كأنما جرذان بيتي درت

كأنما جرذان بيتي درت

في الليل اني اقرض الشعرا

في الليل اني اقرض الشعرا

As though the rats of my house had learned

As if the rats of my home gnawed

At night that I compose poetry,

At night when I recite poetry

فدابها قرض اثاثي ولن

فدابها قرض اثاثي ولن

يشعب قرضي قرضها الدهرا

يشعب قرضي قرضها الدهرا

So their habit is to gnaw my furniture, and never

So their gnawing shredded my furniture but their

Will my verse ever repair the damage of their gnawing.

Borrowing will not equal mine through time

في الدحر ترحيب وفي اللعن ما

في الدحر ترحيب وفي اللعن ما

يفهمها التحبيذ والاطرا

يفهمها التحبيذ والاطرا

In driving them away there is welcome, and in cursing, something

In the night there is welcome, yet in cursing what

That conveys to them approval and praise.

Admonition and wooing would make it understand