1. سَرى للطيفِ مرسولُ

    وجنحُ الليلِ مسدولُ

    A messenger of the dream-vision traveled by night,

    and the wing of night hung draped;

  2. فَذكّرني زمان رو

    ض لَهوي فيه مطلولُ

    so it reminded me of a time when the garden

    of my delight was bedewed.

  3. وَمزنُ الهجرِ مدبور

    وَمُزن الوصلِ مقبولُ

    The rain-clouds of estrangement were driven away,

    and the rain-clouds of union were welcomed.

  4. أَلا قولا لسُعدى هل

    لَدَيها الحبلُ موصولُ

    Listen, you two, say to Suʿdā: is

    the cord still unbroken in her keeping?

  5. وَهَل للهائمِ المعمو

    د تَرحيبٌ وتسهيلُ

    And is there, for the love-dazed, stricken one,

    a welcome and ease of approach?

  6. مخطّفة الحَشا غصّت

    بساقيها الخلاخيلُ

    Slender-waisted—her anklets choke

    around her shins;

  7. منعّمة شموع لح

    ظها بالسحرِ مكحولُ

    delicately nurtured, playful—her glance

    is kohled with magic.

  8. فمِنها القدُّ عسّال

    وَمنها الثغرُ معسولُ

    Her figure sways gracefully,

    and her mouth is honey-sweet.

  9. كأنَّ رُضابها شهدٌ

    بِماءِ المزنِ معلولُ

    The moisture of her lips is like honey,

    diluted with water from rain-clouds;

  10. رضابُ كالغديرِ إذا

    تَرقرق وهو مشمولُ

    lip-moisture like a pool when

    it ripples, stirred by the north wind.

  11. كأنَّ ضياء غرّتها

    لَنا في الليلِ قنديلُ

    The radiance of her brow seems

    a lamp for us in the night.

  12. فَلا قِصَرٌ يشين قوا

    مها فيها ولا طولُ

    So no shortness mars her figure,

    nor does tallness.

  13. وَما أَنا وهي إلّا قا

    تلٌ أبداً ومقتولُ

    And she and I are but a slayer

    and one slain, forever.

  14. وَأرض كَم بها وخدت

    بِنا العيس المراسيلُ

    And through many a land have sped

    the swift pale camels carrying us.

  15. وَننشدُ كلّ شعر لي

    سَ في الأشعارِ مملولُ

    And we recite every poem that

    is not wearisome among poems:

  16. مديحٌ في عرار زا

    نهُ لحنٌ وترتيلُ

    a panegyric to ʿArār, adorned

    with melody and measured chanting.

  17. عتيكيُّ النجار له

    عَلى الإملاء تفضيلُ

    Of ʿAtīk lineage, he has

    preeminence over the notables.

  18. مصانٌ عرضه والما

    لُ مِن كفّيهِ مبذولُ

    His honor is inviolate, and his wealth

    is freely given from both his hands.

  19. هزبرٌ ما له غير الص

    صَوارم والقنا عيلُ

    A lion with no dependents but

    keen swords and spears;

  20. وَبحرٌ زاخرٌ في الجو

    دِ مرجوٌّ ومأمولُ

    and an overflowing sea, for generosity

    looked to and hoped for;

  21. وَطود حجىً لديه تخ

    شعُ الشمُّ اليغاليلُ

    and a mountain of wisdom, before whom

    the lofty, towering peaks bow;

  22. وَسيف مِن سيوفِ اللَ

    هِ في الإقليم مسلولُ

    and a sword among the swords of God,

    unsheathed in the region;

  23. وبدرٌ في هدىً ومفا

    خرٍ في الأرضِ منزولُ

    and a full moon of guidance and glories,

    brought down upon the earth.

  24. يحقُّ لوجههِ إن لا

    حَ تكبيرٌ وتهليلُ

    His face deserves, when it appears,

    cries of 'God is greatest' and 'There is no god but God.'

  25. مذاهبُ حكمه عدلٌ

    وَتحريمٌ وتحليلُ

    His ways of judgment are justice,

    prohibition and permission.

  26. أريبٌ زانه من فخ

    رهِ تاجٌ وإكليلُ

    Discerning, adorned through his glory

    with a crown and a wreath.

  27. لَهُ حكمٌ يوافق ما

    بهِ قَد جاءَ جبريلُ

    His judgment accords with what

    Gabriel has brought.

  28. كأنّ اللفظَ فرقانٌ

    وَتَوراةٌ وإنجيلُ

    As though his speech were the Qur'an,

    the Torah and the Gospel.

  29. أَلا يا مَن له في المل

    كِ تَغييرٌ وتبديلُ

    Ah, you who have, within the realm,

    the power to change and alter,

  30. وَمَن لم يثنهِ عمّا

    يريدُ القال والقيلُ

    and you who have not been deterred from what

    you desire by talk and gossip:

  31. لَقد قضيت لك الحاجا

    ت فيما نلت والسولُ

    indeed, your needs have been fulfilled,

    and your desire, in what you have attained.