كِتابُكُم مُذ بَدا لِعَيني

وَراقَني نَصُّهُ المُجمَلُ

Since your book appeared before my eyes

And I liked its concise style

بِالبَدرِ شَبَّهتُهُ وَلَكِن

بِذاكَ نَقصٍ وَذا مُكمِلُ

I compared it to the full moon but

It was better, lacking in nothing

أَو أَنَّهُ الوَردُ قَبلَ قَطفٍ

بِلُؤلُؤِ الطَلِّ قَد تَكَلَّلُ

Or it was like a rose before plucking

Adorned with drops of dew

لَكِنَّما الوَردُ لَيسَ فيهِ

شَيءٌ إِلى العَيبِ قَد يَؤولُ

But a rose is not without

Flaws that may come to light

وَذاكَ يَبقى وَلَيسَ فيهِ

شَيءٌ عَلى العَيبِ يَؤولُ

While this remains flawless

With no defects in sight

وَكُلُّ ما فيهِ ما أُحيلى

مَحاسِنُ شَرحِها مَطولُ

And all that's in it, how wonderful!

With beauties explained at length

فَلَو رَآهُ نَجيبُ عِندي

وَلَم يَكُن بِالذَهابِ عِجلُ

If the esteemed one had seen it

And had not rushed away

لَأَصبَحَ اليَومَ في هَناءِ

وَطارَ بِشراً بِما تَخولُ

He'd have woken up happy today

And overflowed with joy at what it contains

لِأَنَّهُ عَن رِضاكَ مُنبي

وَذا لَدَيهِ هُوَ المُؤَمِّلُ

For it tells of your approval

In which lies his hope

فَدُم حَليفَ العُلا وَفاخِر

بِقَدرِكَ الماجِدِ المُبَجَّلُ

So greetings to the ally of glory, proud

Of your glorious, revered position!

في كُلِّ عيدٍ تَرى مَهنى

أُخرى التَهاني إِلَيكَ أَوَّلُ

On every feast, you will see wishes

Renewed to you, the first of all!