رَمَيتَ فَلَم تُخطِ السِهامَ الشَواكِلا

رَمَيتَ فَلَم تُخطِ السِهامَ الشَواكِلا

أَجَدتَ فَطَبَّقتَ الكُلا وَالمَفاصِلا

أَجَدتَ فَطَبَّقتَ الكُلا وَالمَفاصِلا

You shot, and the arrows did not miss the flanks.

You shot arrows but did not pierce the intended targets

You excelled, striking the kidneys and the joints precisely.

You tried but only clasped wrists and ankles

أَجَدتَ فَيا للَهِ دَرُّكَ شاعِراً

أَجَدتَ فَيا للَهِ دَرُّكَ شاعِراً

يُرى قائِلاً لِلمَكرُماتِ وَفاعِلا

يُرى قائِلاً لِلمَكرُماتِ وَفاعِلا

You excelled—God bless you as a poet,

You tried but, by God, your poetry is worthless

Seen advocating noble deeds and performing them.

Seen praising noble deeds yet doing none