أَلَم تَرَ أَيُّها المَلِكُ المُرَجّى

عَجائِبَ ما رَأَيتُ مِنَ السَحابِ

Have you not seen, O King on whom hopes rest,

The wonders I have witnessed in the clouds?

تَشَكّى الأَرضُ غَيبَتَهُ إِلَيهِ

وَتَرشُفُ ماءَهُ رَشفَ الرُضابِ

The earth complains to them of separation,

And sips their water like the nectar of a kiss.

وَأَوهِمُ أَنَّ في الشِطرَنجِ هَمّي

وَفيكَ تَأَمُّلي وَلَكَ اِنتِصابي

I feign that in the chess game lies my care,

Yet you are my contemplation; for you I stand at heed.

سَأَمضي وَالسَلامُ عَلَيكَ مِنّي

مَغيبي لَيلَتي وَغَداً إِيابي

I shall depart—may peace be with you now—

My absence is tonight; tomorrow I return.