وعذب المقبَّل والمبتسمْ

لذيذ المراشف والملتَثَمْ

The sweetly kissing and smiling one

Is delicious to caress and to glimpse

فتىً هو في حُسنه أُمَّةٌ

تحكِّمه في جميع الأمَم

A youth whose beauty is a nation

That makes him master of all peoples

فأحسب عُبّاد أصنامهم

رأوها بصورة هذا الصنم

So I reckon the idol-worshippers

Saw their idols in the form of this idol

بطرفٍ يصحُّ له سحرُه

إذا كان صحَّتُهُ من سقم

With a glance whose magic is legitimate

When its legitimacy is from sickness

وخصرٍ تظلُّمُه يُشتَهى

وردفٍ يُحَبُّ لما قد ظلم

And a waist whose darkness is desired

And a backside which is loved for its unfairness

مصون تجنَّبتُ في حُبِّه

جميعَ الفواحش إلا اللمم

I have avoided in my love of him

All abominations except gatherings

تقاضيتُه الوصلَ في خلسةٍ

بلطف الإشارات لا بالكلم

I sued him for union secretly

With the subtlety of signals, not words

فتقطيبُ حاجبه قال لا

وفترة أجفانه إي نعم

So the frowning of his eyebrows said no

And the blink of his eyelids said yes

فلم أرَ أحسنَ من لحظةٍ

تطعَّمتُ فيها سرورَ النِّعَم

I have never seen anything more beautiful

Than the moment I reveled in the joy of bliss

وأحلى المنى عممان الهوى

إذا ما اختُلسنَ خلال البُهم

And the sweetest purpose is communing with passion

When it is stolen during times of distress

ونحن معاشر أهل الهوى

جوارحه كطراف الخدم

We lovers are like servants

Whose limbs act according to the eyes' orders

فمن دام بالعهد دُمنا له

ونستودع الله مَن لم يَدم

Whoever keeps true to the pact, we'll be true to

And we commend to God whoever does not last

رأيت غنى النفس خيرَ الغنى

كذا عدم الصبر شر العَدَم

I have seen the soul's riches are the best riches

And lack of patience is the worst of destitutions

وخير الأخلاء مَن إن رأى

جميلاً أشاعَ وعيباً كتم

The best of comrades is one who, if he sees

Beauty, shares it; and ugliness, hides it

أرى ابنَ عتيقٍ عتيقَ النِّجارِ

كريمَ الطِّباع حميد الشِّيَم

I see the son of Atiq the carpenter

Noble natured and praiseworthy traits

تقدَّم في أمر طُلابه

تَقَدُّمَ آبائه في القِدَم

Taking precedence in serving his students

Like his forefathers took precedence in aging

عليه يُعَوَّل عند الخطوب

وفي النائبات به يُعتَصَم

When faced with engagements he is relied on

And in adversities through him deliverance is sought

وفي المُشكِلات قريب الخُطا

وفي المكرمات بعيد الهِمَم

In problematic issues he readily opines

And in acts of generosity he has endless ambition

أبا عُمَرٍ عمرت ساحَتاكَ

بغوث اللَّهيف ورعي الذِّمَم

O father Umar, your plaza flourished

With rescues for the needy and protection of tenets

ولي حاجة لم أُطِق بَثَّها

حياءً وقد أخذت بالكَظَم

And I have a need that I have not been able

Out of shyness to express, though I suppress it

أهابك فيها لأن الكريم

يُهاب وإن كان لا يُحتَشَم

I fear you regarding it though the generous

Are to be feared even if they cannot be slighted

لساني تلجلج عن حاجتي

فترجمتُها بلسان القلم

My tongue stammers regarding my need

So I have translated it by my pen's tongue

وبِشركَ بشرّني بالمنى

وحُسنُ اللقاء افتتاحُ الكرَم

And give you the glad tiding and good responding

Which are the inaugurations of generosity

وقد جَدَّ عزمي على رحلةٍ

أُجدِّد فيها صلات الرَّحِم

For I am newly resolved to take a journey

Where I renew connecting bonds of family ties

فأتمِم أياديك في رحلتي

فحقُّ أياديك أن تستتمّ

So complete your support in my travels

For your hands rightly should perfect

فرفدُك جارٍ على مَن أقامَ

وبرُّك زادٌ لمَن لم يُقِم

Your graciousness flows to those staying

And your righteousness is provision for those not staying

وفي ابنك جودٌ وتوفيقُه

ليتلو أباه على ما رسم

And in your son Munificence and his success

Follows his father in whatever was mapped

إذا كان بدرُ الدجى مشرقاً

فلن يُستضاء بنجمٍ نجم

If the full moon of nightfall is shining

No star, however bright, needs to be lit

وحُسناك تكسوك حُسنَ الثنا

ونُعماك تُبقي عليك النِّعَم

And your beauty adorns you with fairness of praise

And your boons maintain blessings upon you