1. غصنٌ بأوراق الغلائل يخطر

    وسوى هواه بمهجتي لا يخطر

    A bough sways, clad in the leaves of fine robes;

    And nothing but love for him crosses my soul.

  2. يسقى بماء شبابه ومدامعي

    فبحسنه وبحزن قلبي يثمر

    He is watered with the water of his youth and my tears;

    So he bears fruit through his beauty and my heart's sorrow.

  3. في حسن يوسف في شمائله وفي

    مدح ابن يعقوب القرائح تشعر

    On Yusuf's beauty in his qualities, and on

    The praise of Ibn Yaqub, poetic minds compose verse.

  4. علاّمة الدنيا وكافي ملكها

    فالسر يحفظ والفضائل تشهر

    The world's great scholar and the mainstay of its realm:

    So secrets are guarded and virtues proclaimed.

  5. لا عيب فيه سوى ندى مستعبدٍ

    رِقّ المديح وأنه لمحرر

    He has no fault save bounty that enslaves

    The bondservant of praise—and that he is indeed a liberator.

  6. لي من نداه عادةٌ قد أخرت

    عني وتأخير الندى لا يؤثر

    My customary gift from his bounty has been held back

    From me—and postponing bounty is unwelcome.

  7. فترادفت عندي الهموم وربما

    يرجى لها فرجٌ لديه وأكثر

    So worries have piled upon me, and perhaps

    Relief for them is to be hoped for from him—and more.

  8. غصون الحمى إن الفؤاد لطائر

    إليكم وأني كامل الحب وافر

    O boughs of the sanctuary, my heart is indeed flying

    Toward you, and my love is complete and abundant.

  9. وُصفت بأوصاف القريض لشقوتي

    فلا غَرْوَ إن دارت عليّ الدوائر

    I was described with the attributes of poetry, to my misfortune;

    So no wonder if the circles of misfortune turn against me.

  10. أهيم بكم في كل وادٍ من الأسى

    على أنني لابنِ الخليفة شاعر

    Lovesick for you, I wander through every valley of sorrow,

    Though I am a poet for Ibn al-Khalifa,

  11. أمير بني فضل الإله وكلهم

    بأقلامه والسيف ناهٍ وآمر

    Prince of the sons of Fadl al-Ilah, each of whom

    With his pens and the sword forbids and commands.

  12. مقيمٌ على مغنى دمشق وظله

    لآمالنا في الشرق والغرب ساتر

    He dwells in Damascus's abode, and his shade

    Shelters our hopes in the East and the West.

  13. كذا أبداً يا ابن السيادة والتقى

    لنا قوةٌ مهما نراك وناصر

    Forever thus, O son of nobility and piety:

    We have strength and a champion whenever we see you.

  14. ويروي أحاديث الثناءِ صحيحةً

    عطاءٌ لنا من راحتيك وجابر

    And authentic traditions of praise are narrated

    By Ata—bounty from your two palms to us—and Jabir, the comforter.