وَلَقد بَعَثتُ مِن الكَلامِ قَوافياً

وَلَقد بَعَثتُ مِن الكَلامِ قَوافياً

تَحوِي مِن السحرِ الحلالِ بَدائِعا

تَحوِي مِن السحرِ الحلالِ بَدائِعا

And indeed I have sent forth rhyming verses from speech,

I have composed rhymes

containing marvels of lawful magic.

That contain lawful magic's wondrous treasures

نادَت عَصِيّاً لِلمَقالَةِ صَعبَها

نادَت عَصِيّاً لِلمَقالَةِ صَعبَها

فَأَجابَها سَهلُ المَقادَةِ طائِعا

فَأَجابَها سَهلُ المَقادَةِ طائِعا

They called to one defiant toward speech, unyielding to it;

It called out to eloquence its difficult parts

he answered them willingly, easy to lead.

So it was answered readily by eloquence obedient

جَوابَةً يَعنى الرُواةُ بِحفظِها

جَوابَةً يَعنى الرُواةُ بِحفظِها

فَتهزُّ ذا إِنشادِها وَالسامِعا

فَتهزُّ ذا إِنشادِها وَالسامِعا

Far-ranging, they are carefully memorized by reciters,

Responded to by those who memorize it

and stir both their reciter and their listener.

So that reciter and listener are moved

وَتَوَدُّ الحاظٌ للذَّةِ سَمعِها

وَتَوَدُّ الحاظٌ للذَّةِ سَمعِها

مِن غيرَةٍ أَن لَو خُلِقنَ مَسامِعا

مِن غيرَةٍ أَن لَو خُلِقنَ مَسامِعا

And eyes, for the delight of hearing them, wish

And the listener desires the pleasure of hearing it

in envy that they had been created ears.

Out of jealousy, wishing he were created all ears

نَقَر البِلادَ فَيَستَوي في سَمعِها

نَقَر البِلادَ فَيَستَوي في سَمعِها

ما كانَ مِنها دانياً أَو شاسِعا

ما كانَ مِنها دانياً أَو شاسِعا

They have traversed the lands, so in hearing them,

It echoes through the lands, so that both

near and distant places stand alike.

What is near and what is far can hear it