1. شَوقٌ إِلَيكَ تَفيضُ مِنهُ الأَدمُعُ

    وَجَوىً عَلَيكَ تَضيقُ مِنهُ الأَضلُعُ

    A longing for you that makes tears overflow,

    and burning grief for you that constricts the ribs,

  2. وَهَوىً تُجَدِّدُهُ اللَيالي كُلَّما

    قَدُمَت وَتَرجِعُهُ السِنونَ فَيَرجَعُ

    and love the nights renew whenever

    they grow old; the years bring it back, and it returns.

  3. إِنّي وَما قَصَدَ الحَجيجُ وَدونَهُم

    خَرقٌ تَخُبُّ بِهِ الرِكابُ وَتوضِعُ

    Indeed, by what the pilgrims seek, beyond

    a wilderness where riding camels trot and hasten,

  4. أُصفيكَ أَقصى الوِدِّ غَيرَ مُقَلَّلِ

    إِن كانَ أَقصى الوِدِّ عِندَكِ يَنفَعُ

    I offer you the utmost sincere affection, undiminished,

    if the utmost affection avails you.

  5. وَأَراكِ أَحسَنَ مَن أَراهُ وَإِن بَدا

    مِنكِ الصُدودُ وَبانَ وَصلُكِ أَجمَعُ

    And I see you as the fairest I behold, even if

    you shun me and all union with you is gone.

  6. يَعتادُني طَربي إِلَيكِ فَيَغتَلي

    وَجدي وَيَدعوني هَواكِ فَأَتبَعُ

    My yearning for you returns, and then seethes

    my passion; your love calls me, and I follow.

  7. كَلِفٌ بِحُبِّكِ مولَعٌ وَيَسُرُّني

    أَنّي امرُؤٌ كَلِفٌ بِحُبِّكِ مولَعُ

    Consumed by love of you, enthralled—and it delights me

    that I am a man consumed by love of you, enthralled.

  8. شَرَفاً بَني العَبّاسِ إِنَّ أَباكُمُ

    عَمُّ النَبِيِّ وَعيصُهُ المُتَفَزِّعُ

    Glory to you, sons of al-ʿAbbās! Your father is

    the Prophet's uncle and his sheltering kin.

  9. إِنَّ الفَضيلَةَ لِلَّذي اِستَسقى بِهِ

    عُمَرٌ وَشُفِّعَ إِذ غَدا يَستَشفِعُ

    Indeed, distinction belongs to him through whom rain was sought

    by ʿUmar; intercession was accepted when he went seeking it.

  10. وَأَرى الخِلافَةَ وَهيَ أَعظَمُ رُثبَةٍ

    حَقّاً لَكُم وَوِراثَةً ما تُنزَعُ

    And I regard the caliphate—the greatest rank—

    as your rightful due, an inheritance never wrested away.

  11. أَعطاكُموها اللَهُ عَن عِلمٍ بِكُم

    وَاللَهُ يُعطي مَن يَشاءُ وَيَمنَعُ

    God gave it to you, knowing you well;

    and God gives to whom He wills, and withholds.

  12. مَن ذا يُساجِلُكُم وَحَوضُ مُحَمَّدٍ

    بِسِقايَةِ العَبّاسِ فيكُم يُشفَعُ

    Who can rival you, when Muhammad's Pool

    is paired, among you, with al-ʿAbbās's water-giving?

  13. مَلِكٌ رِضاهُ رِضا المَليكِ وَسُخطُهُ

    حَتفُ العِدى وَرَداهُمُ المُتَوَقَّعُ

    A king whose pleasure is the Sovereign's pleasure, and whose wrath

    is his enemies' death and their expected doom.

  14. مُتَكَرِّمٌ مُتَوَرِّعٌ عَن كُلِّ ما

    يَتَجَنَّبُ المُتَكَرِّمُ المُتَوَرِّعُ

    Generous, scrupulously abstaining from all that

    the generous and scrupulous man avoids.

  15. يا أَيُّها المَلِكُ الَّذي سَقَتِ الوَرى

    مِن راحَتَيهِ غَمامَةٌ ما تُقلِعُ

    O king, who waters all mankind

    with a cloud from his two palms that never ceases!

  16. يُهنيكَ في المُتَوَكِّلِيَّةِ أَنَّها

    حَسُنَ المَصيفُ بِها وَطابَ المَربَعُ

    May al-Mutawakkiliyya gladden you, for there

    summer lodging is lovely, and the spring abode delightful.

  17. فَيحاءُ مُشرِقَةٌ يَرِقُّ نَسيمُها

    ميثٌ تُدَرِّجُهُ الرِياحُ وَأَجزَعُ

    Spacious and radiant, its breeze is gentle;

    soft ground rippled by winds, and valley bends.

  18. وَفَسيحَةُ الأَكنافِ ضاعَفَ حُسنَها

    بَرٌّ لَها مُفضاً وَبَحرٌ مُترَعُ

    And broad in its bounds, its beauty is redoubled

    by its open countryside and a brimful sea.

  19. قَد سُرَّ فيها الأَولِياءُ إِذِ التَقَوا

    بِفِناءِ مِنبَرِها الجَديدَ فَجَمَّعوا

    There the loyal supporters rejoiced when they met

    in the court before its new pulpit and held Friday prayers.

  20. فَارفَع بِدارِ الضَربِ باقي ذِكرِها

    إِنَّ الرَفيعَ مَحَلَّةً مَن تَرفَعُ

    So exalt its enduring fame through the mint;

    truly, high in station is whoever you exalt.

  21. هَل يَجلُبَنَّ إِلَيَّ عَطفَكَ مَوقِفٌ

    ثَبتٌ لَدَيكَ أَقولُ فيهِ وَتَسمَعُ

    Will a stand bring your compassion to me—

    steadfast before you, where I speak and you listen?

  22. مازالَ لي مِن حُسنِ رَأيِكِ مَوئِلٌ

    آوي إِلَيهِ مِنَ الخُطوبِ وَمَفزَعُ

    I have always had in your good regard a refuge

    where I shelter from calamities, a haven.

  23. فَعَلامَ أَنكَرتَ الصَديقَ وَأَقبَلَت

    نَحوي رِكابُ الكاشِحينَ تَطَلَّعُ

    Why, then, have you disowned your friend, while there advance

    toward me my spiteful foes' mounts, peering ahead?

  24. وَأَقامَ يَطمَعُ في تَهَضُّمِ جانِبي

    مَن لَم يَكُن مِن قَبلُ فيهِ يَطمَعُ

    And he persists in hoping to slight my dignity—

    one who had never hoped for that before.

  25. إِلّا يَكُن ذَنبٌ فَعَدلُكَ واسِعٌ

    أَو كانَ لي ذَنبٌ فَعَفوُكَ أَوسَعُ

    If there is no offense, your justice is vast;

    or if I am at fault, your pardon is vaster still.