1. مطلقٌ في سُراه من كل قيدِ

    لم يفز عنده الزمان بكيدِ

    Unfettered on his night journey, free of every bond,

    Time never prevailed over him by guile.

  2. عاصَرَ الأولينَ من آدم الأول

    لليوم للذي بعد بعد

    He lived alongside the earliest people, from Adam the first,

    to today, to what comes later, and later still.

  3. ومشى في مواكب الدَّهر حتى

    بدَّلَ الدهرُ كلَّ عهدٍ بعهد

    And he walked in the processions of time until

    time replaced every age with another.

  4. ورأى النار في هياكل فرعون

    ، وفرعونُ في جلالٍ ومجد

    And he saw fire in Pharaoh's temples,

    and Pharaoh in majesty and glory.

  5. وتولّى زمانُه فرأى الأخلاف

    تَبني الأهرام من كل صَلْد

    And his age passed; then he saw later generations

    building the pyramids from every kind of solid stone.

  6. ورأى الله حين كلَّم موسى

    كيف يدعو لمن براه ويهدي

    And he saw God when He spoke to Moses,

    how He calls to the one He fashioned, and guides.

  7. ورأى السَّيّدَ المسيحَ رأى الرحْمة

    في معجز الولادة فرد

    And he saw the Lord Christ; he saw mercy

    in the miracle of his matchless birth.

  8. ورأى المصطفى يبشِّر بالإسلام

    في خُلقه القويم الأشدّ

    And he saw the Chosen One proclaiming Islam

    in his upright, supremely steadfast character.

  9. يا نبيَّ الإسلام ليس بخافٍ

    لك حبٌّ أصونه لك عندي

    O Prophet of Islam, it is no secret:

    I have love for you, which I keep safe for you.

  10. ومحبّوك قد أحبّوا لوعدٍ

    وبطوعي أحببتُ من غير وعد

    And your lovers have loved for a promise,

    and of my own free will I loved, without a promise.

  11. أنت أخْلَصْتَني المودة آيا

    تٍ، وأمَّنتني فأخلصت ودّي

    You showed me sincere affection in verses,

    and granted me safety; so I gave you my sincere love.

  12. أنت علّمتني البراعةَ في القو

    ، وسلسلتَ بالبلاغة وردي

    You taught me mastery in speech,

    and strung my roses together with eloquence.

  13. يا نبيَّ الأخلاقِ والمثُلِ العُلْي

    يا تَسامى الهوى فجئتك أُهدي

    O Prophet of morals and lofty ideals,

    O, love soared, so I came to you bearing gifts.

  14. جئتُ أُهديك من خمائل شعري

    قافياتٍ ومن خمائل وَردي

    I came to offer you, from the groves of my poetry,

    rhymes, and from the groves of my roses.

  15. خرجتْ حكمةُ القِداح بعبد الله

    تؤسى وبالنياق لتَفدي

    The wisdom of the divining arrows came forth with Abd Allah,

    with solace, and with she-camels to ransom him,

  16. حاملاً سرَّه العظيمَ إلى الكون

    ، ولم يدرِ مفتدًى ما يؤدّي

    bearing his great secret into the universe,

    and, ransomed, he did not know what he was conveying.

  17. أيَّ سرٍّ حملتِ يا بنتَ وهبٍ

    أيَّ عزٍّ على الزّمان ومجد؟

    What a secret you bore, O daughter of Wahb!

    What honor and glory across the ages!

  18. وتوالت على اليتيم العلاما

    وأومت إليه إيماء قصد

    And signs came in succession upon the orphan,

    and pointed toward him with a purposeful gesture.

  19. وأشارت إلى النبيّ السماوا

    تُ بأمرٍ من فارضٍ مستبِد

    And the heavens pointed to the Prophet,

    by command of an absolute Lawgiver.

  20. وإذا الوحيُ يا محمدُ إقرأ

    وإذا الوحي يا محمد أَدِّ

    And behold, revelation: 'O Muhammad, read!'

    And behold, revelation: 'O Muhammad, convey!'

  21. يا رسول الجهاد في راية الحقْ

    تطاولتُ في مديحك جهدي

    O Messenger of struggle beneath the banner of truth,

    I reached as high as I could in praising you.

  22. أين من شأوك العظيم بياني

    يا نبيّ البيان شفّعتُ قصدي؟

    Where does my eloquence stand beside your great stature?

    O Prophet of eloquence, I made my intent my intercessor.

  23. جدّيَ الأخطلُ الذي عرف النا

    سُ، وقد جاء في ثيابيَ جَدّي

    My ancestor is al-Akhtal, whom people knew,

    and my ancestor has come wearing my clothes.

  24. أحمدُ الله أنني بين قوم

    يُنزلون المسيح منزل حَمْد

    I praise God that I am among a people

    who accord Christ a place of praise.