لَفِي ضَناك ضنَى العلياءِ والحَسَبِ

وفي شَفاكَ شِفاءً العلمِ والأدبِ

In your distress lies the anguish of the virtuous and honored

And in your lips lies the cure for knowledge and literary grace

نَفسِي فِداءُ أبي زيدٍ وطَلعَتِه

من جُهدِ سفرتِه الموصُولةِ التَّعبِ

My soul is ransom for Abi Zayd and his aspirations

From the toil of his endless journey full of fatigue

نشتاقُ إشراقَ شمسٍ بعدَ غَيبِتها

حتَّى إذا أشرقَت تَخفى وَرَا السُّحب

We yearn for the radiance of a sun after its absence

Until it rises obscured behind the clouds

يا لاَرعَى الله مَن قد رَاعنِي ومضَى

ذَا لحيَةٍ لبسِوى الأرجَافِ لم تَشِبِ

Oh may God tend to him who tended to me and passed

A man with a venerable beard not yet turned white

شَبَّهتُ منطقَة مِن فوقِ لِحيته

بِبُومَةٍ حَكتِ الغِرَبَانَ في النَّعَبِ

I likened the hair on his chin

To a little owl that crows amidst the slopes

أشرِق علينا غَداً حتى نرَاك فمَا

عُدنَأ نُفرِّقُ بينَ الصِّدقِ والكذِب

Dawn upon us tomorrow so we may see you, for we do not

Distinguish between truth and lies without you

مُستصححِبا لِحبيبٍ أنتَ تَعرفُه

يا خيرَ مُصطحِبٍ لخَيرِ مُصطَحَبِ

As a companion to a beloved you know

O finest companion to the finest companion

اللهُ في قلبِ صَبٍّ مُغرَمٍ بكُمَا

حياتُه بَعدكُم واللهِ لم تَطِبِ

God is in the heart of a passionate youth in love with you both

His life without you, by God, is not sweet

وإن يلُذ بحِمَى صَهباءَ صافيةٍ

فَمِن جُيوشِ هُمومٍ جدَّ في الهرَبِ

And if he finds solace in gray doves

It is from legions of worries utterly routed

في الدَّنِّ رَاحٌ وفي كاسَاتها قَبَسٌ

أما تَرى في خُدُودٍ خَمرةَ اللَّهبِ

In his weakness there is respite, and in his cups a spark

Can you not see in his cheeks the wine of flames?

وغَضبةُ اللهِ عمَّن بات يشنَاُ مَن

يَصبُو لجامدِ بلَّورٍ ومُنسَكِبِ

And God is angry with those who vilify the one

Who pours for the frozen crystal and overflowing cup