مَضَى حَسَنٌ فِي حَلْبَةِ الشِّعْرِ سَابِقاً

وَأَدْرَكَ لَمْ يُسْبَقْ وَلَمْ يَأْلُ مُسْلِمُ

Hasan excelled in the arena of poetry as a pioneer,

And attained what none had attained before and Muslim never wearied.

وَبَارَاهُمَا الطَّائِيُّ فَاعْتَرَفَتْ لَهُ

شُهُودُ الْمَعَانِي بِالَّتِي هِيَ أَحْكَمُ

Al-Tai outshone them both, so the witnesses of meaning

Acknowledged him as the most adept.

وَأَبْدَعَ فِي الْقَوْلِ الْوَلِيدُ فَشِعْرُهُ

عَلَى مَا تَرَاهُ الْعَيْنُ وَشْيٌ مُنَمْنَمُ

Al-Walid created uniquely eloquent speech,

As refined as visions seen by the eye.

وَأَدْرَكَ فِي الأَمْثَالِ أَحْمَدُ غَايةً

تَبُزُّ الْخُطَى مَا بَعْدَهَا مُتَقَدَّمُ

Ahmad attained in proverbs the utmost extent,

Beyond which all steps lag behind.

وَسِرْتُ عَلَى آثَارِهِمْ وَلَرُبَّمَا

سَبَقْتُ إِلَى أَشْيَاءَ وَاللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ

I followed in their footsteps, and sometimes

I surpassed certain things, and God knows best.