أيا سيدي ما لفظ شعري بروضة

أيا سيدي ما لفظ شعري بروضة

ولا بحره للواردين بمشتهى

ولا بحره للواردين بمشتهى

O my lord, the wording of my poetry is no garden,

O my lord, the wording of my poetry is no garden,

Nor is its sea desirable to those who drink;

Nor is its sea desirable to those who come to drink.

ولكنه بحر الندَى حيث جاءكم

ولكنه بحر الندَى حيث جاءكم

يكون أجاجاً دونكم فإذا انتهى

يكون أجاجاً دونكم فإذا انتهى

Yet, as it comes to you, it is a sea of bounty:

But it is the sea of generosity wherever it comes to you;

Before reaching you, it is bitter brine—but once it arrives...

It is briny short of you; then, when it arrives...