1. على منازل غالي

    فزنا بصفو الليالي

    At Ghali's dwellings,

    We enjoyed the choicest of nights.

  2. تزينت وتجلت

    في رونق وجلال

    They adorned themselves and stood revealed

    In radiance and majesty,

  3. وأشرقت بالدراري

    من سادة وموالي

    And shone with glittering stars—

    Of lords and patrons,

  4. ومن كواكب حسن

    ومن شموس جمال

    And stars of loveliness,

    And suns of beauty.

  5. كأنها دور يحيى

    حين الزمان موالي

    As though they were Yahya's houses

    When Time was an ally.

  6. للعز والأنس فيها

    مظاهر ومجالي

    There, glory and convivial joy

    Have their manifestations and displays.

  7. يمشى الزمان إليها

    كلائذ بالظلال

    Time walks toward them

    Like one seeking shelter in the shade.

  8. كم اشتباك عقول

    عند اشتباك العوالي

    How often minds become entangled

    When the tall spears intertwine—

  9. الصائلات قدودا

    في البال أي مصال

    Those charging, slender forms—

    What an onslaught upon the mind!

  10. الناعمات اللواهي

    العاطلات الحوالى

    The delicate, playful ones,

    Unadorned, yet adorned,

  11. الغاديات بلبى

    الرائحات ببالى

    Taking my wits away at dawn,

    Taking my mind away at dusk:

  12. من جؤذر ثَم يرنو

    وشادن مختال

    Among them, a wild-ox calf gazing there,

    And a young gazelle strutting proudly,

  13. وظبية تتثنى

    في راحتَى رئبال

    And a doe swaying

    In a lion's two palms.

  14. يا ليلة نجتليها

    سنية في الليالي

    O night that we behold,

    Splendid among nights,

  15. في دار أمجد سمح

    مهذب مفضال

    In the house of one most noble and generous,

    Refined and munificent,

  16. في المسلمين وجيه

    وفي بنى القبط غالى

    Distinguished among Muslims,

    And among the sons of the Copts, Ghali—held dear.

  17. وبنت شمبان تزرى

    على قطوف الدوالى

    And Champagne's daughter puts to shame

    The grape clusters of the vines.

  18. أتى العيهد عليها

    من السنين الخوالي

    Time has passed over her

    Through the years gone by;

  19. وما تزال فتاة

    مرجوة لوصال

    Yet she remains a maiden,

    With whom one longs for union.

  20. يكاد يُحيى ابن هاني

    شعاعُها المتلالى

    It almost brings Ibn Hani back to life—

    Her glittering radiance.

  21. شربتها ووقارى

    منزه عن زوال

    I drank her, while my dignity

    Remained untouched by loss.

  22. ظرف النواسىّ لكن

    في ثابت كالجبال

    The wit of al-Nuwasi, but

    In one as steadfast as mountains.

  23. أراح بالىَ أنى

    بحاسدي لا أبالى

    It set my mind at ease that I

    Care nothing for my envier,

  24. وبالصيدق حفىّ

    وبالمحب مغالى

    And am kind to a friend,

    And lavish toward the one who loves.

  25. طربت والعيش لهو

    ما للعذول ومالى

    I reveled, and life was play—

    What business has the reproacher with my wealth?

  26. على ولاء أمين

    و بطرس والآل

    In loyalty to Amin,

    And Boutros and the family.