أفحمتني وأنا المُفوَّه

وأرقُّ من أثنى ونوَّه

You confounded me, though I am eloquent,

And more subtle than one who flatters and praises.

أرتجت بابَ رويَّتي

فتبدَّلت ضَعفاً بقوَّه

You shook the pillar of my poetry,

So my weakness was replaced by strength.

فافتح على ذهني أصِف

ما فيك من شرفِ الفتوَّه

Open for my mind the noblest thoughts,

Contained within the honor of your inspiration.

وتدانَ من فكري فمجدُ

كَ لم ينل فكرٌ عُلوَّه

And let my intellect be humbled, so my glory

Is like no other intellect has reached its height.

أوَلستَ بالسيفِ الذي

أمِنت مرجّوهُ نُبوَّه

Are you not the sword, which I hoped

Would protect its committed, refined lover?

جَمعَ الصباحةَ والسماحة

والسجاحةَ والمُروَّه

Bringing together charm, leniency,

Compassion, and manliness.

وحَنا على الدنيا فلا

فَقدت بني الدنيا حُنوَّه

And being gentle with the world, so I have not

Lost the affection of the world's people.

وأجدُّ من رسمِ المكارمِ

ما شكت قومٌ عُفوَّه

And I am more generous than the ideals of generosity,

Whose pardon no group has doubted.

مَحضُ الصنيعةِ لا كجودِ

سواهُ مصنوعٌ مُموَّه

Pure, sincere work, not like the pretense

Of another's deceitful handiwork.

في كلِّ يومٍ عنده

حُسنى يسوءُ بها عَدوَّه

Each day he has a kindness

With which he thwarts his foe.

شَرعٌ كلا وقتيهِ أحر

زَ في الندى بهما سُموَّه

A law, no indeed, made for every time,

Elevating him with it to the heights of glory.

فغدوُّه كرواحهِ

ورواحهُ يحكي غُدوَّه

So his morning is like his evening,

And his evening tells of his morning.