أيّ حبيب في خده شرْطَهْ

لم أتجاوزْ في حبه شرطَهْ

Any beloved whose cheek has a mole,

I would not transgress his wish, no, not by a hair.

أحورُ أحوى أغرُّ مختصَرُ ال

خَصْرِ يُريك الجمال كالنقطَه

He has a slender waist and graceful swaying gait,

Showing you beauty as if it were a dot.

سألته قبلة فغالطني

مهدداً لي بصاحب الشرطَهْ

I asked him for a kiss, but he refused

Threatening me with the police officer.

السحرُ في طرفه ووجنته

ورديّةُ اللون فوقها نقطَهْ

Magic is in his glances and rosy cheeks

On which a tint, like a dot, overlays.

فديت من هجره على وجلٍ

والهجر بعد الوصال كالسّخْطَه

I ransom the one whose estrangement pained me,

For estrangement after union is like rage.

وشِبْتُ في حُبّه فوا سَقَمي

وها أنا الآن منه في ورطَه

I grew gray-haired in loving him, and here am I now

Entangled in difficulties because of him.

أقول لما بدا المشيبُ وقد

خطّ به وسْطَ مَفرِقي خطّهْ

I say, now that grey hair has appeared

And marked my parting with a line.

يا قلبُ تُبْ واسألِ المهيمنَ أنْ

يغفرَ ما قد مضى وقُلْ حِطّهْ

O heart, repent and ask the Almighty

To forgive what is past, and say: "It is enough!"

والجأ الى الحافظِ الإمام ومَنْ

قد زيد في العلم والعلى بسْطَهْ

Take refuge in the Guardian, the Imam whose

Knowledge and excellence have been spread.

أكرِمْ به من مهذّبٍ فطِنٍ

ليس له دون غيره غلطَهْ

Honor him, for he is a refined and brilliant man

Who has no faults compared to others.

أروعُ فاقَ الأنامَ كلهُمُ

نرجو رضاه ونتقي سُخْطَهْ

He is the most remarkable, surpassing all people.

We hope for his pleasure and fear his rage.

كم نعمةٍ قادها إليّ وكمْ

عبءٍ ثقيلٍ عليّ قد حطّهْ

How many blessings has he brought me! How many

Heavy burdens has he removed from me!

ذو قلمٍ لم يزل يقُطُّ به

رؤوسَ أعدائِهِ إذا قطّهْ

He whose pen ceaselessly cuts off

The heads of his enemies when he swings it.

الوزرا والملوكُ تُكْبِرُه

والأمرا ثمّ صاحبُ الشرطَه

The ministers and kings esteem him greatly,

As do the princes, and the police officer.

يا أيها الحافظُ الإمام ومن

قد شرّف الله ربنا خطّهْ

O Guardian, Imam whom our Lord

Has honored with his line of descent.

عبدُك نصْرٌ وأنت تعرفُهُ

ما عنده فضّةٌ ولا حِنْطَهْ

Your servant is Nasr, whom you know

Has neither money nor wheat.

وبطّةُ الزيتِ بعد ما ملئت

تفرّغَتْ ثم بيعَتِ البطّه

The oil jar after it was filled

Emptied out, then the jar was sold.

هذا وكل الفئرانِ قد نفروا

جوعاً وفرّتْ من جوعِها القطّهْ

The mice have all fled in hunger,

And the cat has run from its hunger.

فخُذْ عليه بما تشاءُ فلا

برِحْتَ في نعمة وفي غِبطَهْ

So do with him as you wish, may you never

Cease to enjoy favor and fortune!

وكل من شكّ في محبّتِه

حلّت بأعلى سِباله ضرْطَهْ

And whoever doubts his love of you

Will get fleas in the upper part of his robe.