لَمّا نَظَمتُ الشّعرَ مُمتدِحاً بهِ

لَمّا نَظَمتُ الشّعرَ مُمتدِحاً بهِ

لِلفاضِلِ البحرِيِّ جلَّ بِفَضلِهِ

لِلفاضِلِ البحرِيِّ جلَّ بِفَضلِهِ

When I composed verse, praising with it

When I composed poetry praising

the virtuous al-Bahri, exalted by his merit,

The eminent al-Buhari, exalted by his merit,

وَجَعَلتُهُ كَالدُرِّ فيه منظّماً

وَجَعَلتُهُ كَالدُرِّ فيه منظّماً

وَقَريحَتي لَيسَت تَجودُ بِمِثلِهِ

وَقَريحَتي لَيسَت تَجودُ بِمِثلِهِ

and made it like pearls strung within him,

And made it like a pearl, assembled artfully,

though my poetic gift does not yield its like,

Though my talent cannot equal its like,

قالوا رَميتَ الدرَّ في البَحري الّذي

قالوا رَميتَ الدرَّ في البَحري الّذي

لَم يَستَحقْ لَه وَلَيسَ بِأَهلهِ

لَم يَستَحقْ لَه وَلَيسَ بِأَهلهِ

they said, 'You cast pearls into al-Bahri, who

They said, “You have cast a pearl before one who

did not deserve them and is not worthy of them.'

Is not deserving of it, nor worthy of it.”

فَأَجبتُ إِنَّ الدرَّ هَذا أَصلُهُ

فَأَجبتُ إِنَّ الدرَّ هَذا أَصلُهُ

ولكُلُّ شيءٍ قد يعودُ لأصلِهِ

ولكُلُّ شيءٍ قد يعودُ لأصلِهِ

So I replied, 'Indeed, this is the origin of pearls,

So I replied, “This pearl’s origin

and everything may indeed return to its origin.'

Is the sea, and everything returns to its origin.”