1. أَيُّها الفائِقُ أَهلَ ال

    عَصرِ في مَرأى وَمَخَبرْ

    O you who surpass the people of the

    age in outward appearance and inward character,

  2. لَكَ آراءٌ مَتى تَن

    هَدْ إِلى الأَعداء تَظفَرْ

    you have counsels: whenever you set

    out against the enemies, you triumph.

  3. وافَقَ العَنبَرُ مِن لَف

    ظِكَ مِن ذهنيَ مِجمَرْ

    The ambergris of your speech found

    a censer in my mind;

  4. فَعَرَفنا بِذَكيّ ال

    عَرف ماقَد كانَ مُضمَر

    so we learned, through the potent

    fragrance, what had been concealed.

  5. وَلَعَرفُ الكَلِم العَذ

    ب مِنَ العَنبَر أَعطَرْ

    And indeed the fragrance of sweet words

    is more fragrant than ambergris.

  6. وَسألنا صَقر أَطيا

    رِك بِالسِرِّ فَأخبَرْ

    And we asked the falcon among your birds

    about the secret, and it told us.

  7. وَغَدا النَسرُ خَطِيباً

    إِذ غَدا القِرطاس مِنبَرْ

    And the vulture became an orator,

    when the paper became a pulpit.

  8. وَبَدا ما كانَ يخفى

    وَفَشا ما كانَ يُستَرْ

    And what had lain hidden came to light,

    and what had been concealed spread abroad.

  9. نَظمُ دُرٍّ يَستَبي القَل

    بَ مَتى يُنظَم وَيُنثَرْ

    A string of pearls that captivates the

    heart, whenever strung or scattered,

  10. دَلَّني أَنَّكَ في الخُل

    صان مَعقودٌ بِخِنصَرْ

    has shown me that among close

    friends, you are counted on the little finger.

  11. دُمتَ في عَيش هِنيٍّ

    صَفوُهُ غَيرُ مُكَدّرْ

    Long may you enjoy a pleasant life,

    its serenity unclouded.