وَفِتيانٍ بَنَوا لَهُمُ فَخاراً

وَفِتيانٍ بَنَوا لَهُمُ فَخاراً

بَعيدَ السَمكِ في خِطَطِ المَعالي

بَعيدَ السَمكِ في خِطَطِ المَعالي

And young men built themselves glory,

And youths built for themselves lofty ambitions

towering high in the domains of eminence.

Far-reaching, in the path of great deeds

فَصادوا الحَمدَ مِن سِربِ القَوافي

فَصادوا الحَمدَ مِن سِربِ القَوافي

بِما نَصَبوهُ مِن شَرَكِ النَوالِ

بِما نَصَبوهُ مِن شَرَكِ النَوالِ

So they caught praise from the flock of rhymes

So they reaped praise from the flock of meters

with the snare of bounty they had set.

Through what they set up of the pole of aspiration

إِذا ما المَرءُ صارَ بِهِم خَليطاً

إِذا ما المَرءُ صارَ بِهِم خَليطاً

تَفَكَّهَ في الجَميلِ وَفي الجَمالِ

تَفَكَّهَ في الجَميلِ وَفي الجَمالِ

When a man becomes their companion,

When a person mixes with them

he delights in kindness and in beauty.

He finds amusement in beauty and grace