1. ما رَوضة خيم قيصومها

    وَامتَد في أَطرافِها آسها

    No garden whose yarrow has pitched camp,

    and whose myrtle has spread along its borders,

  2. تعطر القاطن أَنوارها

    وَتنعش المَصروع أَنفاسها

    whose blossoms perfume the dweller,

    and whose breaths revive the stricken,

  3. تبسم الفضي مِن وردِها

    إِذ سَرقَ الذَهبي حراسها

    where the silvery one among its roses smiled

    when the golden one stole its guards,

  4. وَنقط الطل رَياحينها

    وَزالَ عَن أَوراقِها باسها

    and dew dotted its fragrant herbs,

    and its distress vanished from its leaves,

  5. وَقَد غَزاها الصُبح ريح الصبا

    فَاشتبهت في الحال أَجناسها

    and at dawn the east wind had raided it,

    so its kinds at once became indistinguishable,

  6. فَطولها يشبه عرضها

    وَعَجزها يشبه رَأسها

    so its length resembles its breadth,

    and its rear resembles its head,

  7. وَاقتحمت للحرب فُرسانها

    وَصَوتَت للجَري أَفراسها

    and its horsemen plunged into battle,

    and its steeds neighed to gallop,

  8. كَأَنَّها بكر وَأَحلافها

    لَما أَتى للثار جساسها

    as though it were Bakr and its allies,

    when its Jassas came for vengeance—

  9. عجبت مِن مَعركة قَد وَرى

    على أَديم الأَرض مقياسها

    I marveled at a battle: there had flared

    upon the earth's skin its measure.

  10. لا تَخشَ مِن قضبانها إِنَّما

    مآتم الرَوضة أَعراسها

    Do not fear its branches; indeed,

    the garden's funerals are only its weddings—

  11. أَعجَب مِن حَضرة فَضل بِها

    ترشف خمر الفَضل جلاسها

    is more wondrous than a gathering of excellence, where

    its companions sip the wine of excellence.

  12. سَمَت عَن الأَفلاك أَفلاكها

    وَطاوَل العيوق نبراسها

    Its spheres soared above the celestial spheres,

    and its lamp rivaled Capella in height.

  13. راووقها يا صاح تَحريرها

    وَكاسها في الحان قرطاسها

    Its wine-strainer, my friend, is its writing,

    and its cup in the tavern is its paper.

  14. يعلم عبد اللَه قَد أَشرَقَت

    وَطابَ للزوار إِيناسها

    Abd Allah knows that it has shone,

    and its welcome was sweet to visitors.

  15. إِنسان عين المَجد بَل عَينه

    غواص در الفَضل غطاسها

    The pupil of glory's eye—nay, its very eye,

    a diver for the pearls of excellence, its deep diver.

  16. ما حلت عَن أَعتابه رَغبة

    عَن حَضرة أَسكرني كاسها

    I did not turn from his thresholds out of aversion

    to a gathering whose cup intoxicated me.

  17. وَإِنَّما قيدت في حرفة

    قَد أَشغل الخاطر وسواسها

    But I was only fettered to a craft,

    whose nagging worries had preoccupied my mind.

  18. لا أَعرف الغمض وَطيب الكَرى

    إِلا إِذا ما تم كراسها

    I know neither sleep nor the sweetness of slumber,

    except when its notebook is finished.

  19. قَد عاقَني الدَهر بإشراكه

    وَصد نَفسي عَنكَ افلاسها

    Time has hindered me with its snares,

    and my soul's penury has kept it from you.

  20. فَاعذر أَبا السَعد وَفَخر الوَرى

    وَمن لأَرباب العُلى راسها

    So pardon me, Abu al-Sa'd, pride of mankind,

    and you who are head of the lords of eminence.