أتاني ما طرِبتُ له سُروراً

وأنت تَجُلُّ عنه وعن سُروري

Joy came to me, though you kept aloof from it and my joy,

So I congratulated events for having reached you, though I did not congratulate you for events.

فهنَّئتُ الأمورَ بأن تناهَت

إليك ولم أهنِّكَ بالأُمورِ

Did you not see that when blind they went astray,

So they were led to an all-seeing guide?

ألم ترَ أنها عمِيت فضلَّت

فقادوها إلى هادٍ بَصيرِ

I was not aware of them until they shone out,

And showed me the insight of al-Qushayri.

ولم أشعُر بها حتى استَضاءَت

فدلَّتني على نَظرِ القشوري

Were you an astrologer, O Fate, that with them

You inferred what was in my mind?

أكنتَ منجِّماً يا دهرُ حتى

أبَنتَ بها على ما في ضَميري

Abu'l-Faraj, calamities have hemmed me in,

While you are a fine neighbor for one seeking refuge.

أبا الفرجِ النوائبُ قد أحاطَت

وأنتَ فنعم جارُ المُستَجيرِ

I have none but you to occupy me, else without

Hope in you I would have set out on my way

وما لي غيرُكم شغلٌ ولولا

رجاؤكم وكنتُ على المَسيرِ

In a state that my staying on was almost revealing—

I watch what our Lord the Emir will do.

بحالٍ كادَ يكشفُها مَقامي

أُراقبُ أمرَ سيِّدنا الأميرِ