ليfor me فيabout دَواةِinkwell الفَتحِal-Fath أَحسنُthe finest مِدْحَةٍpoem of praise
لي في دَواةِ الفَتحِ أَحسنُ مِدْحَةٍ
بِفُنونِهاin its arts لِذَوِيfor those possessing العُقُولِintellects فُنُونُarts
بِفُنونِها لِذَوِي العُقُولِ فُنُونُ
For al-Fath’s inkwell I have the finest poem of praise;
In its arts lie arts for discerning minds.
تَاللّهِby God لَوْif فَطَنَbecame aware الحَدِيدُiron لِبَعضof some of مَاwhat
تَاللّهِ لَوْ فَطَنَ الحَدِيدُ لِبَعض مَا
أَناI نَاظِمٌcomposing verse فِيهِabout it لَكانَit would surely be يَلِينُsoftening
أَنا نَاظِمٌ فِيهِ لَكانَ يَلِينُ
By God, if iron understood some of what
I compose about it, it would surely soften.