تَركُ مَدحِيكَ كَالهِجاءِ لِنَفسي

تَركُ مَدحِيكَ كَالهِجاءِ لِنَفسي

وَقَليلٌ لَكَ المَديحُ الكَثيرُ

وَقَليلٌ لَكَ المَديحُ الكَثيرُ

Leaving off my praise of you is like lampooning myself;

I left praising you like slander to myself

To cease your praise is but to scorn myself, and for you, the amplest praise is far too little.

and abundant praise is little for you.

While little is much praise from me

Yet I have abandoned the crafting of verse, for a cause wherein one like me is excused.

غَيرَ أَنّي تَرَكتُ مُقتَضَبَ الشِعـ

غَيرَ أَنّي تَرَكتُ مُقتَضَبَ الشِعـ

ـرِ لِأَمرٍ مِثلي بِهِ مَعذورُ

ـرِ لِأَمرٍ مِثلي بِهِ مَعذورُ

Yet I have abandoned impromptu poetry,

Except I left poetry abbreviated

Your nature is your eulogist, not my tongue; your presence launches raids upon my speech.

for a reason that excuses one like me.

For something excusable by the likes of me

So may God quench my beloved through your hands, and quench you also, O illustrious Prince.

وَسَجاياكَ مادِحاتُكَ لا لَفـ

وَسَجاياكَ مادِحاتُكَ لا لَفـ

ـظي وُجودٌ عَلى كَلامي يُغيرُ

ـظي وُجودٌ عَلى كَلامي يُغيرُ

And your virtues praise you, not my utterance;

And your qualities, those who praise you, not my words

and generosity assails my speech.

There is existence in my speech that alters

فَسَقى اللَهُ مَن أُحِبُّ بِكَفَّيـ

فَسَقى اللَهُ مَن أُحِبُّ بِكَفَّيـ

ـكَ وَأَسقاكَ أَيُّهَذا الأَميرُ

ـكَ وَأَسقاكَ أَيُّهَذا الأَميرُ

So may God give drink to those I love through your two palms,

So may God water those I love with your palms

and grant you water, O prince.

And water you, O Prince