1. O Kamal al-Din, you are for all good
And wisdom that brings gratitude from the people
١. كَمالَ الدّينِ أَنتَ لِكُلِّ خَيرٍ
وَعارِفَةٍ تُفيدُ الشُكرَ أَهلُ
2. Your beautiful gatherings have told me
That favor is never lost with you
٢. مُخائِلُكَ الجَميلَةُ أَخبَرَتنِي
بِأَنَّكَ لا يَبُورُ لَدَيكَ فَضلُ
3. And here I am, whenever I asked permission they said
To me the guards, "The master is busy"
٣. وَها أَنا كُلَّما اِستَأذَنتُ قالَت
لِيَ الحُجّابُ لِلمَخدُومِ شُغلُ
4. So if I say let him know without permission
It is the saying of one who has manners and intellect
٤. فَإِن قُلتُ اِعلمُوهُ بِغَيرِ إِذنٍ
مَقالَةَ مَن لَهُ أَدَبٌ وَعَقلُ
5. I saw they all turned me away
Avoiding haste, haste led to it
٥. رَأَيتُ لِكُلِّهِم عَنّي اِزوِراراً
جُنوحَ العِجلِ مالَ عَلَيهِ عِجلُ
6. And my time after day stretched
And all of it to them was easy
٦. وَطالَ عَناي يَوماً بَعدَ يَومٍ
وَكُلُّهُمُ عَلَيهِ ذاكَ سَهلُ
7. And were it not for many preoccupations, know
My slippers would not flutter to your club
٧. وَلَولا كَثرَةُ الأَشغالِ فَاِعلَم
لَما خَفَقَت إِلى ناديكَ نَعلُ
8. And wishing you peace is my way
Does the weight of a pure friendship have weight?
٨. وَإِهداءُ السَلامِ إِلَيكَ شَأني
فَهَل لِسلامِ مُصفي الوُدِّ ثِقلُ
9. The guards have other concerns
And imaginations in the minds have action
٩. وَلِلحُجّابِ وَهمٌ غَيرُ هَذا
وَلِلأَوهامِ في الأَذهانِ فِعلُ
10. No, by God, with the likes of me entering
The people of sin would not lose their swagger
١٠. وَلا وَاللَهِ ما بِدُخُولِ مِثلي
عَلَيكَ يَفُوتُ أَهلَ الذَنبِ ذَحلُ
11. For I sold my mount and I have nothing
Else, a hand to rely on and luggage
١١. فَإِنّي بِعتُ مَركُوبي وَما لي
سِواهُ يَدٌ أَنُوءُ بِهِ وَرَحلُ
12. For the lowest price at the worst time
And selling needs is humiliation
١٢. بِأَوكَسِ قِيمَةٍ في شَرِّ وَقتٍ
وَعَضلُ البَيعِ في الحاجاتِ بسلُ
13. And I said I will protect my honor so that
My status not be seen with eyes of contempt
١٣. وَقُلتُ أَقي بِهِ عِرضي لِئَلّا
يَرَى حَسَبي بِعَينِ النَقصِ نَذلُ
14. And all are knowing but my humility
To other than you after God is nonsense
١٤. وَكُلٌّ عالِمٌ لَكِن خَضُوعي
لِغَيرِ عُلاكَ بَعدَ اللَهِ خَبلُ
15. So the fighter was not bothered by my entering
And your father, that would be blindness and ignorance
١٥. فَما رابَ المُجاهِدَ مِن دُخولي
وَأَبيَكَ إِنَّ ذا لَعَمىً وَجَهلِ
16. And this is the time of farewell and there will come
Praise that brings joy to listening ears
١٦. وَذا حِينَ الوداعِ وَسَوفَ يَأتي
ثَناءٌ يُطرِبُ الأَسماعَ جَزلُ
17. So the nights did not play in your yard in vain
For to a friend you are a helping hand and sword
١٧. فَلا عَبَثَت بِساحَتِكَ اللَيالي
فَإِنَّكَ لِلصَّديقِ يَدٌ وَنَصلُ
18. Nor did your counted ones leave where they were
And all their lives are war and adversity
١٨. وَلا بَرِحَت عِداتُكَ حَيثُ كانُوا
وَكُلُّ حَياتِهِم حَربٌ وَثَكلُ