كَتَبتُ وَعَجَّلتُ البِرادَةَ إِنَّني

إِذا حاجَةٌ طالَبتُ عَجَّت رِكابُها

I wrote and hastened the letter, for I

When a need arises, its riders hasten

وَلي بِبِلادِ الهِندِ عِندَ أَميرِها

حَوائِجُ جَمّاتٌ وَعِندي ثَوابُها

And I have in the lands of India, with its ruler

Many pressing needs, and with me their reward

فَمِن تِلكَ أَنَّ العامِرِيَّةَ ضَمَّها

وَبَيتي نَوارَ طابَ مِنها اِقتِرابُها

Among them, that Al-Amiriyya brought it together

And my home Nawar was made fragrant by its proximity

أَتَتني تَهادى بَعدَما مالَتِ الطُلى

وَعِندي رَداحُ الجَوفِ فيها شَرابُها

It came to me as a gift after the dates had ripened

And I have at hand the coolness of the bosom, its drink

فَقُلتُ لَها إيهِ اِطلُبي كُلَّ حاجَةٍ

لَدَيَّ وَخَفَّت حاجَةٌ وَطِلابُها

So I said to it, “Go, seek every need

I have, and the need grew less and its seeking

فَقالَت سِوى اِبني لا أُطالِبُ غَيرَهُ

وَقَد بِكَ عاذَت كَلثَمٌ وَغِلابُها

It said, “Other than my son I do not seek but him

And in you has taken refuge one defeated and overpowered”

تَميمَ بنَ زَيدٍ لا تَهونَنَّ حاجَتي

لَدَيكَ وَلا يَعيا عَلَيَّ جَوابُها

“Tameem ibn Zayd, do not make light of my need with you

Nor be weary in answering it

وَلا تَقلِبَن ظَهراً لِبَطنٍ صَحيفَتي

فَشاهِدُ هاجيها عَلَيكَ كِتابُها

And do not turn the backside of my letter

For the witness of its petitioner is upon you in its writing

وَهَب لي خُنَيساً وَاِتَّخِذ فيهِ مِنَّةً

لِحَوبَةِ أُمٍّ ما يَسوغُ شَرابُها

Grant me Khonays and do me a favor in it

For a loving mother whose drink is not seemly”