مِثَالِي رَاعَنِي حَقاً

أَأنْتَ أَعَدْتَنِي خَلْقَا

My ideal truly inspired me,

Did you really create me thus?

وَكُنْتُ أَوَدُّ لَوْ جَنَّبتَ

بَعْضَ عُيُوبِيَ الصِّدْقَا

I wish you had spared me

Some of my truthful flaws.

بِأَيَّة صَنْعَةٍ عَجَبٌ

أَعَرْتَ الصُّورَةَ النُّطقَا

With what skill did you imbue

The image with speech?

فَكَادَ النَّقْلُ يَحْكِي الأَصْلَ

حَتَّى لاَ أَرَى فَرْقَا

The copy almost recounts the original

That I see no difference.

مِثَالِي إِنَّني أَرْنُو

إِلَيْكَ وَإِنَّ بِيْ رِفْقَا

My ideal, I yearn for you

And I have tenderness.

دَنَا أَجَلِي فَيَا جَذَلِي

وَلَكِنْ أَنْتَ قَدْ تَبْقَى

My death draws near, so farewell

Yet you will remain.

أَخَافُ عَلَيْكَ أَنْ تَحْيَا

وَمَنْ يَحْيَا وَلاَ يَشْقَى

I fear for you that you will live on

And who lives and feels no torment?

لَئِنْ حُمِّلتَ أَيْسَرَ مَا

حُمِّلتَ لَشَدَّ مَا تَلْقَى

If you bear the easiest burden

You will endure the harshest trials.

أَلاَ يَا مَنْ نُكَرِّمُهُ

وَمَا نَقْضِى لَهُ حَقَّا

Oh you whom we honor

Yet cannot requite,

لِهَذَا الفَنِّ سِحْرٌ

يَصْحَبُ الإِبْدَاعَ وَالحِذْقَا

This art has magic

That accompanies creativity and skill.

بِهِ أَدْرَكْتَ يَا إِدْوَرْ

دُ شَأْواً عَزَّ أَنْ يُرْقَى

With it you attained, oh Idwar,

A glory too lofty to climb.