1. وذكي العرف لاقا

    نا على كرسي ملكه

    And a sweet-scented one met

    us upon the throne of his realm.

  2. أرضه الخضراء بحرٌ

    نوره فيه كفلكه

    His green ground is a sea;

    his blossoms in it are like its ships.

  3. ياسمينٌ قد غدت أن

    وارنا طوعاً لملكه

    Jasmine—our blossoms have become

    willingly obedient to his rule,

  4. طوع حر الشعر عبا

    داً وقد أومي لسلكه

    as noble verse obeys

    ʿAbbād, when signaled to be strung.

  5. ماجدٌ ينقاد منه ال

    أدب الغض لملكه

    A noble lord, whose

    tender art of letters submits to his rule.

  6. ماله يوقن منه

    ومناويه بهلكه

    His wealth is certain—

    as is his foe—of ruin at his hands.

  7. وأني لأهواه وأبغي اكتتامه

    وتأبى إمارات اللقاء تكتما

    And I do love him, and seek to conceal it,

    yet the signs of meeting refuse concealment.

  8. لساني في حكمي ولكن مقلتي

    ولوني ما إن يقبلان تحكما

    My tongue is under my command, but my eye

    and my complexion accept no control at all.