أنا عبْدُ مَوْلايَ الخليفَة يوسُفِ

خبرٌ به رسْمي يصحُّ ويكْتفي

I am the servant of my master the Caliph Yusuf

With him I have a formal relationship that is sound and sufficient

هذا هو العزّ الذي أحْرَزْتُهُ

وبه رَقَيْتُ إلى المحلِّ الأشرَفِ

This is the honor that I have attained

And with it I have risen to the most noble position

لوْلا سَحابٌ جاءَني من جودِه

ما كان رَيْبُ الحادِثاتِ بمنصِفِ

Were it not for a cloud that came to me from his generosity

The oppression of events would not have been fair

لا أرْتَجي إلا نَداهُ فَرِفْدُهُ

لوْلاهُ ما كان الزّمانُ بمُسْعِفِ

I hope for nothing but his calls to provide for me

Without him time would not have been favorable

موْلايَ إنّي عبْدُ نعْمَتِكَ التي

وكَفَتْ لديْهِ فكُلُّ مُعضلةٍ كُفِي

My master, I am the servant of your blessing

Which has sufficed for my religion, so every dilemma was remedied

ولديّ مولودٌ يُرجّى عادةً

عوّدتَها لمؤمِّلٍ مُسْتَعطِفِ

And I have a newborn who is usually hoped for

You have accustomed him to beseech the hopeful

وقّعْ لعبدِكَ باسمِهِ فالقَصْدُ أنْ

تتجدّد النُعْمى بكتْبِ الأحْرُفِ

Sign for your servant with his name, for the intention is

That blessings be renewed with the writing of letters

لا أقتَضي طلَباً سوى هذا الذي

هوَ عزّتي وعِنايتي وتشرُّفي

I seek no request but this which

Is my honor, care, and ennoblement

لا أرتجي عَرَضاً فكمْ من نعمةٍ

أوْلَيْتَها بتلطُّفٍ وتعطُّفِ

I hope for no promotion, for how many a blessing

You have conferred with kindness and favor

لا أبتَغي أرَباً فكم من مقصَدٍ

أسْعَفْتَ من قبل السّؤالِ المُعْتَفي

I seek no profit, for how many a purpose

You have facilitated before the request could be expressed

ومتى بقيتُ ونعمةُ الموْلى على

مملوكِهِ فبواحِدٍ لا أكْتَفي

And whenever I remain, and the blessing of the Master on

His subject, with one I cannot be satisfied

لكنْ بثانٍ بعدَهُ وبثالِثٍ

لهُما على نسَقٍ بغيْرِ توقّفِ

But with a second after him, and with a third

For both of them on par without stopping

هذا يطولُ فأيُّ مالٍ طائِلٍ

بصِلاتِ عبدِكَ أو عوائِدِه يَفي

This goes on, so what availed wealth

Suffices with the prayers of your servant or his returns

عُد باسْمِهِ متألّماً من منْعِهِ

يُشْفى بما منهُ منَحْتَ ويكْتَفي

Return with his name, grieving from his prevention

He will be healed by what you have given him and be satisfied

ما عُذْرُه إنْ عابَه إخوانُهُ

أو فاخَروا بالعُرْفِ مَنْ لم يُعْرفِ

What is his fault if his brothers rebuked him

Or boasted of prestige he who did not have it