سلام كعرف المسك يعبق بالنشر

وأزكى تحيات تخصك بالبشر

A greeting, like the scent of musk, wafting fragrance,

and the purest salutations, bringing you gladness.

وكثرة اشواقي اليك ابثها

وما لي وذكر اها وانت بها تدري

I pour out to you my abundant longings—

yet why should I mention them, when you know them?

وليس يخاف عن شريف علومكم

غرامي الذي فيكم يجل عن الحصر

Nor is it hidden from your noble understanding—

my love for you, beyond all reckoning.

يا قمر العليا وسعد بروجها

ومطلع شمس الجود يا واحد العصر

O moon of the heights and lucky star of their constellations,

and rising-place of generosity's sun, O peerless one of the age!

بك اليوم وجه الدهر اشرق بهجة

وعادت بك الايام باسمة الثغر

Through you, time's face has brightened with joy today,

and through you the days' lips smile once more.

وقد نشرت ما كان من عرفها انطى

ووافتك بعد الطي طيبة النشر

And they have unfolded the fragrance once folded away,

and come to you sweetly fragrant after that folding.

اعيذك بالفرقان والفجر والضحى

وطه وبالبيت المعظم والحجر

I seek protection for you by the Criterion, the Dawn, and the Morning Brightness,

and Ta-Ha, and by the venerated House and the Stone.

وحاشاك من عذر يجيد عن الوفا

فما لك في تخيير جودك من عذر

Far be it from you to offer an excuse that swerves from fidelity;

for you have no excuse for making your bounty optional.

وها انا قد ارسلت دمعي سائلا

بحقك يوما لا تقابله بالنهر

And here I have sent my tears, flowing in supplication;

by your honor, never meet them with rebuke.

وطابق يحسن النثر نظمي تكرماً

ليحلو طباق العيش بالنظم والنثر

Graciously match my verse with fine prose,

so life's harmony may be sweet through verse and prose.

وعطفا عسى الايام تسمح باللقا

ولو مرة لو انها بغية العمر

And show compassion; may the days allow a meeting,

even once, though it be the goal of a lifetime.

ولو يستطيع السعي مضناكم سعى

ولو انه يسعى على الشوك والجمر

If your lovesick one could make the journey, he would,

even if he had to tread on thorns and embers.

ولكن عليه الدهر اخنى وفاؤه

وزادت بؤس الفقر ضرّا على ضر

But time's faithfulness has brought him low,

and poverty's misery has added harm upon harm.

واصبح لا حمرا يملك بعدها

وراحته صفر من البيض والصفر

And thereafter he possessed no red gold,

and his palm was empty of white silver and yellow gold.

اجزني اجزني سيدي واجر بي على

فواضل ما عودتني واغتنم اجري

Reward me, reward me, my master, and treat me in keeping with

the gracious favors you have accustomed me to; earn the reward for aiding me.

فيحرك وافٍ بالعطاء ووافر

مديد فما اوفى واحلاه من بحر

For your sea is unfailing in giving and abundant,

far-reaching—how full and sweet a sea it is!

فدونكها من عبد بابك خدمة

اليك اتت تسعى على قدم الشكر

Accept her, then, as an offering from the servant at your gate;

to you she has come, hastening on gratitude's foot:

محببة حسناء بكر يتيمة

منظمة في سلك عقد من الدر

beloved and beautiful, a virgin without peer,

strung on the thread of a necklace of pearls,

بنيّة فكر من قريض زففتها

عروسا بدت تجلى عليك من الخدر

a little daughter of thought, fashioned of verse, whom I have led forth

as a bride, emerging from her chamber to be unveiled before you.

ومن فضلها مدت اليك يد الرجا

واحلى الرجا ما كان بالمد والقصر

And by her merit she has stretched toward you the hand of hope,

and sweetest is hope in its long and short forms.

ونرجو لها حسن القبول لعلها

تعود لمثواها معظمة القدر

And we hope she finds a gracious welcome, that she may

return to her dwelling, held in high esteem.

فلا زلت يا يحيى اخا الفضل والندى

ربيع نوال بالثنا خالد الذكر

So may you ever remain, O Yahya, brother to excellence and bounty,

a springtime of giving, your memory enduring through praise.

ولا برحت افعال جودك في الورى

على مدى الايام ماضية الامر

And may your acts of generosity among humankind never cease

to hold sway throughout the course of days.

ونلت من الاقبال والسعد والعلا

محلّا به تعلو على الشمس والبدر

And may you attain, in prosperity, good fortune, and eminence,

a station where you rise above the sun and the full moon.

ودمت قرير العين ما هبت الصبا

وما حركت عودا على نغم القمري

And may your eyes remain serene as long as the east wind blows,

and as long as it stirs a bough to the turtledove's song.