غَزال مِن الأَتراك واصلني سرا

وَناوَلَني مِن عَذب ريقته خَمرا

A gazelle from the Turks secretly reached me

And let me sip the sweet nectar of his lips

منير المحيا كُلَّما رمت قبلة

حَباني بِخَديه وَشامته الخَضرا

Moon-faced Minir, whenever I aimed a kiss

He would gift me with his rosy cheek and verdant proboscis

يلاحظني شَزراً بِعَين صَحيحة

وَيَغمزني مِنهُ بِمقلته الأُخرى

With one lively eye he watched me coquettishly

And winked at me with the other lid so saucily

لَهُ اللَه مِن ظَبي غَرير إِذا انثَنى

حَكى قَده الخَطي وَالصعدة السمرا

Praise God for the fawn whose bend showed waist so lithely

And the smooth brown back relating hips so sprightly

صَحيح فُؤاد غَير أَن جُفونه

مراض بِلا سَقم وَأَحداقه سكرى

Sane at heart though his lids were sick sans malady

And his eyes drunk without tasting wine's toxicity

أوسده مني اليَمين لأَنَّهُ

حَبيب إِذا ما نامَ وَسدني اليُسرى

I pillowed him with my right for he's my dear

And I the left when it came for him to sleep near

وَصارَ يُعاطيني المدامة مِن فَم

أَرى كُل عَذب بَعدَ قرقفها مرا

From his mouth he’d give me a sip of wine so clear

After every drink bitter, sweet it would appear

بِهِ قَد ثَوى ماء الحَياة وَما دَرى

باسكندر الماضي وَلا عرف الخَضرا

In him lies water of life, though he never knew

Alexander gone by or Khidr evergreen anew

وَبت أَضم الغُصن وَهوَ مُهفهف

وَألثم وَرداً وَهوَ مِن وَجنة حمرا

I held the bough and it swayed so gently

And kissed a rose though it blushed so fervently

يُضاجعني خَداً لِخَد وَمُقلَتي

تَصُب عَلى الخَدين مِن فَرحَتي نَثرا

Cheek to cheek, eyelash to lid, how contentedly!

My joy poured from my lashes scattered plentifully

مُعاتبة راقَت لِرقة طَبعه

وَلَيلة أنس لا رَأيت لَها فَجرا

Reproach from him was gentle due to his temper sweet

A night of intimacy I never saw dawn greet

وَلَما تَعانَقنا وَغابَ حَسودنا

وَأسبل صبغ اللَيل مِن فَوقِنا سترا

And as we embraced, none to envy or compete

The veil of night draped us in discretion so complete

غَفا طَرفه سَهواً وَلَم يَغف ناظِري

وَلا مُقلَتي الوسنى وَلا كَبدي أخرى

His gaze strayed inadvertently; mine did not

Nor did my loving eyelid or heart distraught

إِلى أَن رَأيت الصُبح مد عَموده

وَعارضه مِن فَوق رايته الشقرا

Till dawn I saw unfurl its pillar shot

And over it raise the yellow banner aloft

هُناكَ جَلَسنا لِلوَداع عَلى غَضى

فَفارقتهُ كُرهاً وَفارقَني ذُعرا

There we sat to bid adieu in sorrow soft

I left him loathly; he left fearful, aloof

هُوَ الدَهر لا يبقي خَليلاً لخله

وَيرهقه مِن بَعد راحته عسرا

Fate leaves no friend to his fellow, though dear

And after ease, afflicts him with hardship austere

وَما فَاتَني شيء إِذا شمت أَسعَداً

عَلى دسته الأَعلى وَغرته الغرا

Nothing I missed when I breathed his fragrance rare

On his sublime hand and cheek so debonair

هُوَ الأَحمَدي الأَلمعي وَسَيد

تَسلسل مِن طه وَفاطمة الزَهرا

He is Al-Ahmadi Al-Alma'i, and the peer

In lineage from Taha and Fatima, moon so fair

نَدى كَفه لِلهاشميين ينتَمي

وَهمته الكُبرى إِلى مضر الحمرا

His palm relates him to Hashim’s children rare

His greatest pride lies in Mudar, clan so fair

أصول لَها الأَفلاك تَخضع سجداً

وَتعرفها الأَملاك فَوقَ السما طرا

His roots – planets prostrate in worship and prayer

And angels recognize them above in the air

لَقَد أَخروا الدُنيا وَأُخراهم صفت

فَلا كانَت الدُنيا إِذا تمت الأُخرى

They preferred the Hereafter; it preferred them too

For if there was no Hereafter, what use the world sans you?

هُوَ الحبر علماً بَل هُوَ البحر نائِلاً

فَلا بدع مِن حبر يمد لَنا بَحرا

He is the sea of knowledge, or an inkpot will do

For we need but an inkpot to draw from seas blue

بِهِ شد مِن أزر الوزارة ساعد

فَما ضعفت رَأساً وَلا عدمت نَصرا

With state affairs he girded up sleeves anew

No heads bowed down, no victories failed accrue

كَتائبه تغني المُلوك عَن الظبا

إِذا ما جَرَت في الحَرب كانَت هِيَ الأجرا

His regiments suffice kings from recruiting zoo

When warring they win; the enemy overthrew

وَإمضاؤه أَمضى مِن السَيف مصلتاً

إِذا ما بَدَت مِن فَوق إمضائه الطفرا

His signatures slice firmer than tempered swords can hew

When above his scripts writs dance with light imbue

مجيد إِذا أَلقى عَلى الطرس لَفظه

يَمج عَلى القرطاس مِن فمه تبرا

Sublime - when his words rain on paper anew

From his mouth gems on the page inscribed ensue

وَإِن مَد كَفاً بِاليراعة ألبست

يَراعته القرطاس مِن نفثها سحرا

And if he stretches out a palm, instantly imbue

His gesture garbs the paper in magic out of the blue

يُقرطنا مِن لَفظه العَذب جَوهَرا

وَيمنحنا مِن بَحر راحته درا

From his sweet words' essence decants jewel and dew

And from his sea of calm, he gifts us pearls too

يعلمه العرفان حَد مكرم

وَوالده الكرار علمه الكرا

Discernment taught him limits of favors his due

And his generous sire taught him bounty ensue

بِيمنى يَديه اليمن أَصبَح مغدقاً

وَأخصب غُصن اليُسر في يَدِه اليُسرى

With his right hand, auspiciousness poured as if from a flue

And the branch of his left flourished in hand so true

وَكَيفَ يَفوت الجود شَخص جُدوده

يَجودون بِالأَرواح إِن وَجَدوا عُسرا

How can openhandedness escape ones of lineage so true?

They spend their souls if they're in predicament undue

صُدور الوَرى مالي إِذا رُمت مَدحكم

فَإِن عَلى أَهل المَديح لي الصَدرا

My breast is theirs if I begin to praise you

For those who praise bear rightful claim to my heart too

وَأَما أُعاني صنعة الشعر مِنكُم

يُخيل لي أَني رَكبت عَلى الشعرى

If I attempt poetry to describe virtues true

I feel I mount Pegasus, winged steed on cue

وإن رمت إدراج المَعاني لِوصفِكُم

نَثَرت لآلي النَظم مِن قَلَمي نَثرا

If I plead including meanings to appraise you

I strew before couplets from my pen only prose unglued

بِكُم آل فَخر طلت باعاً عَلى الوَرى

وَزدت بعبد اللَه وَالدكم فَخرا

Through you, House of Pride, I gained heights far and new

And through your father gained superiority anew

خُذوا مِن فَمي بكراً عَروساً لأنكُم

كِرام وَأكفاء لهاتيكُم العذرا

Take from my mouth, an untouched bride - she's for you

Noble and fitting for your maidenhead duly due

محجبة عَن غَيركم طالَ صَدها

فَما رَفعت رَأساً وَلا كَشفت سترا

Veiled from others, prolonged her denial true

Never raised her head nor removed her veil from view

أَتت تَتَخطى تَحتَ ثَوب مرفرف

وَما طَلَبت إِلا رضاكُم لَها مهرا

She came stepping lightly in gown gold-hemmed and blue

Seeking only your pleasure for gift and dowry due

وَجئت بِها أَقضي حُقوق مَودة

وَلا أسأل الأَشراف مِن غَيرِها أَجرا

I brought her to discharge what loving friendship owes

And seek no reward from the noble class sans you

أَأَخشى ابن عبد اللَه دَهراً وَإنَّني

جَعلتكما في كُل حادِثة ذُخرا

Will I fear Ibn Abdullah eons through?

For I made you both my comfort and rescue

تَهن بِهَذا العيد لَقيت خَيره

وَجوزيت عَما صمت مِن قَبله أَجرا

With this feast, if we meet, I profit its best

And gain reward for previous silences kept true

فَقَد صمت مَشكوراً وَأَفطَرت طايعاً

وَأَحسَنت يا ابن المُصطفى الصَوم وَالفطرا

So I kept silent, thankful, and broke fast dutifully too

O son of Mustafa, excellent was my fast and break with you

وتِلكَ سَجايا الطيبين وَفتية

بِتنزيله الرَحمَن طهرهم طهرا

These are qualities of the righteous and youth

God in his revelation purified them their hearts anew

فَلا زالَت الأَعياد تَأتي وَتَنقَضي

وَتَأتي بِخَير دائِماً أَبَداً تَتَرى

The seasons of celebration come and go, it's true

But keep bringing lasting goodness, forever renew

عَلَيك وَيسري من نداك عَلى الوَرى

فَقَد أَصبَحوا في قَيد إِحسانكُم أسرى

Upon you and yourfamily, and from your palm what flows

For in your kindness' captivity, all humanity lies as captives