1. كم شب في القلب نارا

    وصد عني ازورارا

    How often he kindled a fire in the heart,

    and turned away from me in aversion—

  2. مهفهف رد بالكأ

    س جنح ليلي نهارا

    a slender one who, with the cup, turned

    the darkness of my night into day.

  3. يحكي الغزالة جيدا

    ومقلة ونفارا

    He resembles the gazelle in neck,

    and in eye and shy retreat.

  4. يريك بالخطو تيها

    وبالرنو إنكسارا

    He shows you pride in his stride,

    and a yielding softness in his gaze.

  5. يدنو من القلب حبا

    وإن تناءى ديارا

    He draws close to the heart through love,

    though his dwelling lies far away.

  6. له جديد عذار

    خلعت فيد الذار ا

    He has newly grown cheek-down;

    I cast off the bridle of restraint for him [reading uncertain].

  7. كم ليلة بت أسقى

    من در فيه عقارا

    How many a night I spent being served

    wine from the pearls of his mouth,

  8. وأجتني الورد غضا

    واقطف الجلّنارا

    and gathering roses, fresh and tender,

    and plucking pomegranate blossoms

  9. من وجنة لو رآها

    بدر السماء توارى

    from a cheek that, if beheld by

    the full moon of heaven, would make it hide.

  10. قد ألَّف الحسن فيها

    ماء ير ق ونارا

    Beauty has united within it

    delicate water and fire,

  11. حتى رأيت بعقد الد

    دجى النظيم انتشارا

    until I saw the necklace of night,

    so finely strung, come apart;

  12. والصبح قد لاح في الشر

    ق طالعا واستنارا

    and dawn had appeared in the east,

    rising and shining bright.

  13. يحكي أبا الفضل وجها

    إذا رأى الزوارا

    Its face resembles Abu al-Fadl's

    when he sees the visitors:

  14. الواهب الطرف نهدا

    والنّهّد الأبكارا

    the giver of noble, sturdy steeds,

    and full-breasted virgin maidens;

  15. والناحر الكوم عشرا

    عشرا لضيف عشارا

    and the slaughterer of high-humped camels, ten

    by ten, for a guest—camels ten months pregnant;

  16. والجاعل الجوّ نقعا

    بالسَّابحات مثارا

    and he who turns the air to dust,

    stirred up by swimming steeds.

  17. بحر تخجّل كفا

    ه بالعطاء البحارا

    A sea whose two hands put

    the seas to shame with their giving.

  18. تراه وترا وبالبأ

    س جحفلا جرارا

    You see him as one man, yet in valor

    a vast, overwhelming army.

  19. أعز من اعصم الشا

    هق الممنَّع جارا

    Mightier as a protector than the white-footed ibex

    of the lofty, inaccessible crag;

  20. وخير من أخذ المل

    ك رأيه واستشارا

    and the best of those whose counsel the king

    has taken, and whom he has consulted.

  21. يعطي بيمناه يمنا

    وباليسار يسارا

    He gives good fortune with his right hand,

    and wealth with his left.

  22. كم قد أَقالَ مقلاًّ

    من الزمان عثارا

    How often he has raised a needy man

    from a fall dealt by Time;

  23. وسنَّ في الناس عدلا

    يطبّق الأقطارا

    and established justice among the people

    that embraces every land.

  24. غرس الخلافة يا من

    حلا لجان ثمارا

    Scion of the caliphate, O you

    whose fruits are sweet to the gatherer,

  25. ويا أجلَّ البرايا

    برا وأزكى نجارا

    and O greatest of all creatures

    in goodness, and purest in lineage!

  26. لولا اقتصاد ثراء

    ترى به الإيثارا

    Were it not for restraint in spending wealth,

    wherein you see selfless giving,

  27. لما لمحت لجينا

    ولا نظرت نفارا

    you would glimpse no silver,

    nor see gold [conjectural reading of corrupt text].

  28. بقيت للخلق والده

    ر ناهيا أمّارا

    May you remain for humankind and Time,

    forbidding and commanding;

  29. وزاد ربي منا

    في عمرك الأعمارا

    and may my Lord, as a favor, add

    lifetimes to the span of your life.