يَا نَخْلَةَ الخَيْرِ قَوْلٌ
مِنْ صَاحِبٍ لاَ يُدَاجِي
O palm tree of benevolence, a saying
From a steadfast companion
لَيْسَتْ فَتَاتُكَ إِلاَّ
كَالْكَوْكَبِ الْوَهَّاجِ
Your fronds are nothing but
Like the scintillating star
بَلْ وَجْهُهَا الصُّبْحُ يَبْدُو
تَحْتَ الظَّلاَمِ الدَّاجِي
Rather, their face appears as the dawn
Under the lingering darkness
وَاُمُّسهَا تَتَرَاءَى
فِيهِ بِأَيِّ ابْتِهَاجِ
And their mother appears
In it with great delight
عَنْ عُنْصُرَيْهَا تَلَقَّتْ
أَنْقَى وَأَرْقَى مِزَاجِ
From its two races it received
The purest and gentlest temperament
أَتَتْ بِكُلِّ المَعَانِي
وَفْقَاً لِمَا أَنْتَ رَاجِي
It came with all meanings
According to what you hope for
بَلْ فَوْقَ مَا قَدَّرَتْهُ
مُنَى الضَّمِيرِ الُمَناجِي
Rather, above what the conscience assumed
The wish of the confider
خَفِيفَةُ الرُّوحِ تَخْطُو
خُطَى الْقَطَا الدَّرَّاجِ
Light of spirit, it walks
The steps of the gentle gazelle
لاَ تَسْتَقِرُّ خُفُوقاً
كَالزِّئْبَقِ الرَّجْرَاجِ
It does not settle down submissively
Like quicksilver, restless
بَيْضَاءُ سَمْرَاءُ صِيغَتْ
فِي صُورَةٍ مِنْ عَاجِ
White, brown, molded
In an image of ivory
لوْنَانِ أَوْ هُوَ لَوْنٌ
فِيهَا بَدِيعُ امْتِزَاجِ
Two colors or it is a color
In it is the beautiful blend
مُمَوَّهٌ عَالجََتهُ
شَمْسٌ أَرَقَّ عِلاَجِ
The sun healed its disguise
With the gentlest treatment
لاَ تُفْصِحُ الْقَوْلَ إِلاَّ
شَدْواً كَكَيْرِ الْحِرَاجِ
It does not reveal the saying except
As intense as the neigh of the skittish horse
وَالْقَوْلُ عِيٌّ إِلَيْهِ
تَقَاصُرُ الْفَهْمِ لاَجِي
And the saying is dim to it
To which the understanding falls short
فَحَسَبُهَا الرَّمْزُ حَتَّى
تُكْفَى صُنُوفَ الْحَاجِ
So the symbol suffices it until
It relieves all needs
يَا زِينَةَ الْبَيْتِ تَزْهُو
كَوَرْدَةٍ فِي سِيَاجِ
O adornment of the house, it blooms
Like a rose in a fence
لِشِعْرِ عَمَّيكِ سِحْرٌ
فِي سِحْرِ عَيْنَيْكِ سَاجِ
The hair of her temple has a spell
In the spell of her eyes, compliant
عِيشِي وَطِيبِي وَسِيرِي
سَدِيدَةَ المِنْهَاجِ
Live well and walk
Rightly guided
وَإِنْ دَجَا الرَّيْبُ كَوْنِي
أَصْفَى وَأَزْهَى سِرَاجِ
And if suspicion lurks, be
The purest and most radiant lamp
