لقد طَمِعَ البِشريُّ فيَّ ولم يكنْ

لقد طَمِعَ البِشريُّ فيَّ ولم يكنْ

لِيَطْمَعَ فيَّ المرءُ وهو لبيبُ

لِيَطْمَعَ فيَّ المرءُ وهو لبيبُ

Al-Bishri has indeed hoped to profit from me, though

He was greedy for my praise, though no wise man

no man of sound judgment would hope to profit from me.

Would covet what I say - such empty words.

خلعتُ عليه من ثنائيَ خِلعةً

خلعتُ عليه من ثنائيَ خِلعةً

تَحِنُّ إليها أنفُسٌ وقلوبُ

تَحِنُّ إليها أنفُسٌ وقلوبُ

I bestowed on him a robe of honor from my praise,

I draped on him a mantle of fine phrases,

for which souls and hearts yearn.

That souls and hearts might yearn for in their dreams.

فقطَّبَ حتى خِلتُ أن قد وَسَمْتُهُ

فقطَّبَ حتى خِلتُ أن قد وَسَمْتُهُ

وذو اللؤمِ فيه ضُجْرَةٌ وقطوبُ

وذو اللؤمِ فيه ضُجْرَةٌ وقطوبُ

Then he scowled until I thought I had branded him;

At last I wearied, seeing he thought me serious,

and in a base man dwell vexation and scowling.

Though in his dullard's mind naught stirred but gloom.

وقاسَمَني جودَ الأمير كأنَّما

وقاسَمَني جودَ الأمير كأنَّما

له في القوافي السائراتِ نَصيبُ

له في القوافي السائراتِ نَصيبُ

And he shared with me the prince's bounty, as though

He claimed his share of flowing verse, as though

he had a share in the widely circulating rhymes.

The noble prince controlled the rhyme's sweet stream.