ذَكَرَ الكَرخَ نازِحُ الأَوطانِ

فَصَبا صَبوَةً وَلاتَ أَوانِ

The exile far from his homeland remembered Karkh,

And yearned a youthful yearning when the time for it had passed.

لَيسَ لي مُسعِدٌ بِمِصرَ عَلى الشَو

قِ إِلى أَوجُهٍ هُناكَ حِسانِ

I have no comforter in Egypt to share my longing

For those beautiful faces left behind,

نازِلاتٍ مِنَ السَراةِ فَكَرخا

يا إِلى الشَطِّ ذي القُصورِ الدَواني

Those residing from Al-Sarat to Karkhaya,

Down to the riverbank lined with approaching palaces,

إِذ لِبابِ الأَميرِ صَدرُ نَهاري

وَرَواحي إِلى بُيوتِ القِيانِ

When the prime of my day was spent at the Prince's court,

And my return at evening was to the houses of singing girls,

وَاِغتِفالي المَولى لِأَختَلِسَ الغَم

زَةَ مِمَّن أُحِبُّهُ بِالبَنانِ

And watching for the master's distraction to steal

A secret signal with fingertips from the one I love,

وَاِعتِمالي الكُؤوسَ في الشَربِ تَسعى

مُترَعاتٍ كَخالِصِ الزَعفَرانِ

And my plying of cups that circulate in the drinking bouts,

Brimming over with wine like pure saffron.

يا اِبنَتي أَبشِري بِميرَةِ مِصرٍ

وَتَمَنَّي وَأَسرِفي في الأَماني

O my daughter, rejoice at the bounty of Egypt;

Make your wishes, and be extravagant in your hopes.

أَنا في ذِمَّةِ الخَصيبِ مُقيمٌ

حَيثُ لا تَعتَدي صُروفُ الزَمانِ

I am residing under the protection of Al-Khasib,

Where the calamities of time cannot commit aggression.

كَيفَ أَخشى عَلَيَّ غولَ اللَيالي

وَمَكاني مِنَ الخَصيبِ مَكاني

How could I fear the treacherous ghouls of the nights,

When I hold such high standing with Al-Khasib?

قَد عَلِقنا مِنَ الخَصيبِ حِبالاً

آمَنَتنا طَوارِقَ الحِدثانِ

We have grasped onto strong cords from Al-Khasib

That secured us against the sudden strikes of fate.

سَطَواتُ الخَصيبِ إِحدى المَنايا

وَنَداهُ سُلالَةُ الحَيَوانِ

The assaults of Al-Khasib are a form of certain death,

While his generosity is the very extract of life.

كُلَّ يَومٍ عَلَيَّ مِنهُ سَماءٌ

ثَرَّةٌ تَستَهِلُّ بِالعِقيانِ

Every day, a cloud from him rises above me,

Abundant and pouring down rain of pure gold.

حَيَّةٌ تَصرَعُ الرِجالَ إِذا ما

صارَعوا رَأيَهُ عَلى الأَذقانِ

A serpent that strikes men down upon their chins

If they dare to wrestle against his judgment.

وَإِذا ما جَرى الجِيادُ طَواها

أَوحَدِيُّ العِنانِ يَومَ الرِهانِ

When the steeds gallop, he outstrips them all,

Peerless in holding the reins on the day of the wager.

وَإِذا هَزَّهُ الخَليفَةُ لِلجُل

لى مَضاها كَالصارِمِ الهُندُواني

And if the Caliph wields him for a momentous task,

He cuts through it like a sharp Indian blade.

قادَني نَحوَهُ الرَجاءُ فَصَدَّق

تُ رَجائي وَاِختَرتُ حَمدَ لِساني

Hope led me toward him, and I confirmed that hope was true,

So I chose to dedicate the praise of my tongue.

إِنَّما يَشتَري المَحامِدَ حُرٌّ

طابَ نَفساً لَهُنَّ بِالأَثمانِ

For praise is purchased only by the noble free man

Who willingly pays the price to make it his own.