رَأَيتُ اِبنَ مَعنٍ أَنطَقَ الناسَ جودُهُ

رَأَيتُ اِبنَ مَعنٍ أَنطَقَ الناسَ جودُهُ

فَكَلَّفَ قَولَ الشِعرِ مَن كانَ مُفحَما

فَكَلَّفَ قَولَ الشِعرِ مَن كانَ مُفحَما

I saw the son of Maʿn: his generosity made people speak,

I saw the son of Ma'n whose generosity made eloquent even the dumbest.

and compelled those unable to compose verse to utter poetry.

He charged with poetry those who had no gift for it,

وَأَرخَصَ بِالعَدلِ السِلاحِ بِأَرضِنا

وَأَرخَصَ بِالعَدلِ السِلاحِ بِأَرضِنا

فَما يَبلُغُ السَيفُ المُهَنَّدُ دِرهِما

فَما يَبلُغُ السَيفُ المُهَنَّدُ دِرهِما

Through justice he made weapons cheap in our land,

And he made justice and weapons in our land cheap,

so a sword of Indian steel does not fetch a dirham.

So that not even the sharpest sword reaches the price of a dirham.