إِلى حُسَينٍ حاكِمِ القَنالِ

مِثالِ حُسنِ الخُلقِ في الرِجالِ

To Hussein, ruler of Al Qanat

An example of good manners among men

أُهدي سَلاماً طَيِّباً كَخُلقِهِ

مَع اِحتِرامٍ هُوَ بَعضُ حَقِّهِ

I send sincere greetings as sincere as his manners

With respect that is but a fraction of what he deserves

وَأَحفَظُ العَهدَ لَهُ عَلى النَوى

وَالصِدقَ في الوُدِّ لَهُ وَفي الهَوى

I will keep my promise to him with resolve

And honesty in affection for him and in passion as well

وَبَعدُ فَالمَعروفُ بَينَ الصَحبِ

أَنَّ التَهادي مِن دَواعي الحُبِّ

It is known amongst companions

That gift-giving stirs up love

وَعِندَكَ الزَهرُ وَعِندي الشِعرُ

كِلاهُما فيما يُقالُ نَدرُ

You have flowers and I have poetry

Both are rare in what is told

وَقَد سَمِعتُ عَنكَ مِن ثِقاتِ

أَنَّكَ أَنتَ مَلِكُ النَباتِ

I have heard from trusted sources

That you are king of all plants

زَهرُكَ لَيسَ لِلزُهورِ رَونَقُهُ

تَكادُ مِن فَرطِ اِعتِناءٍ تَخلُقُهُ

Your flowers have a splendor unlike any other

You almost seem to create them out of attentive care

ما نَظَرَت مِثلَكَ عَينُ النَرجِسِ

بَعدَ مُلوكِ الظُرفِ في الأَندَلُسِ

The narcissus’ eye has not seen your equal

After the refined kings of Andalusia

وَلي مِنَ الحَدائِقِ الغَنّاءِ

رَوضٌ عَلى المَطَرِيَّةِ الفَيحاءِ

I have in my melodious gardens

A meadow above the fragrant plain

أَتَيتُ أَستَهدي لَها وَأَسأَلُ

وَأَرتَضي النَزرُ وَلا أُثَقِّلُ

I came to request and ask

I will be content with a handful and not overburden

عَشرَ شُجَيراتٍ مِنَ الغَوالي

تَندُرُ إِلّا في رِياضِ الوالي

Ten flower bushes of unmatched rarity

That only bloom in the governor’s gardens

تَزكو وَتَزهو في الشِتا وَالصَيفِ

وَتَجمَعُ الأَلوانَ مِثلَ الطَيفِ

Thriving and blossoming in winter and summer

And gathering colors like a rainbow’s arc

تُرسِلُها مُؤَمِّناً عَلَيها

إِن هَلَكَت لِيَ الحَقُّ في مِثلَيها

Send them entrusted to my care

If they perish I have the right to their equivalent

وَالحَقُّ في الخُرطومِ أَيضاً حَقّي

وَالدَرسُ لِلخادِمِ كَيفَ يَسقي

The right to the watering can as well is mine

And instruction for the servant on how to water

وَبَعدَ هَذا لي عَلَيكَ زَورَه

لِكَي تَدورَ حَولَ رَوضِيَ دَورَه

After this I will visit you

So you can tour around my meadow

فَإِن فَعَلتَ فَالقَوافي تَفعَلُ

ما هُوَ مِن فِعلِ الزُهورِ أَجمَلُ

If you oblige, rhymes will do

What is more beautiful than flowers’ deeds

فَما رَأَيتُ في حَياتي أَزيَنا

لِلمَرءِ بَينَ الناسِ مِن حُسنِ الثَنا

For I have never seen in my life

Anything adorn a man among people like praise