1. ألله أعلُم ما السَّبَبُ

    حتَّى بَدَا لِي ذا العَجَب

    God knows best what the reason is,

    for this strange thing to appear to me

  2. من صادِق الوُدِّ الذي

    عنِّي خَيالُهٌُ ما احتَجَب

    from one sincere in affection, whose

    image has never been hidden from me.

  3. أصبُوا لخُلّتِه وآ

    مُل وُدَّ مَن مِنه اقترَب

    I yearn for his friendship and hope

    for the affection of whoever draws near him.

  4. وأجلُّه إجلالَ مَن

    يَدري مَكَانَته أدَب

    And I honor him as one

    whose standing literature knows.

  5. وإذا بَد لِيَ شَخصُه

    يَبدُو لقلبِيَ مَا طَلَب

    And when he appears before me,

    my heart sees what it has sought.

  6. والقَلبُ منجَذِبٌ لدَى

    قَلبٍ إليهِ قدِ انجَذَب

    And the heart is drawn toward

    a heart already drawn to it.

  7. لَكِن جَرَى ما قد جَرَى

    يا لَيتَ شعري ما السَّبب

    But what has happened has happened;

    oh, if only I knew the reason!

  8. هَل مِن مَقالةِ شامِتٍ

    أم مِن مَلامَةٍ إرتَكَب

    Was it a remark from one who gloats,

    or some blameworthy deed committed?

  9. إِن كانتِ الأولَى فَذا

    كَ حَسودُ فَضلٍ قد كَذَّب

    If it was the first, then that

    is an envier of merit who has spoken falsely.

  10. أو كَانتِ الأخرَى فقَد

    ضاعَت علاقاتُ الأدّب

    Or if it was the latter, then

    the bonds of letters have been lost.

  11. لو لَم تكُن ثِقتِي بِوُد

    دِكَ لم أُجِبكَ لذَا الآرَب

    Were it not for my trust in your

    affection, I would not have answered this wish of yours.

  12. ولَما عَرفتُ سِوَى أشم

    مٍ دُونه شُمُّ العَرَب

    Nor would I have known any but a proud man,

    beneath whom stand the proud Arabs,

  13. لا يَرتَضِي بدلاًُ بِعِزِّ

    زَتِه ملايينَ الذَّهَب

    who will not accept in exchange for his

    dignity millions in gold.

  14. إنَّا علَى قُلٍّ بنا

    لَسنا بعُشَّاق الرُّتَب

    Indeed, despite our scant means,

    we are not lovers of rank.

  15. لكننَا نَصفُو لِمن

    يَصفُو مِن أربَابِ الأَدب

    But we are sincere toward those

    among the masters of letters who are sincere.

  16. أهوَى مُصَافاةَ الأدي

    بِ ومَن إلَى الأدَبِ انتَسَب

    I love sincere friendship with the man of letters,

    and with whoever belongs to literature.

  17. وأُحبُّ أهلَ الفضلِ طُرّ

    ا والفتَى مَعَ مَن أحب

    And I love people of merit, all

    of them; a man is with those he loves.

  18. أمَّا الجَهولُ وإن يكُن

    ملأَ الفضَا مَا قد كَسَب

    As for the ignorant man, even if

    what he has gained has filled all space,

  19. لا أَصطَفيه مُخَاطَباً

    وأسَرُّ إنعنِّي انحَجَب

    I do not choose him as a companion in conversation,

    and I am glad if he is hidden from me.

  20. بالعِلمِ سَاد أخُو السِّيا

    دةِ لا بمَالٍ أو نَسَب

    Through knowledge rose the man of

    eminence—not through wealth or lineage.

  21. ذِكرُ المَكارِم خالدٌ

    والمالُ يَفنَى والنَّسَب

    The remembrance of noble deeds is everlasting,

    while wealth and lineage perish.

  22. يا مُفرداً بخِل الزَّما

    نُ بجمعِه في مَن نخَب

    O singular one, Time grudged

    making you plural among its chosen.

  23. رَبُّ الفصَاحَةِ والبيَا

    نِ إذا تكَلَّم أو خَطَب

    Master of eloquence and expression,

    when he speaks or delivers an address;

  24. والسِّحرُ سَيلُ يَراعِه

    إِن قَالَ شِعرا أو كَتَب

    and magic is the flow of his pen,

    whether he utters verse or writes.

  25. مَا لي أراكَ مُقاطِعي

    إنِّي وحقٍ الله رَب

    Why do I see you breaking with me?

    Indeed, by the truth of God, the Lord,

  26. لقَد انفَعَلتُ لِما بَدا

    مِنكُم وهذا ما وَجَب

    I have indeed been stirred by what appeared

    from you, and this was only fitting.