صبوت إلى حبِّ الفضائل بعدما

صبوت إلى حبِّ الفضائل بعدما

تقلَّدت خطِّيًّا وصلت بمخذمِ

تقلَّدت خطِّيًّا وصلت بمخذمِ

I turned toward the love of virtues after

I inclined towards the love of virtues after I wore the honorable mantle

I had borne a Khatti spear and charged with a keen-edged sword.

And penetrated the heights and reached the summit

ومارست من بعد القناة يراعةً

ومارست من بعد القناة يراعةً

كأبيض مصقول العوارض لهذمِ

كأبيض مصقول العوارض لهذمِ

And after the lance, I wielded a reed pen,

And exercised caution after channeling

Like a gleaming sword, polished along its sides and razor-sharp.

Like a polished white man with fine features

وصار مدادي من سواد محاجري

وصار مدادي من سواد محاجري

وقد كان محمرًّا يسيل كعندمِ

وقد كان محمرًّا يسيل كعندمِ

And my ink now came from the blackness of my eye sockets,

And my ink became from the blackness of my eyelids

Though once it had been red, flowing like crimson dye.

When it had been red, flowing like ruby