أَما وَأَلحاظٍ مِراضٍ صِحاح

تُصبي وَأَعطافٍ نَشاوى صَواح

With glances of sickness and looks of health

She captivates, with supple poses and cries of passion

لِفاتِنٍ بِالحُسنِ في خَدِّهِ

وَردٌ وَأَثناءَ ثَناياهُ راح

For a beauty, on her cheek is a rose

And in the folds of her bosom, tranquility rests

لَم أَنسَ إِذ باتَت يَدي لَيلَةً

وِشاحَهُ اللاصِقَ دونَ الوِشاح

I cannot forget when my hand rested one night

On her dress beneath her cloak

أَلمَمتُ بِالأَلطَفِ مِنهُ وَلَم

أَجنَح إِلى ما فيهِ بَعضُ الجُناح

I touched her gently but did not dare

To go further, though tempted somewhat

لَأُصفِيَنَّ المُصطَفى جَهوراً

عَهداً لِرَوضِ الحُسنِ عَنهُ اِنتِضاح

I will keep my oath to Al-Mustafa

A covenant to the garden of beauty has blossomed

جَزاءَ ما رَفَّهَ شُربَ المُنى

وَأَذَّنَ السَعيُ بِوَشكِ النَجاح

A reward for the effort with which I strove

And the race which neared triumph

يَسَّرتُ آمالي بِتَأميلِهِ

فَما عَداني مِنهُ فَوزُ القِداح

My hopes were eased by his intercession

And I was not deprived by him of the victor’s cup

لَم أَشِمِ البَرقَ جَهاماً وَلَم

أَقتَدِحِ الصُمَّ بِبيضِ الصِفاح

I lit no useless fires nor vainly

Struck flint on steel

مَن مِثلُهُ لا مِثلَ يُلفى لَهُ

إِن فَسَدَت حالٌ فَعَزَّ الصَلاح

None can match him, matchless as he is

If times go wrong and well-being ceases

يا مُرشِدي جَهلاً إِلى غَيرِهِ

أَغنى عَنِ المِصباحِ ضَوءُ الصَباح

Oh you who wrongly led my ignorance astray

The dawn’s light makes lamps redundant

رَكينُ ما تُثني عَلَيهِ الحُبا

يَهفو بِهِ نَحوَ الثَناءِ اِرتِياح

I am satisfied with your praises of him

To which praise inclines with comfort

ذو باطِنٍ أُقبِسَ نورَ التُقى

وَظاهِرٍ أُشرِبَ ماءَ السَماح

With an esoteric core kindled by piety’s light

And an exterior imbued with the water of tolerance

أُنظُر تَرَ البَدرَ سَناً وَاِختَبِر

تَجِدهُ كَالمِسكِ إِذا ميثَ فاح

Consider the full moon - examine it

And you will find it as musk when it diffuses its fragrance

إيهِ أَبا الحَزمِ اِهتَبِل غِرَّةً

أَلسِنَةُ الشُكرِ عَلَيها فِصاح

Come, O man of wisdom, put on a new robe

On which tongues of thankfulness cry out

لا طارَ بي حَظٌّ إِلى غايَةٍ

إِن لَم أَكُن مِنكَ مَريشَ الجَناح

No fortune of mine will reach its goal

If I am not your winged steed

عُتباكَ بَعدَ العَتبِ أُمنِيَّةٌ

ما لي عَلى الدَهرِ سَواها اِقتِراح

Reproach me after reproaching for I have

No proposal to fate but wishes

لَم يَثنِني عَن أَمَلٍ ما جَرى

قَد يُرقَعُ الخَرقُ وَتُؤسى الجِراح

What has happened does not stop my hopes

The rent may be patched and wounds healed

فَاِشحَذ بِحُسنِ الرَأيِ عَزمي يُرَع

مِنّي العِدا أَلَيسَ شاكي السِلاح

So sharpen my resolve with wise counsel, sustained

By me, though complaining of arms

وَاشفَع فَلِلشافِعِ نُعمى بِما

سَنّاهُ مِن عَقدٍ وَثيقِ النَواح

And intercede, for intercessors are blessed with

A pact firmly constructed

إِنَّ سَحابَ الأُفقِ مِنها الحَيا

وَالحَمدُ في تَأليفِها لِلرِياح

The clouds on the horizon give life

And praise in their gathering belongs to the winds

وَقاكَ ما تَخشى مِنَ الدَهرِ مَن

تَعِبتَ في تَأمينِهِ وَاِستَراح

And may He who you fear protect you from fate

You who weary yourself to ensure security and rest