يا أَبا الفَضلِ لِم تَأَخَّرتَ عَنّا

فَأَسَأنا بِحُسنِ عَهدِكَ ظَنّا

O Abu al-Fadl, why did you delay coming to us

We doubted your good faith out of habit

كَم تَمَنَّت نَفسي صَديقا صَدوقا

فَاِذا أَنتَ ذلكَ المُتَمَنّى

How my soul wished for a true loyal friend

And here you are, that hoped-for one

فَبِغُصن الشَبابِ لما تَثَنّى

وَبِعَهد الصِبا وَان بِان مِنّا

In the springtime of youth, still unbending

By the covenant of youth, be true to me

كُن جَوابي اِذا قَرَأتَ كِتابي

لا تَقُل لِلرَّسول كانَ وَكُنّا

Answer me when you read my letter

Do not say to the messenger “it was and we were”