لقد وردَ الدر طيَّ الكتاب

فقبَّلتُ منهُ بناناً كَتَب

The pearl has arrived bound in the book

So I kissed the inscriptions that were written

وإِنَّ يداً تجمعُ الأَشرفينِ

جليلَ العطاءِ وغض الأدب

And a hand that brings together the best of both

Of mighty generosity and refined etiquette

تسيلُ بانشائها رقة

كما هي فعلاً مسيل الذهب

Flows gentleness with its composition

As it actually flows gold

لَتَخلُقُ باللثمِ دون الأكفِ

وذاك أَقلُّ الذي قد وجب

It creates with a kiss minus palms

And that is the least that is owed

فيا سيدي وأَميرَ الكرمِ

ويا أَفضلَ الناسِ اماً وأَب

So my master and chief of generosity

And best of people whether mother or father

عليك وقفتُ القريضُ ولم

أكُ اعتاضُ من ربِ نعماي رب

I have dedicated this poem to you and have not

Been distracted from thanking the Lord of my bounties

وقد كنت غادرته مدَّةً

وطال سكوتي وزادَ العجب

And I had left Him for a period

And my silence lengthened and the wonder increased

وظنَّ الأَنامُ بأَني عَييتُ

وأَنَّ معينَ كلامي نضَب

And people thought that I was fatigued

And that the spring of my speech was exhausted

وما نضَبَ الشعرُ لكنني

تجنَّبتُ فيهِ مقالَ الكذب

But poetry never expired, I just

Avoided in it unreasonable speech

وأَكبرتهُ أن يكونَ وُعاءَ

العديمِ وكشكولَ أهلِ الطلب

And thought it too big to be

A vessel for the penniless and yearnings of the seekers

إلى أن ظفرتُ بهذا اللقاء

وجادَ الزمانُ بهذا الأَرب

Until I came across this meeting

And time yielded this profit

فأَنعشتَ بي الشعرَ قبل العفاء

وأَنعشتَ بالجودِ مجدَ العرَب

So you revived poetry in me before demise

And revived with generosity the glory of the Arabs