لعب الكرى بجفونه فتصاحى

وجلا لنا من مقلتيه الراحا

The wine played with his eyelids, so he woke

And smiled at us with delight from his eyes,

قمرٌ رنا ريماً وماج نقاً وفا

ح طلاً ولاح بهاً وماس رداحا

A moon sang softly, calm and bright,

Radiant, shining, and gleaming radiance.

ملأت ملاحته العيون وإنما

ملأت لواحظه القلوب جراحا

His glances filled the eyes, though

His gazes filled the hearts with wounds.

ماخلت قبل أرى الكؤوس بكفه

أن الشموس تزورنا أقداحا

Before I saw the cups in his hand,

I thought the suns were visiting us with drinks.

قال ادن بالمصباح نشرب قلت ما

هذا المزاح قم اطفئ المصباحا

He said, bring the lamp closer, we'll drink

I said, what is this jest? Stand up and put out the lamp,

وخذ الصبوح فما الصباح بغائبٍ

مادام صبحي للشآم صباحا

And take the morning, for the dawn is not absent

As long as my dawn is a morning for Syria.

والٍ إذا رعت الدجنة باسمه

عزَّى الغراب بها الصدى الصياحا

Family, when she pastured them in his name,

The echo consoled the raven with her scream

ساس العباد سياسةً عمريةً

أرضى بها الأرواح والأشباحا

He ruled the servants with Umar's policy,

Pleasing spirits and ghosts.

ونفى الفساد عن البلاد فأخصبت

وذكت وضاعف ريعها الأرباحا

And he banished corruption from the country, so it flourished

And lived, and its yields doubled profits.

فدنا يقول وقد تلون خده

حتى تمثل ورده تفاحا

He says, as his cheek changed color,

Until his rose complexion resembled an apple:

إن الوزير وزير جلق راحل

عنها ليملأ غيرها إصلاحا

"The minister is the minister of Jelq departing,

To fill another place with reform."

فبكيت حتى خلت أن مدامعي ال

راح التي أبعدت عنها الراحا

So I cried until I thought my tears would not stop,

The comfort that was taken away from it.

وعلمت أن البر آن بواره

والشؤم أصبح للشآم وشاحا

And I knew that righteousness in its absence

Became inauspicious for Syria and misfortune.

اللَه يشهد أن يوم بعاده

عني أحد من الحمام سلاحا

God knows that the day he went away from me

Became for the doves a weapon.

إذ أن جلق لا تشاهد بعد را

حته لأبواب الندى مفتاحا

Since Jelq no longer beholds after its comfort

The keys to the doors of dew.

اللَه يوليه السلامة حاضراً

أو غائباً ويزيده أفراحا

May God grant him well-being present

Or absent, and give him joys,

ويعيده كالبدر بعد أفوله

تم الملاحة زاهياً وضاحا

And return him like the moon after its setting,

Navigation prospering and shining.

سر يا ملاذ الناس سير سحابةٍ

تولي الندى وتبدد الأتراحا

Travel, O refuge of people, like a cloud

That makes dew turn and dispels sorrows,

لتفيد كل العاصمات تمدناً

وتديناً وتقدماً ونجاحا

To enrich all capitals with civilization,

Religion, progress and success.

فبكل أرضٍ جئتها لك صولةٌ

تنضي على مهج اللئام صفاحا

So in every land you came to you have a raid

That stirs up the cowardly villain's cheeks with slaps,

وبكل نادٍ أنت بادٍ حاضرٌ

ما دام جودك عارضاً سياحا

And in every club you frequent, you are present,

As long as your generosity is a traveling companion.