1. نُبَلّغُها تَحيَّةَ مُسْتهام

    إلى تلك السَّجايا والخلالِ

    We convey it—a lovesick lover’s greeting—

    To those virtues and noble qualities,

  2. كما سَرَتِ الصَّبا وَهْنَاً فأَهْدَت

    على الهَضَبَاتِ أنْفَاسَ الغَوالي

    As the east wind passed late at night and bestowed

    Upon the hills the breaths of precious perfumes.

  3. ألذُّ من الحديثِ على الأماني

    وإن كانَ التعللَ بالمحال

    Sweeter than talk of hopes,

    And even if it is solace drawn from the impossible;

  4. وَأشْهَى من ليالي الوصلِ تَتْرى

    ويا شوقاً إلى تلكَ الليالي

    And more desirable than successive nights of union—

    And oh, the longing for those nights!

  5. محمدُ يا ابنَ عيسى ثم حسبي

    مكانُكَ من دعائي وابتهالي

    Muhammad, O son of Isa—then enough for me

    Is your place in my prayer and supplication.

  6. ويا ابنَ الحضرميِّ وكتَ تَسْمو

    لِتَحْدُو من عُلاهُ على مثال

    And, O son of al-Hadrami, you were rising [reading uncertain],

    To follow a model drawn from his eminence.

  7. ويا كافي الكُفَاةِ ولو بِحُكْمِي

    وقدرِكَ قلتُ يا مَوْلَى الموالي

    And, O ablest of the able—were it by my judgment

    And your worth, I would say, ‘O master of masters.’

  8. تَنَقَّلْ حيث شيتَ فأنت بدرٌ

    تنقَّلُ من كمالٍ في كمال

    Move wherever you wish, for you are a full moon,

    Moving from perfection into perfection.

  9. أو اثبتْ كلما أحْمَدْتَ أمراً

    فإنَّكَ بعضُ أركانِ ابال

    Or stand firm whenever you find a state of affairs praiseworthy;

    For you are one of Abal’s pillars.

  10. وأيَّاً ما فعلتَ فأنت ظِلٌّ

    وَقَاكَ اللهُ فَيْئَاتِ الظّلال

    And whatever you do, you are a shade;

    May God protect you from the shifting of shadows.