بِكَ مِن حادِثِ الزَمانِ نَعوذُ

وَبِأَبوابِكَ الشِرافِ نَلوذُ

With You we seek refuge from the vicissitudes of time,

And in Your noble gates we find sanctuary.

وَلَكَ الأَنعُمُ الَّتي كُلَّ حَدسٍ

بَينَنا غَيرَ شُكرِها مَنبوذُ

Yours are the blessings which all thoughts confess

Save thanklessness for them is cast out amongst us.

يا مَليكاً لِلمالِ مِنهُ نَفادٌ

وَلِآرائِهِ الشِرافِ نُفوذُ

O King of wealth which fails and thoughts

Whose nobility penetrates all,

قَد خَلَونا بِمَجلِسٍ كُلُّ ما في

هِ سِوى البُعدُ عَن عُلاكَ لَذيذُ

We are met in a gathering wherein, apart from distance

From You, all is delightful.

وَلَدَينا شادٍ وَنَقلٌ وَمَشمو

مُ وَطَيرٌ يُشوى وَخُبزٌ سَميذُ

With us are roast meat, desserts and wine -

A bird on the spit, bread well-kneaded, too;

وَغُلامٌ مِنَ النَصارى بِماءِ ال

حُسنِ قَبلَ اِعتِمادِهِ مَعموذُ

And a Christian lad - before baptism -

Lovely as water is he.

لَو رَأى لَفظَهُ الرَئيسُ اِبنُ سي

نا سَرَّهُ أَنَّهُ لَهُ تِلميذُ

The Chief of Sinai's clan, if he saw his speech

Would be glad he was his pupil.

قَد أَخَذناهُ مِن ذَويهِ وَلَكِن

كُلُّ قَلبٍ في أَسرِهِ مَأخوذُ

We took him from his people, but every heart

In its passion is captive.

وَمَسَرّاتُنا تَمامٌ فَما أَع

وَزَ بَينَ الرِفاقِ إِلّا النَبيذُ

Our pleasures are perfect, so nothing is lacking

Among comrades save more wine.

أَعوَزَت بَغتَةً فَحالي مَوقو

فٌ وَقَلبي لِفَقدِها مَفقوذُ

That lacked suddenly, so my state is suspended

And my heart severed by its absence.

إِن تُساعِد بِها فَكَم مِن أَيادٍ

لَكَ فِكري لِشُكرِها مَشحوذُ

If you supply it, how many kind acts

Will my mind sharpen to thank you!

قَيَّدَت شارِدَ الثَنا لَكَ وَالشُك

رَ فَما لِلثَناءِ عَنها شُذوذُ

It fettered my wandering wits to you, and thanks -

So how can praise turn from it?