1. وَقَفتُ عَلى يَحيى رَجائي وَإِنَّما

    وَقَفتُ عَلى صَوبِ الرَبيعِ رَجائِيا

    I pinned my hope on Yahya; I was only

    Pinning my hope on spring's downpour.

  2. إِذا ما اللَيالي أَدرَكَت ما سَعَت لَهُ

    تَمَطَّيتُ جَدواهُ فَفُقتُ اللَيالِيا

    Whenever the nights attain what they strive for,

    I ride his bounty and outstrip the nights.

  3. إِذا غابَ جاءَ المُزنُ في الجودِ سابِقاً

    وَإِن آبَ جاءَ المُزنُ في الجودِ تالِيا

    When he is absent, the rain clouds lead in generosity;

    And if he returns, the rain clouds follow in generosity.

  4. إِذا الغَيثُ باراهُ ثَنى الغَيثُ مُقصِراً

    أَوِ البَرقُ جاراهُ ثَنى البَرقُ كابِيا

    If rain rivals him, rain turns back, falling short;

    Or if lightning races him, lightning turns back, faltering.

  5. فَتىً لَم نَزِنهُ بِالقَوافي وَإِنَّما

    حَطَطنا إِلَيهِ كَي يَزينَ القَوافِيا

    A youth we did not adorn with rhymes; rather,

    We alighted before him so he might adorn the rhymes.

  6. مِنَ الغُرِّ لاحوا أَشمُساً وَمَضوا ظُبىً

    وَصالوا أُسوداً وَاِستَهَلّوا سَوارِيا

    Of the illustrious, who shone as suns and were keen as sword blades,

    And charged as lions and poured like night-rain clouds.

  7. إِذا مَعشَرٌ في المَجدِ كانوا هَوادِيا

    فَقيسوا بِهِ في المَجدِ عادوا تَوالِيا

    Whenever a people were leaders in glory,

    Compared with him in glory, they became followers.

  8. رَأَيتَ جَمالَ الدَهرِ فيكَ مُجَدَّداً

    فَكُن باقِياً حَتّى تَرى الدَهرَ فانِيا

    You saw time's beauty renewed in yourself;

    So live on until you see time pass away.