1. جَزاكَ اللَهُ عَن حُسناكَ خَيراً

    وَكانَ لَكَ المُهَيمِنُ خَيرَ راعِ

    May God reward you with good for your kindness,

    And may the All-Watchful be your best guardian.

  2. فَقَد قَصَّرتَ بِالإِحسانِ لَفظي

    كَما طَوَّلتَ بِالإِنعامِ باعي

    For your kindness has left me short of words,

    Just as your bounty has lengthened my reach.

  3. فَأَخَّرَني الحَياءُ وَليسَ يَدري

    جَميعُ الناسِ ما سَبَبُ اِمتِناعي

    So bashfulness has held me back, and no one knows—

    Among all people—the reason I stay away.

  4. فَشُكري حُسنَ صُنعِكَ في اِتِّصالٍ

    وَخَطوي نَحوَ رَبعِكَ في اِنقِطاعِ

    So my thanks for your gracious deeds are unceasing,

    Yet my steps toward your dwelling have ceased.

  5. وَقافِيَةٍ شَبيهِ الشَمسِ حُسناً

    تَرَدَّدُ بَينَ كَفّي وَاليَراعِ

    And a poem, like the sun in beauty,

    Moves back and forth between my palm and the reed pen.

  6. لَها فَضلٌ عَلى غُرَرِ القَوافي

    كَما فَضلُ البِقاعِ عَلى البِقاعِ

    It surpasses the finest poems,

    As some places surpass others.

  7. غَدَت تُثني عَلى عَلياكَ لَمّا

    ضَمِنتَ لِرَبِّها نُجحَ المَساعي

    It began to praise your eminence when

    You guaranteed its author success in his endeavors.

  8. فَدُمتَ وَلا بَرِحتَ مَدى اللَيالي

    سَعيدَ الجَدِّ ذا أَمرٍ مُطاعِ

    So may you endure and ever remain, through all the nights,

    Favored by fortune, with your command obeyed.