أبا قاسِمٍ لازِلْتَ للفضْلِ قاسِماً

بميزانِ عدْلٍ ينْصُرُ الحقَّ مَنْ نَصَرْ

O Abu Qasim, you have remained just in dispensing virtue,

With the scale of justice, you aid the truth for those who aided it.

مِدادُكَ وهْوَ المسْكُ طيباً ومنْظراً

وإلا سَوادُ القلْبِ والفَوْدِ والبَصَرْ

Your ink is fine musk, goodly scent and sight,

Else the blackness of heart, emptiness, and blindness of vision.

عهِدْناهُ في كلِّ المَعارِفِ مُطْنِباً

فَما بالُهُ في حُرْمَةِ الوُدِّ مخْتَصِرْ

We knew him as eloquent in every branch of knowledge,

Yet how brief in respecting the sanctity of affection!

أظنّكَ منْ ليْلِ الوِصالِ انْتَخَبْتَهُ

إلَيْنا وذاك اللّيلُ يوصَفُ بالقِصَرْ

I think you chose him from the night of union with us,

And that night is known for being short.

أرَدْنا بكَ العُذْرَ الذي أنتَ أهْلُهُ

ومثْلُكَ لا يُرْمى بعِيٍّ ولا حَصَرْ

We wanted you to excuse what you are apt to excuse,

And the like of you is not blamed or limited.