أيا مُوْليَ الصّنع الجميلِ إذا انتشى

ويا مُبْتَدي النّيْلِ الجميلِ إذا صحا

O my generous lord whose work is beautiful when it blossoms,

And O initiator of the beautiful Nile when it flows,

وفي كلّ أرضٍ من نداه حديقةٌ

تَضَوّعَ مسكاً نَورُهَا وتفتّحا

In every land where its light reaches is a garden

That exudes musk whose radiance awakens and opens.

عطاؤك يَعْفو المحلَ صوباً فَعَيْنُهُ

تخطّ على آثاره كلّ ما محا

Your generosity makes the abode inclined, so its eye

Traces its traces wherever it has been erased.

أأفرد بالحرمانِ من كلّ عاطلٍ

تَطَوّقَ من نعماك ثم توشّحا

Shall I be singled out for deprivation while every idle one

Has been adorned with your blessings and then dressed?

أتَتْني على بُعْد النوى منك دَعْوَةٌ

قطعتُ لها بالعزم نَجْداً وصحصحا

An invitation came to me from you, though far,

For which I was determined to repay with bounty and joy.

ويَحتَالُ مِن أَهلِ القَريضِ مُصَرِّفٌ

يُهَادي القوافي في امتداحك قُرّحا

And one who composes poetry schemes

To eulogize you in verse, patching together rhymes.

وكان عليه الحق ليلاً يجوبُهُ

إليكَ فلما لاحَ وَجْهُكَ أصبَحا

It was right that he stay up at night journeying

To you, but when your face shone at dawn,

رَفَعتُ وأَصحابي إلى ما يُجِدّهُ

علاك فوَقّعْ مُمسكاً أو مُسَرّحا

I and my companions raised up what would please

Your eminence, so decree musk or perfume as gifts.