حبيبٌ حباكَ بلينوفرٍ

حبيبٌ حباكَ بلينوفرٍ

فأكرمْ به وبإهدائه

فأكرمْ به وبإهدائه

A beloved favored you with a water lily;

A lover gifted you a book

How noble he is, and how noble his gift!

So honor him and his gift

تأمَّلتُ ما فيه فاقتادَني

تأمَّلتُ ما فيه فاقتادَني

إليه تزاويقُ وَشْيائِه

إليه تزاويقُ وَشْيائِه

I contemplated what it held, and was drawn

I contemplated what was in it

To it by the adornments of its embroidered finery.

And its decor drew me to it

له طَلْعَةٌ بين أوراقِه

له طَلْعَةٌ بين أوراقِه

ضُحىً ثم يكمُنُ في مائِه

ضُحىً ثم يكمُنُ في مائِه

It appears among its leaves

It has a radiance among its pages

At midmorning, then hides in its water,

At dawn, then it hides in its water

كغوَّاصِ لُجٍّ على فاقةٍ

كغوَّاصِ لُجٍّ على فاقةٍ

يحاولُ أسبابَ إثرائِه

يحاولُ أسبابَ إثرائِه

Like a deep-water diver in poverty,

Like a pearl diver in the deep

Seeking the means to enrich himself.

Seeking means to enrich himself