لَوَ اَنَّكَ بِالقَريضِ قَصَدتَ حَمدي

لَوَ اَنَّكَ بِالقَريضِ قَصَدتَ حَمدي

لَكُنتَ مَعَ الإِيابِ حَمِدتَ قَصدي

لَكُنتَ مَعَ الإِيابِ حَمِدتَ قَصدي

Had you meant to praise me with verse,

If with this poem you meant to praise me

You would have praised my intention on your return.

You'd have praised my purpose with your reply

وَلَكِن رُمتَ بِالشِعرِ اِمتِحاني

وَلَكِن رُمتَ بِالشِعرِ اِمتِحاني

فَجاءَكَ مِثلُهُ دُبّاً بِقِردِ

فَجاءَكَ مِثلُهُ دُبّاً بِقِردِ

But you sought to test me through poetry,

But you tried me with verse like a test

So its counterpart came to you—a bear for a monkey.

So back came the like, apeing your way

كَسَوتُكَ مِن قَشيبِ الشِعرِ بُرداً

كَسَوتُكَ مِن قَشيبِ الشِعرِ بُرداً

يُهَجِّنُ شِعرَ بَشارِ بنِ بُردِ

يُهَجِّنُ شِعرَ بَشارِ بنِ بُردِ

I clothed you in a mantle of fine new verse,

I clothed you in shabby verse's gown

That puts Bashshar ibn Burd's poetry to shame.

That parodies Bishr ibn Burd's poetry

وَكُنتُ عَزَمتُ أَن أَوليكَ بِرّاً

وَكُنتُ عَزَمتُ أَن أَوليكَ بِرّاً

وَأَحمِلَ في الإِجازَةِ وُسعَ جُهدي

وَأَحمِلَ في الإِجازَةِ وُسعَ جُهدي

And I had resolved to bestow kindness on you,

I'd meant to reward you with kindness

And exert my utmost effort in rewarding you.

And tax myself to support you generously

فَلَوَّحَ لي قَريضُكَ بِاِفتِخارٍ

فَلَوَّحَ لي قَريضُكَ بِاِفتِخارٍ

وَعُجبٍ جاءَ عَن تَصعيرِ خَدِّ

وَعُجبٍ جاءَ عَن تَصعيرِ خَدِّ

Then your verse signaled boastfulness to me

But your poem waved at me with pride

And conceit born of turning a cheek away in scorn.

And vanity from your versifying cheek

فَصَيَّرتُ القَريضَ لَهُ جَزاءً

فَصَيَّرتُ القَريضَ لَهُ جَزاءً

وَقُلتُ جُزيتَ عَن نَحسٍ بِسَعدِ

وَقُلتُ جُزيتَ عَن نَحسٍ بِسَعدِ

So I made verse its recompense,

So I made this poem its reward

And I said, 'You were repaid for ill fortune with good fortune.'

And said: may you be rewarded for ill with good!