بَدا في العُلى بَدر الهُدى فَأَنارَهُ

وَتَمَّ فَكانَت هالَة السَعدِ دارَهُ

The full moon of guidance rose high, illuminating it,

And it became complete, so it was the halo of good fortune, its house.

وَما هالَةٌ لَكن سَوادَ عُيونِنا

بِهِ دارَ لَما أَحدَقَت فَانارَهُ

It's not a halo, but the blackness of our eyes,

With which its house shone when it stared intently.

فَمَن شَكَّ فَليَنظُر بِوَجهِ خَليلنا

عُذاراً عَلَيهِ الأُنس أَلقى إِخضِرارَهُ

So whoever doubts, let him look at the face of our friend,

Upon whom intimacy sheds a greenish radiance.

فَفي فِكرِهِ السامي لَهيبٌ مِن الذَكا

أَبانَ دُخاناً وَهُوَ يَخفي أَوارَهُ

In his sublime mind there is a flame of intellect

That showed smoke while hiding its fire.

وَلَو لَم يَكُن صُبح الرَجا وَجهَهُ لَما

عَلا فيهِ ذَيّاك الدُخان شَرارَهُ

Had the morn of hope not been his face,

That smoke would not have risen in it with sparks.

خَليلٌ بَدا يَحيي الخَليلَ بِلُطفِهِ

جَليلٌ غَدا فعلُ الجمل شِعارَهُ

A friend appeared, enlivening the friend with his kindness,

Becoming glorious, the deeds of camels his motto.

دَعاهُ أَثير المَجدِ لُطفاً لِبُرجِهِ

فَلاحَ وَأَبدى لِلعِبادِ وَقارَهُ

The ether of glory called him kindly to its tower,

So he shone and showed solemnity to the servants.

أَبانَ لافقِ السَعدِ كَوكَبُ وَجهِهِ

مَعاً وَهُوَ يَجلي لَيلَهُ وَنَهارَهُ

He revealed to the horizon of fortune a star, his face,

Together, as he illuminated its night and day.

وَحيي فَأَحيانا فَقُلتُ مُؤَرِخاً

خَليلُ الكَمالِ الآنَ أَبدى عذارَهُ

He brought me to life, so I said, recording the date,

"The perfection of perfection has now revealed its bloom."