1. حَفِظَ اللهُ صاحباً كان ينبو

    عَ سُرورى وكانَ فارجَ هَمّي

    May God preserve a companion who was the wellspring

    of my joy, and the dispeller of my sorrow.

  2. غاب عنى وعاد عودةَ وصلٍ

    بعد هجرِ وصحةٍ بعد سَقمِ

    He was absent from me, then returned—a return of reunion

    after estrangement, and of health after sickness.

  3. يا أَبا الفضلِ أَنتَ كنتَ مجنّى

    حينَ أُرمى وساعدى حين أَرمي

    O Abu al-Fadl, you were my shield

    when I was shot at, and my arm when I shot.

  4. أَنتَ شمسى على النهارِ ظهيراً

    وعلى الليلِ أَنتَ بدري ونَجمي

    You are my sun by day, at noon,

    and by night you are my full moon and my star.

  5. والخلاصُ الذي رأَيتكَ جَهْراً

    علَّمَ البرءَ كيفَ يدمُلُ كَلمِي

    And the deliverance I plainly saw you to be

    taught healing how to close my wound.

  6. عَرَفَ الناسُ رغبتى عن سِواكم

    فاذا ما مَدحتكم لا أُسمِّي

    People knew I turned away from everyone but you;

    so whenever I praise you, I do not name you.

  7. سامي الهمومِ سعيُه لا يُدركُ

    بالحزمِ من أَقطارها مستمسكُ

    Lofty in his ambitions, his striving cannot be matched;

    with resolve he holds fast to their edges.

  8. يَطوى عليها جنبَه ويعرُكُ

    كما استقل بالفنيق المبركُ

    He folds his flank over them and grapples with them,

    as the kneeling-ground bears the prized camel stallion,

  9. أَوهضبةٌ في الطودِ ما تَحركُ

    له الى طرقِ المعالى مَسلَكُ

    or a crag in the towering mountain, never stirring.

    He has a passage to the paths of eminence

  10. لا يعلقُ الخفيةُ والسنبكُ

    where neither the padded foot [uncertain reading] nor the hoof gains a hold.