فديتُكَ ما قصَّرتُ فيما وَشَيْتَهُ

فديتُكَ ما قصَّرتُ فيما وَشَيْتَهُ

وأهديتَهُ من نَظمِ قِولٍ ومن نَثْرِ

وأهديتَهُ من نَظمِ قِولٍ ومن نَثْرِ

May I be your ransom! I did not fall short regarding what you embroidered

I devoted myself, I did not fall short in what you assigned

And offered in versified speech and in prose.

And gifted from rhythmic words and prose

ولو كنتُ في رَيْعانِ سِنَّي وَميْعَتي

ولو كنتُ في رَيْعانِ سِنَّي وَميْعَتي

أجبْتُ ولكِنْ شابَ شَعْري من الشِّعْرِ

أجبْتُ ولكِنْ شابَ شَعْري من الشِّعْرِ

And were I in the prime of my years and youthful vigor,

Even if I were in the prime of my years and youth

I would have answered, but my hair has turned gray from poetry.

I would have responded, but my hair turned white from poetry