا

When the daughters of thought claim you as their own

We think little of whatever adorns the temples,

وَإِن جُلِيَت عَرائِسُها عَلَينا

نَدينُ لَها الفَرَزدَقَ أَو جَريرا

And if their brides are revealed to us

We will credit Al-Farazdaq or Jarir,

مَعانٍ كَالأَهِلَّةِ في خَفاءٍ

وَلَفظٌ واضِحٌ يَحكي البُدورا

Meanings subtle as the new moon in darkness

And lucid words that mimic the Bedouin,

لَقَد شَرَّفتَني وَرَفَعتَ قَدري

فَأَصبَحَتِ المجَرَّةُ لي سَريرا

You have honored me and raised my worth

So that the galaxy has become for me a couch,

سَأَلتَ وَقَد أَجَبتُ فَإِن تَجِدني

هَفَوتُ فَسَل تَجِد غَيري خَبيرا

You asked and I have answered, so if you find me

Lacking, ask again, you’ll not find one more skilled.