قُل لِلنَقيبِ لَقَد زُرنا فَضيلَتَهُ

فَذادَنا عَنهُ حُرّاسٌ وَحُجّابُ

Tell the guardian, we visited his excellence

But guards and doorkeepers kept us from him

قَد كانَ بابُكَ مَفتوحاً لِقاصِدِهِ

وَاليَومَ أوصِدَ دونَ القاصِدِ البابُ

Your door was once open to visitors

Today, it is shut tight before the visitor

هَلّا ذَكَرتَ بِدارِ الكُتبِ صُحبَتَنا

إِذ نَحنُ رَغمَ صُروفُ الدَهرِ أَحبابُ

Why not recall our companionship in the house of books

For despite the turns of fate, we are friends

لَوَ اِنَّني جِئتُ لِلبابا لَأَكرَمَني

وَكانَ يُكرِمُني لَو جِئتُهُ البابُ

Had I come to the door, he would have honored me

And he would have honored me, had I come to his door

لا تَخشَ جائِزَةً قَد جِئتُ أَطلُبُها

إِنّي شَريفٌ وَلِلأَشرافِ أَحسابُ

Fear no reward, for I've come seeking one

I'm nobleborn, and nobles have their standards

فَاِهنَأ بِما نِلتَ مِن فَضلٍ وَإِن قُطِعَت

بَيني وَبَينَكَ بَعدَ اليَومِ أَسبابُ

So congratulate yourself on the favor you've attained

Though after this day, causes separate you and I