ذهبتُ أطلبُ ألفاظاً أُخاطِبُهُ

وقد شُغِلتُ بعينٍ تشتهي النَّظَرا

I went seeking words to address him,

While I was preoccupied with an eye desiring to look.

وكلما حارَ طرفي في محاسنه

لأَشتَفي منه قال الحُسنُ كيف ترى

Whenever my gaze was confused by his beauty,

To quench my thirst, beauty said, “How do you see him?”

هذا الذي ابتدع الرحمن صُورَتَهُ

فلا تفاوُتَ فيه فارجعِ البَصَرا

This one whom the Most Merciful created in his image,

There is no flaw in him, so turn your sight back.

فقلت ما قال قبلي نسوةٌ بصرت

بيوسف الحسن ما هذا الفتى بَشرا

So I said what the women of sight said before me,

When they saw Joseph’s beauty, “This is no mortal!”

يبدو فتحسبه بالحسن متعجراً

بالطيب مرتدياً باللين مؤتزرا

He appears and you would think him scowling with beauty,

Clothed in scent, wrapped in gentleness.

لو تقدح النارُ من خديه لانقدحت

أو يقطر الماء من أطرافه قطرا

If fire were to spark from his cheeks it would ignite,

Or water were to drip from his eyelids as drops.

فلا تكن كدرَ الأخلاق يا أملي

فيُصبح الصَّفوُ من ذا كلِّه كدرا

So do not be sullen in manners, O my hope,

Lest the clear become in all this troubled.

إن السياسة يُرجى خير صاحبها

كالبَرق يأمل فيه الزارعُ المَطَرا

Truly, governance is hoped to benefit its master,

Like lightning which the farmer hopes for rain.

وأنت غير غَنيٍّ عن أخي ثقةٍ

ولا غَنَاءَ لقَوسٍ تعدم الوَتَرا

And you have no need to distrust a brother,

Nor has a bow any glory without its string.

زِدنا فإنّا شكرنا حسن فِعلكم

وقد يُزَادُ على الإحسان مَن شكرا

Increase us, for we are thankful for your good deeds,

And good can be added to by one who is thankful.