أبا جعفر هل أنت قابل شاعرٍ

أبا جعفر هل أنت قابل شاعرٍ

كذوب يريد الانقياد إلى الصدقِ

كذوب يريد الانقياد إلى الصدقِ

O Abu Ja‘far, will you accept a poet,

Oh Abu Ja'far, have you met a poet

a habitual liar who wishes to submit to truth?

Who is a liar wishing to be led to truth?

مضت حقبة وهو الخبيث مآكلاً

مضت حقبة وهو الخبيث مآكلاً

يحاول طيب الرزق من مطلب الرزق

يحاول طيب الرزق من مطلب الرزق

A long time passed with his fare unclean,

An era has passed as this wicked one eats

as he sought wholesome sustenance from his pursuit of a living.

Seeking good sustenance through the demand for sustenance

وقد كان ممن يشهد الزور مرة

وقد كان ممن يشهد الزور مرة

بأنزر منزور وما ذاك بالطلق

بأنزر منزور وما ذاك بالطلق

And once he was among those who bore false witness

He was once among those who bear false witness

for the scantiest pittance—and that was not lawful.

With less dignity than a dismissed and that is not at all valid

ويعرضُ عِلقَ الصدرِ من حُرِّ شعره

ويعرضُ عِلقَ الصدرِ من حُرِّ شعره

على القوم لا يدرون ما قيمة العلق

على القوم لا يدرون ما قيمة العلق

And he would offer the treasure of his breast, drawn from his finest verse,

And he presents the velvet of his poetry

to people who did not know the treasure’s worth.

To the people who know not the value of velvet

أحل حرام المدح في غير أهله

أحل حرام المدح في غير أهله

فجوزي حرماناً فلم يؤت من حذق

فجوزي حرماناً فلم يؤت من حذق

He deemed lawful the forbidden praise of the undeserving,

He made lawful the forbidden praise of the unworthy

so he was repaid with deprivation; his skill was not at fault.

So he was deprived as punishment and was not given any skill

وليس له من توبة غير مدحه

وليس له من توبة غير مدحه

ذكياً كريم الفرع مثلك والعرق

ذكياً كريم الفرع مثلك والعرق

And his only repentance is to praise

And he has no repentance other than his praise

a keen-witted man like you, noble in branch and root.

Of you, intelligent, noble scion, like this and lineage

فأعتقه من رقِّ المذلة إنه

فأعتقه من رقِّ المذلة إنه

على ثقة في نفسه منك بالعتق

على ثقة في نفسه منك بالعتق

So free him from the bondage of humiliation, for he

So free him from the slavery of disgrace, he

is sure in his heart that you will set him free.

Has confidence in himself through your emancipation