لما رأيت الشعر أصبح خاملاً

لما رأيت الشعر أصبح خاملاً

نبَّهتُهُ بفتىً أغرَّ صريحِ

نبَّهتُهُ بفتىً أغرَّ صريحِ

When I saw that poetry had grown obscure,

When I saw poetry becoming dormant

I awakened it with a radiant youth of pure lineage.

I revived it with an outspoken youth

لم أمتدحْه لخَلَّةٍ أبصرتُها

لم أمتدحْه لخَلَّةٍ أبصرتُها

في مجده فسددتها بمديحِ

في مجده فسددتها بمديحِ

I did not praise him for a gap I had seen

I did not praise him for a quality I saw

in his glory, to fill it with praise.

In his glory, but rather guided it with praise