إِنّي أَتَتني مِن لَدُنكَ صَحيفَةٌ

غَلَبَت هُمومَ الصَدرِ وَهيَ غَوالِبُ

A scroll has come to me from your side,

It has overcome the worries of my heart, so very overwhelming,

وَطَلَبتَ وُدّي وَالتَنائِفُ بَينَنا

فَنَداكَ مَطلوبٌ وَمَجدُكَ طالِبُ

You sought my love, though there was estrangement between us,

So you called me, and your glory did the seeking.

فَلتَلقَيَنَّكَ حَيثُ كُنتَ قَصائِدٌ

فيها لِأَهلِ المَكرُماتِ مَآرِبُ

May you be met with poems,

In which the gracious find strange marvels,

فَكَأَنَّما هِيَ في السَماعِ جَنادِلٌ

وَكَأَنَّما هِيَ في العُيونِ كَواكِبُ

As though they were, when heard, wondrous tales,

And as though they were, when seen, shining stars.

وَغَرائِبٌ تَأتيكَ إِلّا أَنَّها

لِصَنيعِكَ الحَسَنِ الجَميلِ أَقارِبُ

Wondrous things come to you, though they are

For your fair, beautiful work, kindred.

نِعَمٌ إِذا رُعِيَت بِشُكرٍ لَم تَزَل

نِعَماً وَإِن لَم تُرعَ فَهيَ مَصائِبُ

Blessings, if tended with thanks, will not cease

To be blessings, though if not tended, they turn to misfortunes.

كَثُرَت خَطايا الدَهرِ فِيَّ وَقَد يُرى

بِنَداكَ وَهوَ إِلَيَّ مِنها تائِبُ

Numerous are the sins of fate upon me, yet by your call

It may be seen turning from them repentant.

وَتَتابَعَت أَيّامُهُ وَشُهورُهُ

عُصَباً يُغِرنَ كَأَنَّهُنَّ مَقانِبُ

Its days and months succeeded each other

Closely, tempting, as though they were maidens with slender waists.

مِن نَكبَةٍ مَحفوفَةٍ بِمُصيبَةٍ

جُذَّ السَنامُ لَها وَجُذَّ الغارِبُ

From a catastrophe surrounded by calamity

The sun withdrew for it, and the sun set.

أَو لَوعَةٍ مَنتوجَةٍ مِن فُرقَةٍ

حَقُّ الدُموعِ عَلَيَّ فيها واجِبُ

Oh, from a torment woven with parting -

My tears for it are a duty incumbent upon me.

وَوَلِهتُ مُذ زُمَّت رِكابُكَ لِلنَوى

فَكَأَنَّني مُذ غِبتَ عَنّي غائِبُ

I became confused when I girded my loins to visit you,

So that since you've been absent from me, ‘tis as though you are absent.