1. أُحيّيك يا مَن لا يزال تشوّقي

    إِليهِ عَلى طولِ الصدود يزيدُ

    I greet you, O you for whom my longing

    keeps growing despite prolonged estrangement,

  2. تحيّةَ مثنٍ بالّذي أَنتَ أهلهُ

    مُقيمٍ عَلى ما أكّدته عهودُ

    with the greeting of one who praises you as you deserve,

    steadfast in what pledges have confirmed.

  3. وَأُنهي إِليك أَنّ ما قَد سَألتمُ

    عَليهِ وَإن كانَ القريب بعيدُ

    And I inform you that what you have asked

    about, though close at hand, is far away.

  4. فَواللّه لا أَدري بأيّ مجلّدٍ

    لَه مِن مَجاميعي يكون وجودُ

    For, by God, I do not know in which volume

    among my collections it is to be found.

  5. عَلى أنّني مُستيقنٌ بِوجودهِ

    وَوِجدانهُ صعبٌ عليّ شديدُ

    Though I am certain it is there,

    finding it is exceedingly hard for me.

  6. فَإِن أَمكَنتني فرصةٌ لتطلّبٍ

    بِقلبٍ وجسمٍ لستُ عنهُ أحيدُ

    So if an opportunity to search comes my way,

    with heart and body I shall not turn aside from it.

  7. وَدُم بالغاً مِن عزّةٍ وسعادةٍ

    وَطول مدىً ما تبتغي وتريدُ

    And may you always attain, in honor and happiness

    and length of days, all you seek and desire.