هي الدرُّ إلا انها لم تثقبا

هي الدرُّ إلا انها لم تثقبا

وقد جاء منظوماً فزدت تعجبّا

وقد جاء منظوماً فزدت تعجبّا

It is pearls, save that they have not been pierced;

It is a pearl, though it has no hole bored through,

and yet it came strung, so I marveled all the more.

And it came in verse, so I'm filled with wonder more,

معانٍ وألفاظ زهت بتناسبٍ

معانٍ وألفاظ زهت بتناسبٍ

أرق من الماء الزلالِ وأعذبا

أرق من الماء الزلالِ وأعذبا

Meanings and words shone in harmony,

Meanings and words adorned in fine arrangement,

more delicate than clear water, and sweeter.

Smoother than pure water and far more sweet,

وأهدت سلاماً عطّر الأفق نشرهُ

وأهدت سلاماً عطّر الأفق نشرهُ

ومسّك أنفاس النسيم وطيّبا

ومسّك أنفاس النسيم وطيّبا

And it offered a greeting whose fragrance perfumed the horizon,

It bid peace, its scent filled the horizon spread,

and musk-scented the breeze's breaths and made them fragrant.

Musk scented the breaths of the breeze made neat,

وأثنى على من ليس يصلحُ للثنا

وأثنى على من ليس يصلحُ للثنا

فقلتُ له أهلا وسهلاً ومرحبا

فقلتُ له أهلا وسهلاً ومرحبا

And he praised one unworthy of praise,

It praised one not fit for praise, so I said

so I said to him, "A warm and hearty welcome!"

Welcome, greetings, and peace to you my treat,

أخو المرء مرآة له فلعلهُ

أخو المرء مرآة له فلعلهُ

رأى في أخيه نفسَه فتعجّبا

رأى في أخيه نفسَه فتعجّبا

A man's brother is his mirror; so perhaps he

A man's brother is a mirror for his ways,

saw himself in his brother and marveled,

So he saw in his brother his form complete,

واثنى عليه بالذي قد أعاره

واثنى عليه بالذي قد أعاره

وألبسه من كلِّ فضلٍ وأكسبا

وألبسه من كلِّ فضلٍ وأكسبا

and praised him for what he had lent him,

And praised him for merits he let him borrow,

and clothed him in every virtue and bestowed it upon him.

Robing him in virtue he helped amass,

فأَنت الذي أثنى وأنت الذي كسا

فأَنت الذي أثنى وأنت الذي كسا

من الفضل ما جرّ البناء وأوجبا

من الفضل ما جرّ البناء وأوجبا

Thus you are the one who praised, and you the one who clothed him

So you are the one who praised and gave the dress

in excellence that brought about the edifice and made it necessary.

Of excellence that led to this work's defeat.