ان من يحفظ المودة أحرى — Shabrawy

Indeed, whoever preserves affection is more deserving

Of fine praise in this world and the next.

And the noble, wellborn man grows in dignity

And modesty through forgiving wrongdoing.

And the discerning, cultured man, endowed with reason and excellence—

Deception does not endure in his presence.

And by my life, you are worthy of this glory

And preeminence, exalted in esteem.

May we never, through time, lack gifts from you,

Pouring affection and kindness abundantly upon us.

O marvel of the age in beauty and inner meaning,

And in stature mirroring the age, and in poetry.

Yours is the foremost place in hearts and in honor,

And wherever glory is found, you come to the fore.

Yours is a lineage good in its planting,

And in branches reviving its roots, and in renown.

I do not forget virtues from you that adorned

The neck of our minds with pearls of verse.

Through them we have risen to lofty heights and gained

Towering learning, prestige, and glory.

How can I bear the burdens of gratitude

For your favors, while your virtues follow unceasingly?

If creation could give voice to praise,

It would proclaim gratitude toward no one but you.

May God purify your heart and tongue; may you ever remain

A treasure for those who seek you, O noble one.

And may God grant you every hope

You cherish from Him, and might and victory.

Be as you wish: I, Abd Allah, am yours—

A servant; shall I receive glad tidings?

My ultimate aim is to obtain the chance to kiss

Your generous hands, their palms and backs.

Consider the matter inwardly, and you will see

The sincerity of my affection and my fascination with you.

This is my friendship and the pledge of my covenant,

And my faithfulness, as long as I live, secretly and openly.

So trust it, and dismiss the wrongdoers,

For you know better what has come from them.

Or suppose me as you imagined—far be such a thought from you—

An offender: here I have come to be cleared.

Ah, may God curse every slanderous talebearer

Who has sown discord between us and clouded thought.

He embellished his speech and drew you away from us,

Overstepping in his reproaches and growing brazen.

You were unguarded when he came to you, seeming gentle;

Had you looked closely, you would have thought him scowling.

Whatever the case, may God never show me

Estrangement from you henceforth, my master.

So pardon, pardon, O joy of the age,

And garden of learning in verse and prose.

And be gentle; graciously grant generous pardon

To a lover who cannot endure being apart from you.

Be pleased with me and care for me as you used to—

And spare me those who cloak themselves in pride.

Fold away rejection's cloak, and preserve a lovesick lover

Who seeks the unfurling of reunion's banner.

And seek my acquittal, for I

Have been forcibly captured by the hand of longing.

Eyes have surrendered me to madness,

Deadly eyes that deepen my heart's brokenness.

They filled my heart with arrows and beckoned,

Then mockingly captivated the lovesick one's innermost heart.

Eyes of a sweetly nasal-voiced one—had the full moon a share

Of his radiance, it would endure for a month and an age.

And wondrous it is: God has grown upon his cheeks

Flowers, and in my heart, embers.

My very piety has left me in my love for him,

And for his sake I regard shameless abandon as a veil.

Exalted is He who preserved him, his beauty inviolate,

Fragrant, pure, immaculate, radiant.

Peerless in beauty, bearing, and speech,

Deep-rooted in lineage, glory, and honor.

My passion for him, my master, is my excuse;

And let my passion suffice you as my excuse.

Receive from me this affectionate beauty,

Who has declared her loveliness while still a virgin.

So be gracious and honor her with acceptance,

For she is a virgin who desires your bosom as her secluded chamber.

May God increase for you, with every sunrise,

Blessings that leave the envious weary with regret.

Then may every lofty station call you: 'Join me!'

Indeed, whoever preserves affection merits a reward.