وساعةٍ جاد بها العُمرُ

ونام عن خُلْستِها الدهرُ

An hour passed, in which life was generous,

And time slept, ignoring it.

والطيرُ والدُّولاب يَشْدو لنا

كمُطرِبٍ يَتْبَعه زَمْر

The birds and spinning wheels sang for us,

Like musicians followed by melody.

والوردُ فوق الماء ما بيننا

قد نُثِرتْ أوراقُه الحُمْر

Roses floated above the water between us,

Their red petals scattered.

لم تَر عيني منظرا مثله

ماء تَلظَّى فوقه جَمْر

My eyes never saw a scene like it -

Water shimmering above embers.

تِهْنا به زَهْوا كما تَزْدهِي

بالآمرِ الأحكامُ والأمر

We enjoyed it, blooming with delight,

Like commands and affairs bloom with authority.

مَنْ وجهُه بدرٌ ومن لفظُه

دُرٌّ ومن راحُته بحر

He whose face is the full moon, and whose words

Are pearls, and whose scent is the sea.

سارتْ عَطايا جودِه مثلما

قد سار فيه الحمد والشكر

The gifts of his generosity flowed,

As praise and thanks flowed in him.

وعَطَّر الدنيا بأوصافه

في الفضل حتى خَجِل القَطْر

He perfumed the world with his traits -

In generosity, until rainfall was shy.