وَعَدتُم وَأَعطَيتُم مَدى المَطلِ حَقَّهُ

عَلى قَدرِهِ حَتّى سَئِمنا التَمادِيا

You promised and gave free rein as long as hope remained,

According to its extent, until we grew weary of patience.

فَلَمّا تَقاضَينا بِشِعرٍ سَخِطتُمُ

وَقُلتُم غَدا بَعدَ المَدائِحِ هاجِيا

Yet when we asked for poetry in exchange you were angered

And said tomorrow, after the praises, it will come reproaching.

وَما كانَ ذاكَ الهُزءُ ظُلماً وَإِنَّما

يُذِكِّرُ بِالأَشعارِ مَن كانَ ناسِيا

That jest was no injustice, but only

Reminded the forgetful of poetry.

فَإِن قُلتُمُ إِنّا ظَلَمنا فَلَم نَكُن

ظَلَمنا وَلَكِنّا أَسَأنا التَقاضِيا

If you say we were unjust, we were not,

But we erred in asking payment.