يا رُب عبدٍ مَالِكٍ سيِّداً

وإن غدا في رِبْقَةِ العبْدِ

O Lord of a slave who became a master

And if tomorrow he returns to being a slave

حدَّق نحوي مرة شادنٌ

كأنه غصنٌ من الرَّنْدِ

He glanced at me once, erect

As if he were a branch of basil

بمقلةٍ حوراء في سَحْنَةٍ

حمراء كالنرجس في الوردِ

With the glance of a houri in affection

Red like the narcissus among roses

قلت له أنت بِتَحْدِيقَتي

أولَى لأني صاحب الوجدِ

I said to him, "With your glance at me

I am more deserving because I am the passionate one"

فقال لا تعجب لِمُسْتشرطٍ

حَدَّقَ في مستشرِطٍ جَلْدِ

So he said, "Do not be surprised by a conditional

Who glanced at a stubborn one"

قد ينظر الفهدُ إلى ظبية

وينظر الظبْيُ إلى الفهدِ

The panther may look at a gazelle

And the gazelle may look at the panther

لو لم ألاحظْكَ عَدِمْنا معاً

معرفة الغمْزَة والوعْدِ

Had I not noticed you we would both lack

Knowledge of winks and promises

فقلت ما أعجب ذا غِرَّة

يهدي ذوي الحُنْكَةِ للقصْدِ

So I said, "How wondrous is one with pride

Who guides the prudent to moderation"

فقال ما زالت نجومُ الدجى

تهديك في غَوْرٍ وفي نجدِ

He said, "The stars of nightfall still

Guide you in deep valleys and in open plains"

قلت اختتم بالسعد يا سيدي

إذا افتتحتَ الأمر بالسعدِ

I said, "Conclude with bliss, my master

If you began the matter with bliss"

قال نعم قلت متى قال لي

كُفيتَ مطْلَ الوعْد بالنقدِ

He said, "Yes." I said, "When?" He said, "I have spared you

The length of promises with realization"

فجاءني بالعفْو من طَوْلِه

ما لم يكن يُبْلَغُ بالجُهْدِ

So he granted me pardon for his tardiness

Which could not be attained with effort

وساعَدَ الشيْخُ على أمرِه

ولم يكن بالصاحب الوغدِ

And the elder helped in his matter

And he was not an unpleasant companion

فَنِكْتُهُ فرْديْنِ في واحد

عُجْباً بذاك الشادن الفرْدِ

So I singled him out, matchless in his oneness

Marveling at that tall, unique one

يا لك من نُعْمى أبو مُرَّةٍ

مُسْتَحوِزٌ فيها على الحمدِ

O you who are blessed, Abu Murra

Triumphant in which there is praise

بَرَّ فلا أجْحَدُهُ برَّهُ

والبِرُّ لا يَنْمى على الجَحْدِ

I do not deny his innocence, his innocence

And innocence does not grow from denial

كانتْ ذنوبي خطأً كلُّها

وذلك الذنب على عمدِ

All my sins were mistakes

And that sin was intentional

أستمتع الله بأمثاله

وليت مولاي على العهدِ

May God enjoy the likes of him

If only my Master would keep his word

وأستعيذُ اللّه من عاذلٍ

فيه ضعيفِ العقلِ والعَقْدِ

And I seek God's protection from a critic

Weak in mind and composure

لَرَائقُ الرائقِ أندى على

قلبيَ من هند ومن دعدِ

The saliva of the one salivating is more lucid

Upon my heart than even musk and agarwood

قضيبُ بان سَبِطٌ قدُّهُ

يميس في فَرْعٍ له جَعْدِ

The staff of Bán is smooth, its height

Grazes a branch that twists for it

يُرضيك من مَرأىً ومن مَخْبَرٍ

يا لك من قَبْلٍ ومن بعْدِ

You please me in what I see and hear of you

What a past and what a future

وجدتُ طعمَ العيش مُذْ نِكْتُهُ

لا زال محمياً من الفقْدِ

I found the taste of life since meeting him

It still protected from loss