1. خطرت بقدٍّ أهيفٍ ميّاسِ

    كالشمسِ قابضةً حميا الكاسِ

    She walked with a slender, gracefully swaying figure,

    Like the sun, holding the cup's fiery wine.

  2. خودٌ إذا عبث النسيم بقدّها

    تصمي القلوب بطرفها النّعاسِ

    A lovely maiden—when the breeze toys with her figure,

    She strikes hearts dead with her drowsy gaze.

  3. حوريةُ الوجناتِ نورُ جبينها

    يغني عن المصباح والمقياسِ

    Her cheeks are a houri's; the light of her brow

    Dispenses with the lamp and the measuring gauge.

  4. تجفو المحبَّ وقد جفا في حبها

    طيبُ الكرى وتجود بعد شِماسِ

    She shuns her lover, while, for love of her,

    Sweet sleep has deserted him; she grants favor after defiance.

  5. وتريك أُنساً ثم تنفر تارةً

    وكذلك يفعل ظبيُّ كل كناسَ

    And she shows you affection, then shies away at times,

    And so behaves the gazelle of every covert.

  6. أَنفقتَ كنز تصبّري في حبها

    وهجرت من شغفي بها جلاّسي

    You spent the treasure of my patience in love for her,

    And, in my passion for her, I forsook my companions,

  7. حتى خفيتُ من الضنى عمن يرى

    شخصي وكم جهد المحب يقاسي

    Until, from wasting sickness, I was hidden from those who see

    My form—and how much hardship a lover endures!

  8. فلئن ذهبتُ من الزمان بحبها

    وبعدت عن وطني وجل أناسي

    If, then, I have departed from time through love of her,

    And gone far from my homeland and most of my people,

  9. فلأشكها عند المليك الطاهر

    ابن الأشرف بن الأفضل العباسي

    Then I shall complain of her before the pure sovereign,

    Son of al-Ashraf, son of al-Afdal al-Abbasi,

  10. الأوحد السلطان أكرمُ من سما

    بشجاعةٍ ومهابةٍ وبباسٍ

    The peerless sultan, noblest of those who rose

    Through courage, majesty, and might.

  11. ذو رفعةٍ وشهامةٍ ووجاهةٍ

    وفصاحةٍ وبلاغةٍ ومراسِ

    Possessed of eminence, gallantry, and prestige,

    And fluency, eloquence, and experience,

  12. ومكارمٍ غرٍّ وفضل باهر

    ومناقبٍ طابت لطيبِ أَساس

    And radiant virtues and dazzling excellence,

    And noble qualities, sound because their foundation is sound,

  13. وعلا على رجل علت ومفاخر

    أضحت مطهرةً من الأدناس

    And lofty honors that rose upon a man, and glories

    That have become purified of defilement,

  14. ويدٌ تفوقُ على الغمام ولم تزلْ

    بالخيرِ من عدم النوال تواسي

    And a hand that surpasses the rain clouds and has never ceased

    To aid with bounty those who lack gifts.

  15. أضحى به اليمنُ السعيدُ مطهراً

    من رجَسِ كلِّ منافقٍ خنّاسِ

    Through him, blessed Yemen has become purified

    Of the filth of every skulking hypocrite.

  16. أنست مكارمه مكارم من مضى

    من نسل مروان أو العباس

    His noble deeds have made people forget the noble deeds of those gone before,

    Among the descendants of Marwan or al-Abbas.

  17. أحيا البهائمَ والجبال بملكه

    بعد الجمودِ وخشية الإِدراسِ

    He revived the beasts and the mountains through his rule,

    After stagnation and fear of obliteration.

  18. غرسَ العلا فيها فأثمر غرسُه

    أكرمْ به من سيّد غَراسِّ

    He planted glory in them, and his planting bore fruit.

    How noble a lordly planter he is!

  19. تغنيه هيبتهَ وشدةَ بأسهِ

    عن كثرة الحجّاب والحرّاسِ

    His awe-inspiring presence and fierce might spare him

    The need for many chamberlains and guards.

  20. لو كانت الأملاك طراً مثلَه

    ما كان يوجد باخلٌ في الناسِ

    If all kings were like him,

    No miser would be found among mankind.