1. Tears flow on him yet he is ungrateful,
And he claims affection yet he is hostile.

2. He mentions the deserted abodes while love flourishes there,
And the place of Huzwa while his goal is Zarud.

3. He shows passion for Lubna yet his heart returns to Layla,
Deceiving, while to her his conscience goes back.

4. He longs for the gentle doves yet verily,
For their like he is a steadfast, old lover.

5. The morning breeze comes to him with news
Of the doe who gives him pure drink and he swoons.

6. It talks to him of his people so it kills him,
And it wafts their scent to him so he returns to life.

7. My soul, I have a soul that walks with the morning breeze
With a breast soaring to the sky and roses.

8. And a heart impervious to misfortunes when they come
Except love and separation where it is frozen.

9. And an eye that if the clouds carried its water
The flashing of lightning would end and be stillness.

10. When I sense lightning flash, tears etched by my sighs gush forth
Like thunder claps ascending and rumbling.

11. Why do the black eyelids deny my blood
While in the white cheeks there is evidence?

12. And why are those slender waists now so thin
Too weak for the descendants of perfect ancestry?

13. Why do our languid eyes generously love
The reluctant, arrogant gazelles?

14. We wrongly name the red torrents of their tears
While knowing well they are blue.

15. I am of those whose houses and tongues
Benefit those who ask.

16. We disparage the most sinister of sinister women, yet if
The gazelles become like women they would disparage us.

17. The white gazelles – their eyes plead while they
Break us with resolve as solid as iron.

18. Behold the bright full moons – they are faces
And darkness of gentle nights – they are curled locks.

19. Branches of doe bend in tresses
And spears of youth above them without warmth.

20. White throats sheltered in necklaces
And gentle eyes with kohl upon them.

21. Collars of gold are their beauty for the eyes
And shackles of love binding the passionate.

22. In my heart is such fervor that if grief contained some of it
The whales would be its fuel burning.

23. And in my cheek is a wound – if it watered the garden it would
Become meadows and bushes of roses.

24. So how many rubies does my weeping scatter,
Lips that mimic pearls but are more brilliant.

25. Lips that melt the heart while they are solid,
And kindle fire in me while they are cool.

26. Truly, neither the fire of youth is extinguished
Nor do flowing tears cease.

27. By your life – before old age I did not know fate
Would send me ruddy death yet aloof.

28. Nor did I know before love that destiny would
Send me red death while it has cheeks.

29. I never imagined that patience and composure
Would enable it to stab me while having a spear.

30. Nor did I reckon the pomegranate of the Qana to be
What I saw with my eyes erect on its branch.

31. The gazelles avoid me with aversion in their eyes
Which are traps that catch fierce lions.

32. They have deadly glances that seem
To destroy hearts and trample souls.

33. As if upon their necks and chests
Are strung poems praising al-Husayn.

34. Near to good, their nature calls him –
Through it his fathers and ancestors were known.

35. A cloud under which souls take shelter when it thunders
And upon the iron land roses bloom.

36. A protector – if alone he meets an enemy
He hunts the fierce lions though they are many.

37. He protects honour from the shame of blame
And for wealth unsheathes the sword of attainment.

38. The brother of generosity – though the reach of his giving
Is limited, his glory is without end.

39. It is as if his great munificence makes
The houses of wealth into the springs of lovers and the ruined into recluses.

40. The claws of death are his decisive swords
And the wings of mighty triumph his flags.

41. When the heavenly stream flows in his palm
How many of its roses blush and grow red!

42. The hearts are the place of his lofty glories – it is as if
When he shakes them to the chests they are love knots.

43. He wore the crown of knowledge while a youth
And attained the height of wisdom as a boy.

44. He articulated the art of rhetoric with a speech
In which Labid and Baligh are contenders.

45. He has insight that transcends insight
And goes beyond the limits of the unseen while intense.

46. He has a night that when the new moon disappears in it
It becomes the morning of success erect and towering.

47. He has resolve – if the white days speak of it
Impregnable chests of warriors would have no limits.

48. He has a shooting star whose likes
Celestial omens determine blessings and fortune.

49. It is as if its light for people are stars
Among them one is wretched and another fortunate.

50. The thirsty complain of its heat and in blood
For it among the sparks of spears there are roses.

51. The soil longs for it until it is as if
Its surface attained permanence through it.

52. Ask the rain about him if you do not know him
For it acknowledges his superiority even while jealous.

53. The thunder is but the sound of rebuke against him
For imitating his munificence and threats.

54. The bowing of the white days is but due to their knowledge
That he is the absolute so they prostrate.

55. When time destroys its offspring the waves of his generosity
Overflow upon them.

56. He comes near for giving and his slipper
Above the celestial crown ascends.

57. His warriors march and dawn breaks while they are foremost
And dusk falls while they are soldiers.

58. Their approach to the adversary sends his demise
While their interior for traitors are tombs.

59. O son of 'Ali, this is the prayer of a loyal friend
Whose covenant to you is fixed and certain.

60. The Merciful has fulfilled your rule in the land
So you are harsh in speech yet strong.

61. And you requited with kindness he whose actions
To you were wicked, so you gained virtue and praise.

62. You invalidated the well of injustice until the palace
Of justice was rebuilt and erected.

63. You vanquished the calamities of time though they were ferocious
And destiny submitted to you though stubborn.

64. May the festive day of Breaking Fast delight you, O joy of the world,
An ancient sovereign who has returned while new!

65. The radiant Basra is but a necklace
While you in it are the singular, befitting pearl.

66. Through your fragrance its land thrived since you settled it
So musk traveled from it while it was barren.

67. You have continued majestic, supported
With eternal fortune your ally in it.

68. The kings of the world visit you submissive
And the days flock to you in delegations.