أَسِحرٌ قَد سَرى مِن جيدِ ريمِ

أَمِ العَرفُ الأَريجُ مِنَ النَسيمِ

A magic has spread from Rima's cheek,

Is it the fragrant ginger breeze or a soft wisp?

أَم الشِعرُ الَّذي قَد رَقَّ مَعنىً

وَأَضحى فِتنَةَ العَقلَ السَليمِ

Or is it the poetry whose meaning has softened,

And become the seduction of the sound mind?

نَعَم دُرّ البَلاغَةِ قَد تَبَدّى

بجيدِ الطرس في عِقدٍ نَظيمِ

Yes, the pearl of eloquence has appeared,

On the neck of the statue in an orderly composition.

وَأَرهَفَ حُسنُهُ طَبعا بَليدا

يُجاذِبُهُ لِمَعني مُستقيمِ

And its beauty has sharpened a dull nature,

Engaging it towards a straight meaning.

وَلَولا ذاكَ لَم يُهزَز يَراعي

وَما ريئَت نَتائِجُ مِن عَقيمِ

Without it, the shepherd would not be stirred,

Nor would fruitless results be seen.

فَيا مَن شِعرُهُ أَضحى لِذَهني

كَنورِ البَدرِ لِلَّيلِ البَهيمِ

So you whose poetry has become to my mind,

Like the full moon's light to the desolate night.

توافيِكَ التَحيَّةُ ما تَغَنّى

حَمامُ الدَوحِ في غُصنٍ قَويمِ

I send you greetings for as long as the pigeons,

Coo in the upright branch.