1. With the light of dawn some day when it appears
And with the star in the sky's expanse when it descends
١. يَميناً بنورِ الفجْرِ يوْماً إذا بَدا
وبالنّجْمِ في جوِّ السّماءِ إذا هَوى
2. You have composed a quarter of poetry after its lessons
And revived from it a ship that met desire
٢. لقدْ شِدْتَ رَبْعَ النّظْمِ بعْدَ دُروسِه
وأحْيَيْتَ منْهُ سفنّةً وافَقَتْ هَوى
3. And delighted a soul that for long encountered with it
The turns of nights in accompanying intentions
٣. وأنّسْتَ نفْساً طالَما لقِيَتْ بِها
صُروفُ اللّيالي في مُصاحَبَةِ النّوى
4. And gifted with a pearl that whoever wins it
Has surpassed all treasures in existence it contained
٤. وأتْحَفْتَ بالدُرِّ الذي مَنْ يفُزْ بهِ
على كلِّ ذُخْرٍ في الوجودِ قدِ احْتَوى
5. Except that a claim from you is not true
That came against what the heart concealed and intended
٥. خَلا أنّ دَعْوَى منْكَ غيْرُ صحيحةٍ
أتَتْ ضِدَّ ما أخْفَى الفُؤادُ وما نَوى
6. And it is denied by the perception that whoever repels it
Has listened to ignorance or joined its people
٦. ويُكْذِبُها الحِسُّ الذي مَنْ يرُدُّهُ
فللجَهْلِ أصْغى أو إلى أهْلِهِ انْضَوى
7. When a report is coupled with a context
You judge with an assumption that is not strongly sound
٧. إذا خبَرٌ ضُمّتْ إليه قَرينَةٌ
حكَمتَ بظنٍّ ليْسَ بالواهِنِ القُوَى
8. And your asceticism toward women is a witness proving
And none who came with truth strayed or deviated
٨. وزُهْدُكَ في الأنْثى شَهيدٌ مُثبِتٌ
وما ضَلّ مَنْ بالحَقِّ جاءَ ولا غَوى
9. And I have not said any verse of yearning, craving
A woman of immorality or craving her in infatuation
٩. وما قُلْتُ بيْتاً منْ نَسيبٍ مُشَبِّباً
بغانِيَةٍ أو بتَّ منْهُ علَى جَوى
10. When we mention one who is infatuated with a beauty
You are singled out from us by what is other than you
١٠. إذا ما ذكَرْنا مَنْ يَهيمُ بغادَةٍ
ذُكِرْتَ فنَسْتَثْنيكَ منّا بِما سِوى
11. Will I abstain from the judge of all judges son of Aktam
And from Hassan after he disseminated poetry
١١. أتَقْعُدُ عنْ قاضِي القُضاةِ ابْنِ أكْتَمٍ
وعنْ حسَنٍ منْ بعْدِ ما نشَرَ اللِّوا
12. While you are the one who rolled up your sleeve
With the strongest arm to spread what he folded
١٢. وأنتَ الذي شمّرْتَ في شدِّ أزْرِهِ
عنِ السّاعِدِ الأقْوى لتَنْشُرَ ما طَوى
13. So how many gentle hearts glanced at you gently
And averted their eyes for you have contained their hearts
١٣. فكمْ مُرْهَفِ العِطْفِ انْتَضى اللحْظَ مُرْهَفاً
عليْكَ وأحْوى الطّرْفِ لُبَّكَ قدْ حَوى
14. And you excel in that roses with you if they appear
Are exquisite, fresh in a soft cheek
١٤. وزِدْتَ بأنّ الورْدَ عندَكَ إنْ بَدا
أنيقَ الجَنى والآسَ في وَجْنَةٍ سَوا
15. And by my life this is an approach that has not been said about
But one who has not tasted is not like one who has tasted
١٥. وهذا لعَمْري مَذْهَبٌ لمْ يُقَلْ بهِ
ولكنّ مَنْ لمْ يرْوِ ليْسَ كمَنْ رَوى
16. And if something exceeds it changes to its opposite
And how many cooks stinginess spoiled what he cooked
١٦. وإنْ أفْرَطَ الشّيْءُ اسْتَحالَ لضِدّهِ
وكمْ طابِخٍ كشْحانَ رمّدَ ما شَوى
17. And below it from me to you is a truism
That came to you from a heart that in loving you is wrapped
١٧. ودونَكَها منّي إليْكَ بَديهَةً
أتَتْ لكَ من قَلْبٍ علَى حُبِّكَ انْطَوى
18. You remained a brother to Sa'd, his attire new
And glory over days inaccessible to temptation
١٨. بقِيتَ أخا سعْدٍ جَديدٍ لباسُهُ
وعِزٍّ على الأيّامِ ممْتَنِعِ الصَّوَى