تَحِيَّةُ مُشتاقٍ بَعيدٍ مزارُهُ

أَبى شَوقُهُ أَن يَستَقِرَّ قَرارُهُ

The greeting of a distant, longing lover

Whose longing refused to settle and abide

إِذا نَفحَةٌ مَرَّت بِهِ قاهِرِيَّةٌ

ذَكَت في الحَشا بَينَ الجَوانِحِ نارُهُ

Whenever a conquering breeze passed by him

It ignited a fire in his mind and heart

وَما شامَ مِن أَعلا المُقَطَّمِ جفنُهُ

سَنا بارِقٍ إِلّا تَوالَت قُطارُهُ

His eyelids never closed upon the highest summits

Except that a convoy of lightning followed continuously

حَديثُ صِقالِ الخَدِّ لَم يَذوِ وَردُهُ

وَلا دبَّ كَالريحانِ فيهِ عِذارُهُ

The talk of his polished cheek did not fade

Nor did its fragrance waft gently like basil

إِذا زادَهُ جَنياً وَشَماً مُتَيَّمٌ

ذَكا وَردُ خَدَّيهِ وَزادَ اِحمِرارُهُ

When a nearby garden and promenade intoxicated him

The rose of his cheeks grew darker red

ضَمانٌ على عَينَيهِ إِن طاشَ سَهمُهُ

إِذا ما رَمى أَن لا يَطيشَ اِحوِرارُهُ

A surety over his eyes, should his arrow go astray

That the reddening of his lids would not stray

خَليلَيَّ لا وَاللَهِ ما القَومُ قَومُهُ

إِذا غابَ مَن يَهوى وَلا الدارُ دارُهُ

By Allah, my friends, they are not his people

When the one he loves is absent, nor is it his home

فَإِن أَنتُما لَم تُسعِداني عَلى الهَوى

ذَراني وَشَوقي عَزَّهُ لي وَعارُهُ

So if you two will not make me successful in love

Leave me be, for its difficulty gives me pride

أَحِنُّ إِلى مِصرٍ وَيا لَيتَ أَنَّ لي

إِذا ذُكِرَت مِصرٌ جَناحاً أُعارُهُ

I yearn for Egypt, oh how I wish for myself

That whenever Egypt is mentioned, I could lend it my wings

فَآوي إِلى ظِلٍّ ظَليلٍ وَنائِلٍ

جَزيلٍ وَملكٍ حالفَ العِزَّ جارُهُ

So I take refuge in an immense, fruitful shade

With a generous king, whose neighbor is glory