هجوتُ ابنَ أبي الطاهرِ

هجوتُ ابنَ أبي الطاهرِ

وهو العينُ والرأسُ

وهو العينُ والرأسُ

I lampooned Ibn Abi al-Tahir—

I lampooned Ibn Abi al-Tahir,

though he is the eye and the head.

though he is the eye and the head.

ولولا سرقات الشعر

ولولا سرقات الشعر

ما كان به باسُ

ما كان به باسُ

Were it not for his thefts of poetry,

And were it not for his thefts of poetry,

there would be nothing amiss with him.

there would be no fault in him.

إذا أنشدكم شعراً

إذا أنشدكم شعراً

فقولوا أحسنَ الناسُ

فقولوا أحسنَ الناسُ

So whenever he recites a poem to you,

When he recites poetry to you,

say, “The people did well.”

then say, “The people have done well!”