1. خرت لعزة شعرك الشعراءُ

    فكأنهم أرض وأنت سماء

    The poets fell prostrate before the majesty of your verse;

    As though they were earth, and you the sky.

  2. ما كنت إلا كوكبا متوقدا

    قد خر منحدرا له ضوضاء

    You were nothing but a blazing star

    That fell, plunging downward with a roar.

  3. كنا نرى ما كان ضؤوك فاعلا

    فلننتظر ما تفعل الظلماء

    We used to see what your light was doing;

    So let us wait to see what the darkness will do.

  4. من بعد در كنت تنظم عقده

    برزت تريد لتلمع الحصباء

    After pearls whose necklace you used to string,

    The pebbles emerged, seeking to glitter.

  5. لفظ جميل فيه معنى رائع

    هو في المعاني وحده العذراء

    A beautiful expression with a wondrous meaning—

    It alone among meanings is the virgin.

  6. اليوم باق للقريض بحوضه

    ماء وأخشى أن يجف الماء

    Today, in poetry's basin, there remains

    Water—and I fear the water will dry up.

  7. ولقد خفيت على ظهورك مدة

    عن أعيني ومن الظهور خفاء

    And for a time, despite your visibility, you were hidden

    From my eyes—and some visibility is concealment.

  8. جل مصابك إنه اهتزت له

    أعلام مصر وماجت الدأماء

    So great was the tragedy of your loss that it shook

    Egypt's banners, and the sea surged.

  9. عجلت في الترحال يا شوقي وقد

    بقيت هنالك لم تقل أشياء

    You hastened your departure, O Shawqi, though

    Things remained there that you had not said.

  10. قالوا سينبغ عبقريّ مثله

    قلنا بلى لو أنجب الآباء

    They said, 'A genius like him will emerge.'

    We said, 'Yes—if fathers could beget one.'