1. ماسَ عَجَباً بِعَطفِهِ وَتَرَنَّح

    ذو مُحَيّا مِن طَلعَةِ الشَمسِ أَصبَح

    He strutted proudly, swaying his body and rocking,

    a man whose face is brighter than the rising sun.

  2. وَتَباهى بِحُسنِهِ وَتَلاهى

    عَن مُحِبٍّ في قَلبِهِ الوَجدُ يَقدَح

    He flaunted his beauty and turned heedlessly away

    from a lover in whose heart passion strikes sparks.

  3. سَل ظَبيَ الحَيِّ هَل ظُباها تَضاهى

    مِنهُ سَيفُ اللِحاظِ أَو هُوَ أَجرَح

    Ask the tribe's gazelle: do its blade-edges rival

    the sword of his glances, or does it wound more deeply?

  4. يَستَبيحُ الأَرواحَ لَهواً وَمَن ذا

    بِدَمِ الأَبرِياءِ في اللَهوِ يَسمَح

    He takes lives for sport—and who

    would permit innocent blood to be shed for sport?

  5. وَإِذا ما اِنبَرى وَتاهَ دَلالاً

    سَجَدَ الغُصنُ لِلقَوامِ وَسَبَّح

    And whenever he stepped forth and strutted coquettishly,

    the bough prostrated itself before his stature and sang its praise.

  6. رُحتُ أَرجو لِقاءَهُ حَيثُ وافى

    رَوضَةً طابَ وَردُها وَتَفَتَّح

    I went hoping to meet him where he had arrived—

    a garden whose roses were fragrant and in bloom.

  7. وَعَلَيهِ يا لَهفَ قَلبي رِداءً

    وَرَواءٌ فيهِ يَتيهُ وَيَمرَح

    He wore—oh, my heart's anguish!—a robe,

    and a handsome mien in which he strutted and reveled.

  8. فَاِستَقَلَّت عَينايَ زَهرَ رُباها

    وَلِكُلٍّ طَفِقَت في النَهرِ أَطرَح

    So my eyes deemed the flowers on its hills paltry,

    and I began tossing each one into the river.

  9. أَينَ هَذي مَهما نَكُن ذاتَ حُسنٍ

    مِن صِفاتِ الَّذي بِهِ أَتَمَدَّح

    Where does this stand—however beautiful we may be—

    beside the qualities of the one in whom I take pride?

  10. أَي وَرَبي فَإِنَّهُ قَد تَجَلّى

    بِثِيابِ العُلا وَفيها تَبَجَّح

    Yes, by my Lord, for he has indeed shone forth

    in the robes of eminence, proudly exulting in them.

  11. لا تَقيسوا بِحاتِمَ مِنهُ جوداً

    فَهوَ في الجودِ وَالمَكارِمِ أَسمَح

    Do not compare his generosity with Hatim's,

    for in generosity and noble deeds he is more openhanded.

  12. خَيرُ مولٍ لِلمَكرُماتِ وَمُعطٍ

    فازَ مَن باتَ في حِماهُ وَأَصبَح

    The finest bestower of noble favors and giver—

    he prospers who passes night and morning in his protection.

  13. وَلَهُ الصِدقُ دَيدَنَ فَتَراهُ

    في جَميعِ الأُمورِ بِالصِدقِ أَفلَح

    And truthfulness is his constant habit, so you see him

    more successful in every affair through truthfulness.

  14. رَبِّ زِدهُ مَحاسِناً وَعَلاءً

    وَأَطِل عُمرَهُ لِنَهنا وَنَفرَح

    Lord, increase his virtues and eminence,

    and prolong his life, that we may be content and rejoice.

  15. يا مُجيبَ الدُعاءِ إِنَّكَ أَدرى

    بِصِفاتٍ لَهُ تَجلُ وَتَمدَح

    O Answerer of prayer, You know best

    the qualities of his that are revered and praised.