صُغْتَ الدّراريَ أَمْ عِقْدٌ مِنَ الدُّرَرِ

يا واحِدَ العَصْرِ بَيْنَ البَدْوِ والحَضَرِ

Were you molded from gems or a string of pearls?

O paragon of the age, amidst nomads and townsfolk alike,

لا زِلْتَ تَرْقَى بُرُوجاً للكَمالِ وَلاَ

بَرِحْتَ تُطْرِبُ سَمْعَ الدّهْرِ بالفِقَرِ

You continue to ascend to the heights of perfection, and never

Cease to delight the ear of time with wondrous verse.

فالحالُ ما حَالَ والعَهْدُ القَديمُ هُوَ ال

عَهْدُ القَدِيمُ ولا عَهْدٌ لمُبْتكِرِ

What was is still, and the ancient covenant remains—

The ancient covenant endures, no modern agreement replaces it.

لا تَحْسَبِ الدَّرْسَ مَتْرُوكاً وأَنْتَ عَلى

نِهايَةِ الحَدِّ والتّحْصِيلِ لِلْفِطَرِ

Do not think study neglected, while you stand

At the pinnacle of achievement and cultivation of talent.

منْ كانَ غايَةَ سُؤْلِي كَيْفَ أمْنَعُهُ

مِنْها وأَحْجُبُ عَنْهُ نُخْبَةَ الفِكْرِ

He whose utmost desire I am, how can I prevent him

From it and veil from him the elite of the mind?

ودُمْتَ تُحْيِي رُسُومَ العِلْمِ ما صَدَحَتْ

وَرْقَا عَلَى فَنَنٍ لَدْنٍ من الشَّجَرِ

You have kept alive the customs of knowledge for as long as

Leaves have rustled with arts from days of yore.