نَثَروا الجَواهِرَ وَاللَجينَ ولَيسَ لي

نَثَروا الجَواهِرَ وَاللَجينَ ولَيسَ لي

شَيءٌ عَلَيهِ سِوى المَدائِحِ أَنثُرُ

شَيءٌ عَلَيهِ سِوى المَدائِحِ أَنثُرُ

They scattered jewels and silver, but I have

They scattered jewels and clay, and I have

Nothing to scatter upon him except praises,

nothing to offer but panegyrics to scatter

بِقَصائِد كَالدر إِن هِيَ أُنشِدَت

بِقَصائِد كَالدر إِن هِيَ أُنشِدَت

وَثَناً إِذا ما فاحَ فَهُوَ العَنبَرُ

وَثَناً إِذا ما فاحَ فَهُوَ العَنبَرُ

In poems like pearls when they are recited,

with odes like pearls; if recited they are praise,

And praise that, whenever it gives off fragrance, is ambergris.

and if their fragrance spreads, they are ambergris.