وابِأبي من حَسَّن الظنَّ في

قصدي ومن أسلفني شكرا

By my father I swear, of those who think well of my intention,

And who loaned me thanks in advance,

ومن دعاني للمهمّ الذي

يُسَهِّل المستصعَب الوَعْرا

And who invited me to the important task,

That makes easy the most difficult ruggedness.

أحسنتَ إِحسانَ المحبّ الذي

أخلصَ لي الإسرارَ والجَهرا

You have done good, the good of a loving friend,

Who was sincere to me both in secret and openly.

ولا ومَن أسأله راجياً

منه العُلا والعزَّ والنصرا

And not, by whom I ask, hoping,

From him elevation, honor and help.

ما جاءني شِعُرك مَسْتَقياً

وقدوتي مالكةٌ خمرا

Your poem did not come to me, drawing,

And my model a possessor of wine.

إلا التي استخلصتُها وهْيَ لم

يَبْلُغُ مَدَى العمرِ لها شهرا

Except whom I extracted, and she

Did not reach in her lifetime a month.

فليتني رحتُ بلا مُهْجةٍ

ولم أقدِّم في الورى عذرا

I wish I had left without anguish,

And I had not presented in creation an excuse.

أوْليتني مُلِّكتُ عمري لكي

أُعطِيّ منه سائلي الشَطْرا

Or I wish I had owned my lifetime so that

I would give from it to those who asked me for half.

لكنني أحبوك إذْ لم أجِد

من صِرْفها ما جاوز العمرا

But I loved you when I did not find,

From spending it, what exceeded a lifetime,

صفراءَ كالوَرْس عقيقيَّة

صافية عاتقة بِكْرا

Yellow like chrysolite, pure ruby,

Clear complexioned, virgin.

يَزُفُّها نحوك مَنْ يرتضي

مثلك كُفْؤاً فارتقب عَشرا

He sends her to you, who approves,

The like of you equally, so await company.

لا زلتَ يا مالكُ لي سالماً

لعلّ سقمي بك أن يَبْرَا

You are still to me, O Maliik, wellness,

Maybe my illness through you will recover.