رَأَيتُ في النَومِ أَبا مِرَّةٍ

رَأَيتُ في النَومِ أَبا مِرَّةٍ

شَيخِيَ في تَهذيبِ عِلمِ البَيانِ

شَيخِيَ في تَهذيبِ عِلمِ البَيانِ

I saw Abu Murrah in a dream,

I saw Abu Mirra in a dream

My teacher in refining the art of rhetoric.

My mentor in eloquence and rhetoric

وَحَولَهُ مِن رَهطِهِ عُصبَةٌ

وَحَولَهُ مِن رَهطِهِ عُصبَةٌ

يُشيرُ نَحوي لَهُم بِالبَنانِ

يُشيرُ نَحوي لَهُم بِالبَنانِ

And around him was a band of his clan;

Surrounded by his companions

He pointed me out to them with his fingers.

Pointing at me happily

وَقالَ يا بُشراكُمُ بِالَّذي

وَقالَ يا بُشراكُمُ بِالَّذي

غَيَّبتُمُ عَن ذِكرِهِ بِالعَيانِ

غَيَّبتُمُ عَن ذِكرِهِ بِالعَيانِ

And he said, 'Glad tidings to you of the one

He said, O bearer of good news about whom

Whom you have kept from mention in plain sight!

We had not seen for so long

هَذا الَّذي أَخبَرتُكُم أَنَّهُ

هَذا الَّذي أَخبَرتُكُم أَنَّهُ

في نَظمِهِ أَوحَدُ هَذا الزَمانِ

في نَظمِهِ أَوحَدُ هَذا الزَمانِ

This is the one I told you was

This is the one I told you

Peerless in his verse in this age.'

His poetry is unique in this time

وَقالَ لَو شَنَّفتَ أَسماعَنا

وَقالَ لَو شَنَّفتَ أَسماعَنا

بِبَعضِ ما نَظَمتَ في ذا الأَوانِ

بِبَعضِ ما نَظَمتَ في ذا الأَوانِ

And he said, 'If only you would adorn our ears

And he said, had you graced our ears

With some of what you have composed of late!'

With some of what you’ve composed recently

فَعِندَها أَورَدتُ مِن مَدحِكُم

فَعِندَها أَورَدتُ مِن مَدحِكُم

بَدائِعاً مَنظومَةً كَالجُمانِ

بَدائِعاً مَنظومَةً كَالجُمانِ

At that, I recited some praise of you:

So I recited in your praise

Marvels strung in verse like pearls.

Masterpieces like pearls

فَعادَ كُلٌّ مِنهُمُ قائِلاً

فَعادَ كُلٌّ مِنهُمُ قائِلاً

أَحسَنتَ يا رَبَّ المَعاني الحِسانِ

أَحسَنتَ يا رَبَّ المَعاني الحِسانِ

Then each of them replied,

Each one said

'Well done, O master of beautiful meanings!'

Excellent! O lord of beautiful meanings!

فَقالَ مَعَ ذا المَدحِ هَل أَنعُمٌ

فَقالَ مَعَ ذا المَدحِ هَل أَنعُمٌ

بِضَيعَةٍ عامِرَةٍ أَو فِدانِ

بِضَيعَةٍ عامِرَةٍ أَو فِدانِ

Then he said, 'With this praise, were there gifts—

Then he said, with all this praise, do you own

A flourishing estate, or a feddan of land?'

A prosperous farm or land?

فَقُلتُ لا قالَ وَلا مَنزِلٌ

فَقُلتُ لا قالَ وَلا مَنزِلٌ

مُستَحسَنٌ يُغنيكَ عَن بَيتِ خانِ

مُستَحسَنٌ يُغنيكَ عَن بَيتِ خانِ

I said, 'No.' He said, 'Nor a house,

I said no. He said, nor a house

A fine one, sparing you the need for an inn-room?'

That satisfies you away from the inn?

فَقُلتُ لا قالَ وَلا سابِقٌ

فَقُلتُ لا قالَ وَلا سابِقٌ

مُرَفَّهُ السَوقِ شَقِيِّ العِنانِ

مُرَفَّهُ السَوقِ شَقِيِّ العِنانِ

I said, 'No.' He said, 'Nor a swift steed,

I said no. He said, nor a swift steed

Needing little urging, yet restive at the rein?'

Pampered at the market, free-reined?

فَقُلتُ لا قالَ فَنَم صاغِراً

فَقُلتُ لا قالَ فَنَم صاغِراً

ما أَنتَ إِلّا بِغَوِيِّ اللِسانِ

ما أَنتَ إِلّا بِغَوِيِّ اللِسانِ

I said, 'No.' He said, 'Then sleep, humbled:

I said no. He fell silent disappointed

You are nothing but one with a wayward tongue.'

You are but a blabbering tongue