عارضُه السندسِيُّ من رقمه

وَثغرُه اللؤلؤيُّ من نظمَه

The silk of his cheek revealed his imprint

And his pearl-like smile revealed his composition

ومن كَسا الأُرجوانَ وجنتَه

وأَكسبَ الأقحوانَ مبتَسمَه

And the one who clothed the rose and its garden

And brought smiles to blossoms

ومن أَعار الصباحَ طلعَتَه

فَلاحَ يَجلو عَن أفقه ظُلمَه

And the one who lent the dawn its rising

So it shone, dispelling the darkness of its horizon

وأَرقَم الصدغَ والعذارَ على

صفحةِ خدّيه من بَرى قلمَه

And he lined the cheek and the mole upon

The page of his cheek with the ink of his pen

محجَّب إِن بَدَت محاسنُه

هفَت عليه القُلوبُ مُزدحمَه

Veiled, though his charms appeared, hearts swooned over him, crammed together

Had it not been for the knowledge in his qualities

لَو لَم يكن في صِفاته علماً

ما نشر الحسنُ فوقَه عَلمَه

Beauty would not have raised its flag over him

I did not forget when he visited me without prior notice

لَم أَنسَ إِذ زارَني بلا عِدَةٍ

في لَيلةٍ بالسعود مبتسِمَه

One night in Riyadh smiling

I spent it with him happily united

فبتُّ فيها بالوصل مُبتَهِجاً

وأَنفُسُ الكاشحين مضطرمَه

While the hearts of the jealous burned

And he did not cease to sip his wine

وَلَم يزل والمُدامُ يَعطفُهُ

عليَّ عطفاً حتّى لثمتُ فمَه

Offering it to me until I kissed his lips

I tasted the water of life from a coolness

فَذقتُ ماءَ الحياة من بَرَدٍ

لم يَخشَ فقدَ الحياة من لثمَه

Unafraid to lose life from his kiss

And he spent the night intoxicated

وَبات والسكرُ قد أَطاف به

يُظهر لي من هَواه ما كتمَه

Revealing to me his hidden passions

Until dawn broke and he slipped away hastily

حتّى بَدا الصبحُ فاِنثَنى عجلاً

لَم يشِ واشٍ به ولا اِتَّهمَه

Without a partner or anyone blaming him

I swear by the night in its shadows

أَقسمُ باللَيلِ من ذوائِبه

والصبحِ من فرقه إذا قَسمَه

And dawn in its separation when it divides

No conversation was pleasant after hearing his words

ما طابَ بعد اِستماع منطقِه

لِمَسمَعي من مُحاوِرٍ كَلِمَه

To my hearing from any speaking companion

Except the words of a masterful, supported lord

سوى كَلامٍ لسيِّدٍ سندٍ

حازَ العُلى والفخارَ والعظمَه

Who attained the heights, pride and greatness

Especially his poetry which flowed

لا سيَّما شِعرهُ الَّذي اِطَّردَت

أَبياتُه بالبيان منسجمَه

In eloquence, its verses harmonious

As if it were pearls arranged

كأَنَّه الدرُّ ضمَّه نسَقٌ

أَو الدراري في الأُفق مُنتظمَه

Or stars organized on the horizon

If one day a stubborn man listens to it

إِن يُصغ يوماً إليه ذو صَمَمٍ

أَزالَ عنه بلطفه صَمَمه

It removes his deafness with its kindness

O lord, exalted is his worth, his traits

يا سيِّداً جلَّ قدرُه فسمت

صفاتُه بالكَلام متَّسِمَه

Marked by speech stamped

And o noble, his determination adorned

وَيا شَريفاً حلَّت شهامتُه

بكلِّ مجد ومفخرٍ شيمَه

With all glory and pride and virtue

You have delighted my hearing with the rhythm of poetry

شنَّفتَ سَمعي بنظم قافيةٍ

لَو باهَت الدرَّ أَرخَصت قيمَه

That diminished the value of pearl if it faded

We will never be devoid of the eloquence that

فَلا عَدمنا بلاغة نسقَت

منه المَعاني وأَبدعت حِكمَه

Drew meanings from it and created its wisdom

You remain in power and ease

لا زلتَ في عزَّة وفي دعةٍ

وصولةٍ من عِداك مُنتقمَه

And attainment vengeful of your enemies

No sorcery instilled in his eloquence

ما أَودَع السحر في بلاغته

وضمَّن الدرّ شاعِرٌ كلِمَه

And no poet composed his words