1. بلبل يشدو ويصدح

    في رياض الأنس يسرح

    A nightingale sings and trills,

    Roaming in the gardens of delight.

  2. وشقيق الروض يزهو

    وعبير الزهر ينفح

    And the garden's anemone blooms proudly,

    And the flowers' fragrance wafts.

  3. ونسيم الشوق ينشي

    من شذا الحب ويشرح

    And longing's breeze intoxicates

    With love's fragrance, and brings delight.

  4. وغزال زاد حسنا

    بكحيل الطرف يجرح

    And a gazelle, grown lovelier,

    Wounds with a kohl-dark gaze.

  5. ينثني كالغصن عطفا

    وعلى الخطيّ يرجح

    He bends his frame like a bough,

    And surpasses the Khatti spear.

  6. ريقه كالشهد يحلو

    من فم الصب المقرّح

    His saliva is sweet as honey,

    From the wounded lover's mouth.

  7. ليته بالقرب يوما

    لقتيل الشوق يسمح

    Would that, one day, with his nearness,

    He favored one slain by longing.

  8. قد أطال الهجر عمدا

    وغدا بالصد يمرح

    He has deliberately prolonged estrangement,

    And now revels in turning away.

  9. قلت لما جاء يسعى

    بسيوف اللحظ يذبح

    I said, when he came hastening,

    Slaughtering with the swords of his glance:

  10. ان لي من حرّ هجر

    منهلا عذبا مطفح

    Indeed, against estrangement's heat, I have

    A sweet, overflowing spring:

  11. اسعديّا ذا خلال

    نشرها يزكو ويمدح

    An As'adi endowed with virtues,

    Whose fragrance flourishes and is praised.

  12. عذب ذوق مرّ جدّ

    ليس للفحشاء يطمح

    Sweet in taste, bitter in earnest,

    He does not aspire to indecency.

  13. وبه الأيام تحلو

    وبه العلياء تفرح

    And through him the days grow sweet,

    And through him lofty glory rejoices.

  14. وعليّ في مقام

    أسعديّ ليس يبرح

    And Ali stands in a station,

    An As'adi one he never leaves.

  15. قد سما برج المعالي

    وعلى الجوزاء يربح

    He has risen to the tower of high honors,

    And surpasses Gemini.

  16. كوكب في بيت سعد

    وبه الآمال تنجح

    A star in a house of good fortune,

    And through him hopes come true.

  17. هو غوثٌ راحتاه

    بالندى كالغيث تمنح

    He is a source of succor; his two palms

    Bestow bounty like rain.

  18. حاتم بالجود لكن

    كفه بالبذل اسمح

    A Hatim in generosity, yet

    His hand is more generous in giving.

  19. ليس يلقى منه شاك

    غير بيت المال يجدح

    None is found complaining of him,

    Save the treasury, which finds fault.

  20. وبحرب ليث فتكٍ

    بكعوب جاء يرمح

    And in war, a lion of slaughter,

    With a jointed spear, he came thrusting.

  21. وعلى الأعداء يعدو

    بزناد الطعن يقدح

    And he charges at his enemies,

    Striking sparks with the firesteel of his thrusts.

  22. فوق طود من جياد

    سابق كالبرق يلمح

    Upon a mountain among noble steeds,

    Swift, flashing like lightning.

  23. مانح الأضداد قهرا

    وعن الزلات يصفح

    Granting his adversaries defeat,

    And pardoning missteps.

  24. ضيغم تخشاه أسدٌ

    وعلى العافين يجنح

    A mighty lion whom lions fear,

    And he inclines toward seekers of bounty.

  25. يا عليا بأياد

    نلت منها خير مربح

    O Ali, by the benefactions

    From which I gained the finest profit,

  26. بنت فكر لك تجلى

    بقبول منك فامنح

    A daughter of thought is unveiled to you;

    So grant her your acceptance.

  27. بطرس بالمدح وافى

    بلبل يشدو ويصدح

    Butrus has come with praise,

    A nightingale singing and trilling.