وَأَروَعَ أَمجَدَ قَرَّظَتهُ

وَبيضُ اللَآلي لِبيضِ النُحورِ

His eloquence's brilliance outshone

the full moons' radiant light.

وَشَعشَعَتِ الخَمرُ أَخلاقَهُ

فَأَطلَعَها غُرَراً لِلبُدورِ

Wine illuminated his character -

pearls flashing forth from shells.

وَهاتيكَ آدابُهُ لُجَّةٌ

فَمَن لي زَخَرَت بِالعُبورِ

His manners cut like sharpened swords.

Who can pass through this dense thicket?

وَما أَرغَتِ الكَأسُ في كَفِّهِ

وَلَكِنَّها ضَحِكَت عَن سُرورِ

His cup was never noisy in his hand,

but laughing with delight.

إِذا ماجَرى فَوقَ قُرطاسِهِ

يَراعٌ جَرى حِبرُهُ بِالحُبورِ

When inspiration flowed across his page

wild deer racing with ink of gold.

فَنَلثُمُ أَوضاعَ تِلكَ الرِقاعِ

وَلُعسَ مَراشِفِ تِلكَ السُطورِ

We kiss the form of those leaves

and cuddle the lines of that prose.

فَهَل نِقسُهُ مِن سَوادِ اللَمى

وَمُهرَقَهُ مِن بَياضِ الثُغورِ

Can we save him from dark blame

or rescue his whiteness from ruin?