حقُّ البراعةِ أَن تُلقي أَزِمَّتَها

حقُّ البراعةِ أَن تُلقي أَزِمَّتَها

وَلا تُقِلُّ طُروسٌ بَعدَهُ قَلَما

وَلا تُقِلُّ طُروسٌ بَعدَهُ قَلَما

Artistry ought to surrender its reins,

The mark of genius is to cast off one's chains,

And no pages bear a pen after him.

Nor shall many an age hence repeat the claim,

كأنَّ القَريضَ عُقودُ الدُرِّ رائقةً

كأنَّ القَريضَ عُقودُ الدُرِّ رائقةً

فعادَ سِلكاً مِن الحَصباءِ مُنتظِما

فعادَ سِلكاً مِن الحَصباءِ مُنتظِما

Verse seemed like lovely necklaces of pearls,

As though the necklace of pearls in order strung

Then became a neatly strung strand of pebbles.

Were fashioned into one continuous frame,

يا قاضِيَ القصرِ ما أبقَت قَصائِدُكُم

يا قاضِيَ القصرِ ما أبقَت قَصائِدُكُم

لِكُلِّ نابِغَةٍ فَضلاً وَلا حِكَما

لِكُلِّ نابِغَةٍ فَضلاً وَلا حِكَما

O judge of al-Qasr, your poems have left nothing

O judge of the palace, none of your poems have left

Of distinction or wise sayings for any poet of genius.

To any gifted one surplus or dearth.