قلت للمعجَبينَ بابنِ العميدِ

ومُساماتهِ لعبدِ الحميدِ

I said to those enamored with Ibn al-Umayyad

And his flattery of Abd al-Hamid

إنَّ هذا وذاك عبادُ أصنام

ومأساةُ سّيدٍ ومسود

That both this and that are idol worshippers

And the tragedy of a master made to kneel

هم أناسٌ تولّعوا بالثريدِ

واستُميلوا بزاهياتِ البُرود

They are people who hoped for handouts

And were seduced by the allure of scraps

وأتَيْنا من بعدِ ألْفٍ نغني

النفسَ في وصف أكلِهِمْ للثَّريد

And we came after a thousand years singing

To delight the soul describing their eating of handouts

قد شَغَلْنا افكارَنا بقديمٍ

وَنَسِينا تقديرَ جيلٍ جديد

We have preoccupied our thoughts with the old

And forgot to appreciate a new generation

أن خيرَ الآدابِ ما انهض الشعبَ

وما فكَّ من إسارِ قيود

The best literature is that which uplifts the people

And breaks the shackles of bondage