أَمَا تَرَى مِصْرَ كَيْفَ قَدْ جَمِعَتْ

بِهَا صُنُوفُ الرِّيَاضِ فِي مَجْلِسْ

Do you not see Egypt, how it has gathered

All kinds of flowers in one sitting

السَّوْسَنُ الغَضُّ والبَنَفْسَجُ وال

وَرْدُ وَصُفْرُ البَهَارِ والنَّرْجِسْ

The tender lily, the violet, and the

Rose, the yellow of spring and the narcissus

كَأَنَّهَا الجَنَّةُ التِي جَمَعَتْ

مَا تَشْتَهِيْهِ العُيُونُ والأَنْفُسْ

As though it were the garden that collected

All that eyes and souls desire

كَأَنَّمَا الأَرْضُ أُلْبِسَتْ حُلَلاً

مِنْ فَاخِرِ العَبْقَرِيِّ والسُّنْدُسْ

As though the earth was clothed in robes

Of luxurious brocade and silk

وَقَدْ أَحَاطَتْ بِهَا شَقَائِقُهَا

كَأَنَّهَا مِنْ عَقَائِقٍ أَكْؤُسْ

And surrounded by its anemones

As if they were cups of rubies

فاشْرَبْ عَلَى الزَّهْرِ مِنْ مُعَتَّقَةٍ

بِحِلْيَةٍ شَبْرَوِيَّةِ المَغْرِسْ

So drink to the flowers from a matured wine

With a Shobra dress and grafted orchard

وَصَلْ عَلَى سَوْرَةِ الهُمُومِ بِهَا

مَعَ النَّدِيْمِ الظَّرِيْفِ والمُؤْنِسْ

And pray in Egypt’s hall of sorrows

With a refined and comforting friend

لاَ تَخْشَ إِنْ أَفْلَسَتْكَ فَاقِرَةَ

فَالظَّرْفُ أَنْ يُتْرَكَ الفَتَى مُفْلِسْ

Fear not if poverty leaves you destitute

For refinement is when a youth stays unwealthy