دَعني مِن الشعر إن الشعر منقصة

دَعني مِن الشعر إن الشعر منقصة

بِالمَجد يَختال بَينَ البيض وَالأَسَل

بِالمَجد يَختال بَينَ البيض وَالأَسَل

Spare me poetry, for poetry is a blemish

Leave me be from poetry, for poetry is a flaw

On glory, which strides proudly among gleaming swords and spears.

In glory, it struts between the white and the jet black

لا تُدركنهُ وَإِن راقَت جَواهرهُ

لا تُدركنهُ وَإِن راقَت جَواهرهُ

فَالعقد لِلخود لا لِلفارس البَطَل

فَالعقد لِلخود لا لِلفارس البَطَل

Do not seek it, even if its jewels delight you;

You cannot attain it even if its jewels delight

For the necklace is for the maiden, not the valiant knight.

The necklace is for the cheek, not for the valiant horseman

اَستَغفر اللَه مِن شعر مَدحت بِهِ

اَستَغفر اللَه مِن شعر مَدحت بِهِ

قَوماً مَديحُهُم مِن أَعظَم الزَلل

قَوماً مَديحُهُم مِن أَعظَم الزَلل

I ask God's forgiveness for verse with which I praised

I ask God’s forgiveness for poetry I praised

A people—praising them is among the gravest errors.

A people whose praise is among the greatest mistakes