1. اِنّ من يحفظ المَوَدّة أَحرى

    بِالثَناءِ الجَميلِ دُنيا وَأَحرى

    Indeed, whoever preserves affection is more deserving

    Of fine praise in this world and the next.

  2. وَالنَبيل الاصيل يَنمو وٌَارا

    وَاِحتِشاما مِن حَيثُ يَغفِر وزرا

    And the noble, wellborn man grows in dignity

    And modesty through forgiving wrongdoing.

  3. وَاللَبيب الاديب ذو العَقل وَالفَض

    ل لَدَيه التَمويه لَم يَستَمِرّا

    And the discerning, cultured man, endowed with reason and excellence—

    Deception does not endure in his presence.

  4. وَلَعُمري أَنتَ الجَدير بِهذا المَ

    جد وَالسودد المعظم قدرا

    And by my life, you are worthy of this glory

    And preeminence, exalted in esteem.

  5. لا عدمنا لك الزَمان عَطايا

    مغد قات وُدّا عَلَينا وَبِرّا

    May we never, through time, lack gifts from you,

    Pouring affection and kindness abundantly upon us.

  6. يا بَديع الزَمان حسنا وَمَعنى

    وَمَقاما حَكى الزَمان وَشِعرا

    O marvel of the age in beauty and inner meaning,

    And in stature mirroring the age, and in poetry.

  7. وَلَكَ الصَدر في القُلوب وَفي العِ

    ز وَحَيثُ الفخار جَليت صَدرا

    Yours is the foremost place in hearts and in honor,

    And wherever glory is found, you come to the fore.

  8. وَلَكَ المحتد الَّذي طابَ غَرسا

    وَفروعا تحيى الاصول وَذِكرا

    Yours is a lineage good in its planting,

    And in branches reviving its roots, and in renown.

  9. لَست أَنسى فَضائِلا مِنكَ حلت

    جيد اَلبا بنا من النظم درّا

    I do not forget virtues from you that adorned

    The neck of our minds with pearls of verse.

  10. قَد سَمَونا بها المَعالي وَنِلنا

    أَدَبا باذِخا وَجاها وَفَخرا

    Through them we have risen to lofty heights and gained

    Towering learning, prestige, and glory.

  11. كَيفَ أَقوى الحَمل أَعبا مَشكر

    لأيا ديك وَالمَحاسن تَترا

    How can I bear the burdens of gratitude

    For your favors, while your virtues follow unceasingly?

  12. فَلوان الوجود يَنطِق حدا

    لَم يَكُن في سِواك يعلن شُكرا

    If creation could give voice to praise,

    It would proclaim gratitude toward no one but you.

  13. طهر اللَه أَصغريك وَلا زِل

    ت لطلابك الا ماجد ذخرا

    May God purify your heart and tongue; may you ever remain

    A treasure for those who seek you, O noble one.

  14. وَحباك الاله كل رَجاء

    ترتجيه مِنه وَعزا وَنَصرا

    And may God grant you every hope

    You cherish from Him, and might and victory.

  15. كن كَما شِئت اِنَّني لك عَبد اللَه

    عبد فهل أَفوز بِبشرى

    Be as you wish: I, Abd Allah, am yours—

    A servant; shall I receive glad tidings?

  16. غايَة القَصد ان أَفوز بتقبي

    ل بديك الكِرام بطنا وَظهرا

    My ultimate aim is to obtain the chance to kiss

    Your generous hands, their palms and backs.

  17. وَتَأَمّل في باطِن الامر تَنظر

    صدق وُدّي وَأَنَّني بك مغرى

    Consider the matter inwardly, and you will see

    The sincerity of my affection and my fascination with you.

  18. هذه خلتي وَذَمّة عَهدي

    وَوَفائي ما دمت سِرّا وجهرا

    This is my friendship and the pledge of my covenant,

    And my faithfulness, as long as I live, secretly and openly.

  19. فَاِعتَمِدها وخلّ عَنك بغاة

    فبما كان مِنهم أَنتَ أَدري

    So trust it, and dismiss the wrongdoers,

    For you know better what has come from them.

  20. أَو فهبنى كما ظننت وحاشا

    ك ميأ فها أنا جئت أَبرا

    Or suppose me as you imagined—far be such a thought from you—

    An offender: here I have come to be cleared.

  21. يا لحى اللَه كل واش نَموم

    قَد سَعى بَينَنا وَكدّر فِكرا

    Ah, may God curse every slanderous talebearer

    Who has sown discord between us and clouded thought.

  22. نمق القَول وَاِستَما لك عنا

    وَتَعَدّى في لَومه وَتجرّا

    He embellished his speech and drew you away from us,

    Overstepping in his reproaches and growing brazen.

  23. غرة منك حين وافاك لين

    لَو تَأَمّلت خلته مكفهِرّا

    You were unguarded when he came to you, seeming gentle;

    Had you looked closely, you would have thought him scowling.

  24. وَعَلى كل حالَة لا أَراني الله

    من بعد سيدي منك هجرا

    Whatever the case, may God never show me

    Estrangement from you henceforth, my master.

  25. فَالسَماح السَماح يا بَهجَة الوَقت

    وَرَوض العُلوم نُظما وَنثرا

    So pardon, pardon, O joy of the age,

    And garden of learning in verse and prose.

  26. وَتلطف وَاِمنن بصفح جَميل

    عَن مُحِب لم يَستَطِع عَنكَ صَبرا

    And be gentle; graciously grant generous pardon

    To a lover who cannot endure being apart from you.

  27. وَاِرض عَني وَراعني مِثل ما كن

    ت وَدَعني مِمَّن توشح كبرا

    Be pleased with me and care for me as you used to—

    And spare me those who cloak themselves in pride.

  28. وَاِطو برد الصدود وَاِستَبِق صَبا

    لِلواء الوِصال يَطلب نَشرا

    Fold away rejection's cloak, and preserve a lovesick lover

    Who seeks the unfurling of reunion's banner.

  29. وَالتمس لي بَراءَة حَيث اني

    أَسرتني يد الصَبابَة قَسرا

    And seek my acquittal, for I

    Have been forcibly captured by the hand of longing.

  30. أَسلَمتَني اِلى الجُنون عيون

    فَاِتكاب تَزيد قَلبي كسرا

    Eyes have surrendered me to madness,

    Deadly eyes that deepen my heart's brokenness.

  31. مَلأت مُهجَتي نبالا وَأَومت

    فَاِستَمالَت لبّ المتيم سخرا

    They filled my heart with arrows and beckoned,

    Then mockingly captivated the lovesick one's innermost heart.

  32. من أَغَنّ لَو كانَ لِلبَدر جز

    من سَناه أَقام شَهرا وَدَهرا

    Eyes of a sweetly nasal-voiced one—had the full moon a share

    Of his radiance, it would endure for a month and an age.

  33. وَعَجيب قَد أَنبت اللَه في خَدّ

    يه زهرا وَفي فُؤادي جَمرا

    And wondrous it is: God has grown upon his cheeks

    Flowers, and in my heart, embers.

  34. عَين نسكي خلا عَني في هَواه

    وَعَليهِ أَرى التَهَتُّك سَترا

    My very piety has left me in my love for him,

    And for his sake I regard shameless abandon as a veil.

  35. جلّ من صانه مَصون جمال

    طيبا طاهرا زكيا أَغَرّا

    Exalted is He who preserved him, his beauty inviolate,

    Fragrant, pure, immaculate, radiant.

  36. أَو جدى الجَمال وَالحال وَالقا

    ل عَريق الاصول مجدا وَفَخرا

    Peerless in beauty, bearing, and speech,

    Deep-rooted in lineage, glory, and honor.

  37. وَغَرامي يا سيدي فيه عذرى

    وَكَفاكَ الغَرامُ مني عُذرا

    My passion for him, my master, is my excuse;

    And let my passion suffice you as my excuse.

  38. هاكَ ذاتَ الجَمال مني عُروبا

    أَعرَبت عن جَمالِها وَهي عُذرا

    Receive from me this affectionate beauty,

    Who has declared her loveliness while still a virgin.

  39. فَتَفضل وَراعِها بِقبول

    فهي بكر تود صدرك خدرا

    So be gracious and honor her with acceptance,

    For she is a virgin who desires your bosom as her secluded chamber.

  40. زادَك اللَه كل مَطلع شَمس

    نعما تَترك الحواسِد حسرى

    May God increase for you, with every sunrise,

    Blessings that leave the envious weary with regret.

  41. ثَم نادَتك كل علياء صلني

    اِن من يحفظ المَوَدّة أَجرا

    Then may every lofty station call you: 'Join me!'

    Indeed, whoever preserves affection merits a reward.