1. سلامٌ رقَّ رونقهُ

    يباهي نفحةَ الندِّ

    A greeting whose radiance has grown delicate,

    Vying with a waft of fragrant incense,

  2. يبلّغهُ النسيم إلى

    حليفِ الفضلِ والمجدِ

    The breeze conveys it to

    The ally of virtue and glory,

  3. وقد طلعت كواكبه

    بأفْق العزّ والسعدِ

    And his stars have risen

    On the horizon of honor and good fortune,

  4. مَنِ العاني الذي اتقدت

    بأضلعهُ لظى الوجدِ

    From the captive, in whom has blazed

    The fire of longing within his ribs.

  5. فواعجباه من جسمي

    تلاقى الضد بالضدِ

    So, how I marvel at my body:

    One opposite has met its opposite.

  6. ونار الشوق تصليهِ

    ولكن مات من بردِ

    And the fire of longing scorches it,

    And yet it has died of cold.

  7. وقرّ القرّ بي لكن

    يداوي البردَ بالبُرْدِ

    And bitter cold has settled in me, but

    One treats the cold with a cloak.

  8. أليس جنابكم يدري

    بأن البرد قد يردي

    Does Your Honor not know

    That the cold can kill?

  9. فيا مولاي لولا أن

    خلتْ كفاي من نقدِ

    So, my lord, were it not that

    My two hands were empty of cash,

  10. لكنتُ أتيت من قِدم

    بشيء للشتا يجدي

    I would long ago have brought

    Something useful for winter.

  11. ودمتم فوق ما رمْتم

    وهذا غاية القصدِ

    And may you remain above all you have sought,

    And this is my ultimate aim.