ما شِئتُما الآنَ لِلزَّمانِ

قَد جادَ لي بِالمُنى زَماني

What could you two now desire from Time?

My own time has generously granted me my wishes.

أَيُّ يَدٍ لِلزَّمانِ عِندي

أَدنَى بَنانٍ لَها بَناني

What a favor Time has done me—

my fingertips are the nearest fingertips to that hand.

وَخَيرُ شَيءٍ أَسداهُ دَهري

إِلَيَّ مِمّا بِهِ حَباني

And the best thing my age bestowed

upon me, of all the gifts it gave me,

لُقيا اِبنِ إِدريسَ بَعدَ بَينٍ

غادَرَني في يَدَيهِ عانِ

was meeting Ibn Idris after separation—

he left me captive in his two hands.

أَحيا أَبو البَحرِ حينَ حَيّا

مَيتَ الأَمانِيِّ وَالأَمانِ

Abu al-Bahr, when he greeted me, revived

one dead to hopes and safety.