وَجاهل يدّعي نظم القَريض وَلا

وَجاهل يدّعي نظم القَريض وَلا

يَدري بِأَنّ اِدِّعاء النَظم يُقلقني

يَدري بِأَنّ اِدِّعاء النَظم يُقلقني

And an ignoramus claims to compose verse, yet does not

A fool claims to compose poetry, yet doesn't know

know that claiming to compose poetry troubles me.

That his pretense at verse disturbs me so.

يا شاعِراً مُفلقاً مَهلاً فَحسبك بي

يا شاعِراً مُفلقاً مَهلاً فَحسبك بي

مَضَرّةً كادَ هَذا الشعر يَفلقني

مَضَرّةً كادَ هَذا الشعر يَفلقني

O brilliant poet, easy now! You have done me enough

Sloppy poet, have done! 'Tis enough you trouble me.

harm—this poetry nearly split me apart.

Such drivel could near split my head in two!