حَلَّت سُعادُ وَأَهلُها سَرِفا

قَوماً عِدىً وَمَحَلَّةً قَذفا

Su'ad and her kin have settled at Sarif,

Among a hostile folk, in a distant abode.

وَاِحتَلَّ أَهلُكِ سيفَ كاظِمَةٍ

فَأَشَتَّ ذاكَ الهَجرُ وَاِختَلَفا

While your people have occupied the coast of Kazima,

So that separation has scattered us and grown vast.

وَكَأَنَّ سُعدى إِذ تُوَدِّعُنا

وَقَدِ اِشرَأَبَّ الدَمعُ أَن يَكِفا

It was as though Su'da, when she bade us farewell,

With tears welling up, ready to spill over,

رَشَأٌ تَواصَينَ القِيانُ بِهِ

حَتّى عَقَدنَ بِأُذنِهِ شَنَفا

Was a young gazelle, over whom the handmaidens fussed,

Until they fastened an earring upon her ear.

فَاِزجُر فُؤادَكَ أَو سَنَزجُرُهُ

قَسَماً لِيَنتَهِيَنَّ أَو حَلَفا

So rebuke your heart—or we shall rebuke it—

By a solemn oath, it must surely desist or vow to do so.

فَالحُبُّ ظَهرٌ أَنتَ راكِبُهُ

فَإِذا صَرَفتَ عِنانَهُ اِنصَرَفا

For love is but a steed you ride upon;

If you turn its reins, it will turn away.

وَتَنوفَةٍ تَمشي الرِياحُ بِها

حَسرى وَيَشرَبُ مائُها نُطَفا

Many a barren desert where the winds walk,

Weary, and its water is drunk only in scant drops.

كَلَّفتُها أُجُداً تَخالُ بِها

مَرَحاً مِنَ الخُيَلاءِ أَو صَلَفا

I traversed it upon a sturdy she-camel; you would think,

From her liveliness, that she possessed pride or arrogance.

وَهَبَ الجَديلُ لَها مَدارِعَهُ

وَالقِمَّةَ العَلياءَ وَالشَعَفا

The mountain ibex has gifted her its armored hide,

Along with the high peaks and the towering summits.

قَد قُلتُ لِلعَبّاسِ مُعتَذِراً

مِن ضَعفِ شُكريهِ وَمُعتَرِفا

I said to Al-Abbas, offering my excuses

For the frailty of my gratitude, and confessing:

أَنتَ اِمرُؤٌ جَلَّلتَني نِعَماً

أَوهَت قِوى شُكري فَقَد ضَعُفا

"You are a man who has clothed me in blessings,

Which have overwhelmed the strength of my thanks, leaving it feeble.

فَإِلَيكَ قَبلَ اليَومِ تَقدِمَةً

لاقَتكَ بِالتَصريحِ مُنكَشِفا

So take this offering, presented before today,

Meeting you with clear and open declaration:

لا تُسدِيَنَّ إِلَيَّ عارِفَةً

حَتّى أَقومَ بِشُكرِ ما سَلَفا

Do not bestow upon me another favor,

Until I have fully given thanks for what has passed."