إن كنتَ ذا شوقٍ فإني أَشوَقُ

أو كنت ذا عِشقٍ فإني أَعشَقُ

If you yearn, then I yearn even more

If you love, then I love even more

أَولَيتَني حُبّاً وانك صادقٌ

لكِنَّني قَسَماً أَحَبُّ وأَصدَقُ

You have given me love and you are truthful

But I swear I love and am more truthful

لا فضلَ لي إذ إِنَّ شخصك مبهجٌ

ومحبَّبٌ من كل لحظٍ يُرمَقُ

I have no virtue, for your being is delightful

And beloved at every glanced moment

ها أنتَ مجموعُ الجَمال فقُل إذاً

ما عُذرُ قلبٍ لا يُحِبُّ ويعشقُ

Behold, you are the essence of beauty, so tell me

What excuse for a heart that doesn't love and cherish?

اضحت شمائلك التي فتكت بنا

منها المحاسنُ كلُّها تتفرَّقُ

Your features that have captivated us

From which all beauty disperses

وافت صحيفتُكَ التي قد أسفرت

عن صُبح حبّكم الذي لا يُغسِقُ

Your scripture that has unveiled

The dawn of your love that never darkens

نشرت لما اطوتهُ من نشر الهَوى

ومحبَّةٍ منكم تَنِمُّ وتَعبَقُ

You have spread what you have folded of passion’s propagation

And the love from you that grows and diffuses

اهدت لنا أَرواحَ عَرفِ سَلامكم

ولرُوحكم أَرواحنا تستنشقُ

You have granted our spirits the fragrance of your peace’s acquaintance

And for your spirit our spirits inhale

وجَنابِكَ العالي وتلكَ أَليَّةٌ

اني اليكم لم أَزَل أَتشوَّق

Your noble self, that is greatness

To you I have always yearned

وأَمرتَني اني اجيءُ اليكمُ

من غير تأخيرٍ ولا اتعوقُ

And you ordered me to come to you

Without delay or hesitation

انت الأميرُ وإِنَّ امرك نافذٌ

فينا بلا ردٍّ وحُكمُكَ مُطلَق

You are the prince, and your order enforced

In us without refusal and your rule absolute

والأمرُ امركَ وَهوَ محمولٌ على

رأسي وعيني كلُّ قولٍ تَنطِقُ

The order is yours and it is incumbent

Upon my head and eyes, everything you utter

لكن لِيعلَم سَيِّدي متحقِّقاً

صِدقَ المقال وانهُ لمحقَّقُ

But so that my lord knows for certain

The truth of my words and that they are assured

أَنِّي لمشتغلٌ بشُغلٍ شاغلٍ

وَسعُ الفَضاءِ لَدَيَّ منهُ ضَيِّقُ

That I am preoccupied with an occupying busywork

And the vastness of space for me in it feels confined

حتى لما انا فيهِ من بَرَح العَنا

اطوي النَهار طَوىً ولا اتريقُ

That when I am in the calamity of distress

I fold the day and cannot joke

ولقد بُلِيتُ من الزَمانِ بمِحنةٍ

مع عُصبةٍ صخريَّةٍ لا تُشفِقُ

And I was afflicted by time with an ordeal

With a fierce gang that does not pity

ابناءُ صخرٍ قلبهم كصخورهم

لن يشفقوا ابداً ولن يترفقوا

Sons of stone, their hearts like their rocks

They will never pity, and they will never be gentle

لا يبتنونَ بارض مَرءٍ كُوَّةً

الا ويُهدَمُ صبرُهُ بل يُصعَقُ

They do not build in a man's land an abode

Except his patience crumbles and collapses

كَلا ولن يرفوا لهُ متردّماً

الا ويَبلى عمرُهُ ويُمزَّقُ

No, they will not care for him as he deteriorates

Except his life wears out and shreds

قالوا خُلِقتَ لِمحنةٍ فأَجَبتُهم

خُلِقَت لي المِحنات قبلاً أُخلَقُ

They said, “You were created for tribulation,” so I replied,

“Tribulations were created for me before I was created”

ولقد عَفا جِسمي وأُنحِلَ مجثمي

ثمَّ اختفَى رسمي واوشك يُمحَقُ

And my body really did waste away and my corpse diminished

Then my form disappeared and nearly vanished

ذا عُذرُ من يرجوك حُسنَ قَبُولهِ

يا مَن بِهِ آمالنا تتعلَّقُ

This is the excuse of one who hopes for your good reception

O you upon whom our hopes rely

وانعَم ودُم واسلَم وفُز في نِعمةٍ

غرَّاءَ ثوبُ نعيمها لا يَخلُقُ

And bestow safety and greetings and succeed in bounty

The dress of its bliss unsewn

تولي المكارم عن يدٍ مبسوطةٍ

للخيرِ ما طال المَدَى لا تُطبَقُ

You hold the virtues with an outstretched hand

For good however long the stretch does not withhold

ونَداكَ مسؤُولٌ وجودك سائلٌ

ورِضاكَ مأمولٌ وانت موفَّقُ

Your aid being sought and your existence being asked

And your approval hoped for and you are prospered