أمعَنتَyou strove to the utmost فيin طلبِpursuit of العُلىeminence فحويتَهاand so you attained it
أمعَنتَ في طلبِ العُلى فحويتَها
وأتيتَand you came مُعتَذِراًapologizing كمَنlike one who لمdid not يُمعِنِstrive to the utmost
وأتيتَ مُعتَذِراً كمَن لم يُمعِنِ
You strove to the utmost in pursuit of eminence and attained it;
And you came apologizing, like one who had not striven.
ونَظَرتَand you looked للشُّعراءِupon the poets نَظرةَthe regard of قائِمٍone standing up
ونَظَرتَ للشُّعراءِ نَظرةَ قائِمٍ
بحقُوقِهمfor their rights فَانظُرso look لعَبدupon Abd المُحسِنِal-Muhsin
بحقُوقِهم فَانظُر لعَبد المُحسِنِ
And you looked upon the poets as one who stands up
For their rights; so look upon Abd al-Muhsin.