بَعضَ تَصابيكَ عَلى زَينَبٍ
لا خَيرَ في الصَبوَةِ لِلأَشيبِ
Some of your windows overlook Zainab
Youthfulness is no good for the elderly
أَبَعدَ خَمسينَ تَقَضَّيتَها
وافِيَةً تَصبو إِلى الرَبرَبِ
After fifty have passed you by
Still overflowing towards folly
كُلِّ رَداحِ الرَدفِ خُمصانَةٍ
كَالمُهرَةِ الضامِرِ لَم تُركَبِ
Every plump part of the buttocks
Like an unmounted, skinny mare
أَو دُرَّةٍ ساعَةَ ما اِستُخرِجَت
لَم تُمتَهَن بَعدُ وَلَم تُثقَبِ
Or a pearl in the moment it was extracted
Before it was defiled or pierced
مَشرَبَةَ اللَونِ مُتوعِ الضُحى
صَفراءَ بِالآصالِ كَالمُذهَبِ
Pale yellow in color, radiant in the morning
Golden brown, like gilded
مَن مُبلِغٌ عَنّي إِمامَ الهَدى
الوارِث المَجد أَباً عَن أَبِ
Who will convey from me to the Imam of guidance
The heir of glory, father from father
إِنّي إِذا أَطنَبَ مُدّاحَهُ
قَصَدتُ في القَولِ فَلَم أُطنَبِ
When I speak extensively praising him
I am moderate in speech, not excessive
لا فَكَّ عَنّي اللَهُ إِن لَم تَكُن
أَذكَرتَنا مِن عُمرَ الطَيبِ
May Allah release me, if you were not
The most pleasant of our time
وَأَصبَحَ المَشرِقُ مِن شَوقِهِ
إِلَيكَ قَد حَنَّ إِلى المَغرِبِ
And the East longs for you in the morning
Yearning for you to the West
مِنبَرهُ يَهتِفُ مِن وَجدِهِ
إِلَيكَ بِالسَهلِ وَبِالمِرحَبِ
Its pulpit exclaiming in ecstasy for you
With ease and welcome
أَطرَبَهُ الوَقتُ الَّذي قَد دَنا
وَكانَ مِن قَبلِكَ لَم يَطرَبِ
The time which has drawn near delighted it
And before you it was not delighted
هَفا بِهِ الوَجدُ فَلَو مِنبَرٌ
طارَ لِوافي خَطفَةَ الكَوكَبِ
Passion transported it, and if it were only a pulpit
It would have flown to you rapidly like a shooting star
إِلى جَميلِ الوَجهِ ذي هَيبَةٍ
لَيسَت لِحامي الغابَةِ المُغضَبِ
To the beautiful, majestic face
Not terrifying like the angry forest guardian
لا يُمكِنُ الناظِر مِن رُؤيَةٍ
إِلّا اِلتِماحَ الخائِفِ المُذنِبِ
The onlooker cannot see
Except a glance, fearful and guilty
إِن تُرِدِ المالَ فَإِنّي اِمرِؤٌ
لَم أَجمَعِ المالَ وَلَم أَكسَبِ
If you want money, I am a man
Who has not amassed nor earned money
إِذا أَخَذتُ الحَقَّ مِنّي فَلا
تَلتَمِس الرِبحَ وَلا تَرغَبِ
When you take the truth from me, do not
Seek profit or be greedy
قَد أَحسَنَ اللَهُ إِلَينا مَعاً
أَن كانَ رَأسُ المالِ لَم يَذهَبِ
God has been good to both of us
That the capital did not diminish
