يَطيبُ لِقَلبي أَن يَطولَ غَرامُهُ

وَأَيسَرُ ما أَلقاهُ مِنهُ حِمامُهُ

My heart delights that his love endures,

And the easiest thing I get from him is his pigeon.

وَأَعجَبُ مِنهُ كَيفَ يَقنَعُ بِالمُنى

وَيُرضيهِ مِن طَيفِ الحَبيبِ لِمامَهُ

More wondrous than it is how he contents himself with longing,

And is pleased by a glimpse of his beloved's turban-end.

تَعَشَّقتُهُ حُلوَ الشَمائِلِ أَهيَفاً

يُحَرِّكُ شَجوَ العاشِقينَ قَوامُهُ

I fell for him, gentle of traits, languidly moving,

Stirring the passion of lovers, his figure.

وَهِمتُ بِطَرفٍ فاتِنٍ مِنهُ فاتِرٍ

لِبابِلَ مِنهُ سِحرُهُ وَمُدامُهُ

And I was fascinated by a charming, dreamy glance of his

That would madden anyone, such is its sorcery and wine.

فَما الغُصنُ إِلّا ما حَوَتهُ بُرودُهُ

وَما البَدرُ إِلّا ما حَواهُ لِثامُهُ

For the branch is only what its chill contains,

And the moon only what its wrap holds.

أَغارُ إِذا ماراحَ رَيّانُ عاطِراً

أَراكُ الحِمى مِن ريقِهِ وَبَشامُهُ

I turn jealous when the fragrant, fresh north wind blows by,

I see the heat of its breath and joy.

وَأَرتاعُ لِلبَرقِ الَّذي مِن دِيارِهِ

فَيَحسَبُ طَرفي أَنَّ ذاكَ اِبتِسامُهُ

And I startle at the lightning that comes from his lands,

My eyes reckon that to be his smile.

وَأَستَنشِقُ الأَرواحَ مِن كُلِّ وُجهَةٍ

فَأَعلَمُ في أَيِّ الجِهاتِ خِيامُهُ

And I scent spirits from every corner,

So I know in which places are his tents.

خُذوا لي مِنَ البَدرِ الذِمامَ فَإِنَّهُ

أَخوهُ لَعَلّي نافِعٌ لي ذِمامُهُ

Take for me some moisture from the moon, for it

Is his brother; perhaps its dew will benefit me.

إِلى العادِلِ المَأمونِ لِلدَهرِ إِن سَطا

بِهِ يَتَجَلّى ظُلمُهُ وَظَلامُهُ

To the just, protected king of time - unveiled before him

Will be its darkness and gloom.

إِلى مَلِكٍ في العَينِ يَملَأُ سَرحَةً

وَيَملَأُ آفاقَ البِلادِ اِهتِمامُهُ

To a king whose eye fills a pasture

And whose care fills the land's horizons,

أَخو يَقَظاتٍ لَيسَ يَعرِفُ طَرفُهُ

غِراراً سِوى ما يَحتَويهِ حُسامُهُ

A brother to wakefulness, whose glance knows no

Distraction other than what his sword contains,

يُقَصِّرُ عَنهُ المَدحُ مِن كُلِّ مادِحٍ

وَلو كانَ مِن زُهرِ النُجومِ نِظامُهُ

Eulogies fall short of him, from every eulogizer,

Even if its system were of celestial flowers.

فَيا مَلِكَ العَصرِ الَّذي لَيسَ غَيرُهُ

يُرَجّى وَيُخشى عَفوُهُ وَاِنتِقامُهُ

O king of the age, none but him

Is hoped for, feared his pardon and vengeance.

تَقَدَّمَ ذِكرُ الجودِ قَبلَكَ في الوَرى

وَأَصبَحَ مِن ذِكراكَ مِسكاً خِتامُهُ

Talk of generosity came before you in the land,

But its seal came to be your mention.

أَمِنتُ بِلُقياكَ الزَمانَ صُروفَهُ

فَغَيرِيَ مَن يُخشى عَلَيهِ اِهتِضامُهُ

Through meeting you I felt safe from time's vicissitudes,

While others fear its aggressions upon them.

وَأَصبَحتُ مِن كُلِّ الخُطوبِ مُسَلَّماً

عَليكَ مِنَ اللَهِ الكَريمِ سَلامُهُ

Of all tribulations I have become carefree,

Upon you from the Bountiful Lord be His peace.