Arabic (Original)
حَدَّثَنَا يَعْلَى حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَمْرٍو عَنْ يَحْيَى بْنِ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ قَالَ مَرَّ عُمَرُ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ عَلَى حَسَّانَ وَهُوَ يُنْشِدُ الشِّعْرَ فِي الْمَسْجِدِ فَقَالَ فِي مَسْجِدِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ تُنْشِدُ الشِّعْرَ قَالَ كُنْتُ أُنْشِدُ وَفِيهِ مَنْ هُوَ خَيْرٌ مِنْكَ أَوْ كُنْتُ أُنْشِدُ فِيهِ وَفِيهِ مَنْ هُوَ خَيْرٌ مِنْكَ.
English Translation
Ya'la told us, Muhammad b. 'Amr told us, from Yahya b. 'Abd al-Rahman, who said: 'Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, passed by Hassan while he was reciting poetry in the mosque, and said: "In the mosque of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, you recite poetry?" He said: "I used to recite when there was one in it who is better than you" — or "I used to recite in it when there was one in it who is better than you."