1. عبد الدعا مضرم الأحشاء ملتهبُ

    يشكو اليم الجوى والدمع ينسكبُ

    The prayerful servant burns, his entrails ablaze.

    He laments painful heartache, while his tears pour down.

  2. متيّمٌ مغرمٌ وافي الهيام شجٍ

    صبٌ ولو عٌ قلوق الطرف مضطربُ

    Love-stricken, enamored, full of passion, sorrowful;

    a pining lover, ardent, restless of gaze, distraught.

  3. صابٍ للثم اكفٍ لا يكفّ على

    مدى الليالي لذاك اللثم يرتقبُ

    Yearning to kiss hands, he never ceases; throughout

    the nights, he waits expectantly for that kiss.

  4. ونصب عينيه هاتيك الربوع ومن

    بها وذاك المقام السامي الرحبُ

    And before his eyes are those abodes and those

    within them, and that lofty, spacious dwelling.

  5. له حنينٌ ناهى نحو مشرقها

    ولهفةٌ وانشغافٌ فايقٌ عجبُ

    He feels an intense longing toward their place of sunrise,

    and eager yearning and a wondrous, surpassing infatuation.

  6. في كل يومٍ يهيم العبد معتمداً

    على الزيارة والأيام تنقلبُ

    Each day the servant pines, setting his hopes

    on a visit, while the days keep changing,

  7. من سوء حظٍ ومن كيد الزمانِ له

    والمرء من دهره الغدار منغلبُ

    through ill fortune and Time's schemes against him.

    And man is overcome by his treacherous times.

  8. وعبدكم ما كفى ما تعهدون به

    من التعجز بل زادت به النوبُ

    And for your servant, what you know of him was not enough—

    his infirmity; indeed, his afflictions only increased.

  9. لانه قد بلي في عارضٍ خطرٍ

    من العوارض منه كلّت الركبُ

    For he has suffered a dangerous mishap,

    one of those afflictions that left his knees powerless:

  10. من سقطةٍ سقطت ليلاً بجانبه

    فهدّت الحيل منه والتوى العصبُ

    from a fall at night onto his side,

    which shattered his strength and twisted his sinews.

  11. وبات ملقىً طريحاً غير مقتدرٍ

    على القيام ولا رجلاه تنتصبُ

    And all night he lay cast down, prostrate, unable

    to rise, nor would his legs straighten.

  12. فالسعي من يعلى هامي وناصيتي

    للثم انملكم من بعض ما يجبُ

    For going to him who raises my head and forelock,

    to kiss your fingertips, is among my duties.

  13. لكنما ما نعى عن نيل مرتقبي

    هذا البلاء وهذا الحال والسببُ

    But what prevents me from attaining what I await

    is this affliction, this condition, and this cause.

  14. فهاك يا حيدريّ المجد معذرة

    من خاص عبد لكم في الدهر ينتسبُ

    So accept, O Haydari of glory, this apology

    from a devoted servant who belongs to you for all time.

  15. يا خير من زينت أوصافه شيمٌ

    تزكو ونطقٌ لطيفُ لينٌ عذبُ

    O best of those whose qualities are adorned by virtues

    that flourish, and by speech—gracious, gentle, sweet.

  16. وثم رفقٌ وحلمٌ فاق مع كرمٍ

    وخلص ودٍ وفيٍ ما به ريبُ

    And there are gentleness and surpassing forbearance, with generosity,

    and pure, faithful affection in which there is no doubt.

  17. خلايقٌ جعل الخلاّق مركزها

    ارقى شهاب لهُ الأرواح تنجذبُ

    Traits whose seat the Creator has made

    the loftiest Shihab, to whom souls are drawn.

  18. أميرنا من تغالت في امارته

    ذُرى المعالي وفيه باهت الرتبُ

    Our prince, in whose reign have soared

    the summits of greatness, and in whom the ranks have taken pride.

  19. هذي سطور كسيحٍ ما به أبداً

    الا اللسان صحيحاً فيه ينطربُ

    These are a crippled man's lines; nothing at all in him

    is sound but his tongue, in which he finds delight.

  20. يبدي الدعا والثنا والحمد مختتما

    ما أشرقت في السماء السبعةُ الشهبُ

    He offers supplication, praise, and thanksgiving in closing,

    for as long as the seven bright stars shine in the sky.