يا مانحي طيب مواعيده

حاشاك مولاي من المطل

O you who grant me the sweetness of your promises,

far be it from you, my lord, to delay payment.

فأنت ماضي الأمر يا ذا الذي

يزين حسن القول بالفعل

For you are resolute in action, O you who

adorn fine words with deeds.

فاشدد بإحسانك أزري وصل

بحبل جدواك عرى حبلي

So strengthen my back with your kindness, and join

the loops of my rope with the cord of your bounty.

فكم روت يمناك لي عن عطا

وحدثت في الجود عن سهل

For how often your right hand has narrated to me from Ata,

and spoken of bounty on Sahl’s authority.

وامدد يدا نحو الوفا طالما

تعودت بالبسط والبذل

And extend toward fulfillment a hand that has long

been accustomed to openhandedness and giving.

ووفنى حق قريضى فما

مثلي يشوب الجد بالهزل

And pay me my verse’s due in full, for no one

like me mingles earnestness with jest.

ولا تبعني المدح بالشكر يا

اخا ربيع الجود والفضل

And do not trade my praise for mere thanks, O

brother of the spring of bounty and grace.

فالمدح نفل والعطا سيدي

فرض وليس الشكر بالنفل

For praise is a voluntary offering, and giving, my lord,

is a duty, and gratitude is no voluntary offering.

فجد بما شئت فاني امرؤ

ارضى من الوابل بالطل

So give whatever you wish, for I am a man

content with drizzle instead of a downpour.

واستجلها عذراء اوصافها

تغنيك عن نعم وعن جمل

And behold her unveiled—a virgin whose charms

leave you no need of Nuʿm or Juml.

عروسة بالدر قد نطقت

مليحة المظهر والشكل

A bride who has spoken in pearls,

lovely in appearance and form.

جاءت الى نحوك من منطقي

تعرب عن جزئي وعن كلي

She has come toward you from my speech,

expressing my part and my whole.

فحل ما كان بها عاطلا

وخل من بالغ في العذل

So adorn whatever in her is unadorned,

and ignore whoever goes too far in reproach.

لا زلت ترقى في سماء العلا

يا واحد الفضل بلا مثل

May you ever ascend in the sky of eminence,

O unique in excellence, without equal,

ما غردت ورق على ايكة

وجادت الافياء بالظل

as long as gray doves warble in a leafy grove,

and the shadows lavish shade.