كتبت يا سَيِّدي كِتاباً

كتبت يا سَيِّدي كِتاباً

يَحسدهُ الروضُ وَالغَديرُ

يَحسدهُ الروضُ وَالغَديرُ

You wrote, O my lord, a letter

I wrote, my lord, a book

That the garden and the pool envy.

That meadow and pond would envy,

لكِنَّ تحبيرَه بحبرٍ

لكِنَّ تحبيرَه بحبرٍ

أَنكَرَه رَقُهُ الحَبيرُ

أَنكَرَه رَقُهُ الحَبيرُ

But its embellishment with ink

But in inking it with ink

Was rejected by its fine parchment.

Its polish was made ugly.

فَعَدَّ عَنهُ إِلى دَواةٍ

فَعَدَّ عَنهُ إِلى دَواةٍ

قَليلُ تَأثيرها كَثيرُ

قَليلُ تَأثيرها كَثيرُ

So turn from it to an inkwell:

So it turned from it to a pen

A little of its effect amounts to much.

Whose little leaves much sway,

وَخُذ دواتي بِلا اِمتِنانٍ

وَخُذ دواتي بِلا اِمتِنانٍ

فَرُبَّما يغرَمُ المشيرُ

فَرُبَّما يغرَمُ المشيرُ

And take my inkwell, with no obligation,

And take my pen without obligation -

For sometimes the adviser bears the cost.

Perchance the adviser may pay.