لم يدر حي وقد جاء البشير به

أن الزمان لما نرجوه متسعُ

No living soul knew, though the herald had brought news of him,

that time had room for what we hoped for.

فزارها ليث غاب تحته فرس

وبدرتم عليه التاج والخلع

Then a lion of the thickets visited her, a horse beneath him,

and a full moon, wearing the crown and robes of honor.

لما تطلع والرايات تكتمه

في ظلها وشاع الشمس مرتفع

When he rose into view, the banners concealed him

in their shade, while the sun's [radiance] was high above.

أعدى بإقباله من أهلها نفراً

لم يعلموا أن در السعد يرتضع

He infected some of her people with his good fortune,

who did not know that good fortune's milk could be suckled.

فليهنها منه روض زهره درر

فتن العقود ومزن قطره دفع

So may a garden from him gladden her, its blossoms pearls—

the charms of necklaces—and rainclouds whose rain comes in torrents.

لاحظ أباك فهذي مصر معرضة

وأنت يوسف والاسباط قد جمعوا

Look upon your father, for here is Egypt, laid before you,

and you are Yusuf, and the tribes have been gathered.

لكنهم ما نووا غدراً ولا نقضوا

عهداً ولا اضمر واغلاو ولا ابتدعوا

Yet they intended no treachery, nor did they break

a covenant, nor harbored [rancor], nor introduced innovations.

أيا أخا الجود وابن المجد لا بلد

إلا بذكرك أو بالسيف يفترع

O brother of bounty and son of glory, no land

but is breached by mention of you or by the sword.

فدى لجودك آمالي وسابقها

ومطمع من بحار الشعر ممتنع

May my hopes and what outruns them be ransom for your bounty,

and an unattainable prize from the seas of poetry.

فالقائلون بطاء عن مداي وإن

أبدعت معنى فهم في أخذه سرع

For poets lag behind my reach; and if

I create an original idea, they are swift to seize it.

هم إذا خلطوا شعري بشعرهم

كالطير يهذون أو يحكمون ما سمعوا

They, when they mix my poetry with their own,

are like birds, babbling or faithfully reproducing what they have heard.