1. When you set forth from your cradle folk,
You had exhausted all the pearls in every sea.

2. You came waltzing in a sea and a sea
Of passion where for lovers there was no shame or shame.

3. The charms of youth had not sought you
When grey hair in rejection stayed my excuse.

4. You stretched out to me with the sorcery you show me,
With the wonders of your beauty and breaths of magic,

5. Until you made me in my love for you
A prisoner of the heart, joyous in my captivity.

6. You came to me from the maidens of Beirut, whither you repair,
With choice Lebanese, announcing secretly.

7. You tell me, for you have known me an expert,
Recently come to knowledge, and knowing.

8. That those who love me in it are, as
I knew, sincere and perfect of fidelity.

9. Hail, maidens of Beirut, of me
And Lebanon, whose life is a pouring rainfall.

10. Full moon filling the expanse with pearls
And mingling its dust with musk.

11. And hail whoever in it grew up, and hail
A time that passed in it, not passing.

12. And hail, hail, newcomer who came to me
With her splendor smelling of sweet perfume.

13. And greeted me from her intimacy
Worthy of affection for me is her measure.

14. Scion of glory and nursling of might,
And offspring of loyalty and suckling of purity,

15. And branch of excellence from a stock of glory,
Of noble stock, of outstanding nobility.

16. How excellent of the line of Arslan
The ferocious lion of his folk.

17. A youth who sought the highest and turned to it,
So for him his youth was the best dowry.

18. And who sought beauty so no intercessor
For them but youth whose case is accepted.

19. His heart clung from the days of the cradle
To gaining glory, shunning losing,

20. And was enamored of the noble deeds and meanings
And versifying - not for gain or excess,

21. Nor for youths in the cheek of youth
Nor for youths from the wine of a mouth.

22. But to catch the fleeting idea
That gives meaning and appears as mystery.

23. And if he played it was not with disgrace,
For wont of youth and prime of life.

24. But lofty ambitions scorn
Despite youth the meanness of affair.

25. It prohibited the approach of a commanded matter in which is commanding,
And made incumbent shunning all prohibited speech.