بِما حُزتَهُ مِن شَريفِ النِظامِ

وَأَرهَفتَهُ مِن حَواشي الكَلامِ

With the honourable principles you uphold

And the eloquent words with which you extol

تَعالَ إِلى الأُنسِ في مَجلِسٍ

يَهُزُّ بِهِ الشَيخُ عِطفَي غُلامِ

Come join me in a gathering of delight

Where even old men act like youths so bright

صَقيلٍ تَخالُ بِهِ بَيضَةً

تَروقُكَ تَحتَ جَناحِ الظَلامِ

In a polished hall that makes the moon gleam white

Its soft winds like clouds in gentle flight

رَطيبِ النَسيمِ كَأَنَّ الصَبا

تُجَرِّرُ فيهِ ذُيولَ الغَمامِ

My guests are so joyful they almost burst

Ready to greet you with blessings first

يَكادُ سُروراً بِأَضيافِهِ

يَهَشَّ فَيَلقاهُمُ بِالسَلامِ

For one like you, I have maidens choice

Daughters of doves and wine that gives voice

وَعِندي لِمِثلِكَ مِن خاطِبٍ

بَناتُ الحَمامِ وَأُمُّ المُدامِ

Princesses whom kings all madly covet

Who make tents joyful, never quiet or dim

بَناتٌ تَنافَسُ فيها المُلوكُ

وَتَلهو العَذارى بِها في الخِيامِ

They have stolen hearts and taken each a slice

Drunk the wine of generous young men's eyes

فَقَد كِدنَ يَلقَطنَ حَبَّ القُلوبِ

وَيَشرَبنَ ماءَ عُيونِ الكِرامِ

One blonde girl I divorced, for it's not right

To mix seemly and base, honor and blight

وَصَفراءَ طَلَّقتُ بِنتاً لَها

وَما لِلكَريمِ وَمَأتى الحَرامِ

I still ache, remembering bonds now torn

Though it was best, preventing further scorn

أَمُصُّ مَراشِفَها لَوعَةً

وَأَذكُرُ مابَينَنا مِن ذِمامِ

So come appreciate verse at its height

And see poetry wholesome, polite

فَعُج تَتَصَفَّح بَديعَ البَديعِ

وَتَلمَح سَلامَةَ شِعرِ السَلامي

Live delighting in odes like birdsong at night

Your clothes speak of valor, sword handles of might

وَعِش تَتَثَنّى اِنثِناءَ القَضيبِ

سُروراً وَتَسجَعُ سَجعَ الحَمامِ

وَيَحمِلُ ثَوبُكَ خَطَّيَّهُ

وَيَنطِقُ عَنكَ لِسانُ الحُسامِ