أبا عمْرو الأعْلى لعَمْركَ ما المُنى

بِعلْق متاح ما نزحت عن القربِ

O Abu Amr Al-A'la, in your life no wish

Remains unfulfilled, you have not withdrawn from intimacy.

وقدْ ملكتْ عَلْياكَ رقي مَودة

وطابتْ بذاكَ النفْسُ حبًا من القلْبِ

And pure affection has gained mastery over you,

And the soul took delight in that, out of love from the heart.

وأهديْتَ نظْمًا غُرة النظْمِ تَعْتلي

سنًا وسَناءً في ذُرَى الأنْجُمِ الشهْبِ

And you composed poetry, the finest poetry, ascending

In years and glory among the radiant stars.

فَقَبلت منْ َكف الرسُولِ عِلاقَةً

مِسَاحَةَ قِرْطاسٍ مِنَ السوْسَنِ الرطْبِ

So I accepted from the messenger's palm

A parchment, the breadth of handspan, of moist lily.

ونَزهْتُ طَرْفِي في محاِسِن وجنَةٍ

تُريكَ كمالَ البدْرِ في ناعِمِ القُضْبِ

And I delighted my gaze in the beauty of cheeks

That show you the full moon's perfection in delicate wrists.

وأما مَتاِبي عنْ إباحَة شَرْعكُمْ

فذاكَ معَ الرحْمَنِ مع أعظَمِ الذنْبِ

But as for my abstinence from sanctioning your law,

That is with the Merciful, though it be the greatest sin.

فذاك مَتابٌ تبْتُ منْهُ دِيانَةً

مَدى الدهْرِ أو يُقْضَى مَدى شِرْعَةِ الحُب

So that is an abstinence I have repented,

For the rest of time, or until the term of the law of love.

وإن شئُْتُم رَد الجَوابِ فَإن منْ

أتَاني بِهِ نعْم المُنَفذ للكتُبِ

And if you wish a reply sent back,

The bearer is a fine executor of messages.