1. قُمْتُ لَيلَ الصُّدودِ إِلاَّ قلَيلاً

    ثُمَّ رَتَّلْتُ ذِكْرِكُمْ تَرْتِيلاَ

    I kept vigil through the night of estrangement, save a little.

    Then I chanted remembrance of you in measured tones.

  2. وَوَصَلْتُ السُّهادَ قُبِّحَ وصْلاً

    وَهَجَرْتُ الرُّقادَ هَجْراً جمَيلاَ

    And I embraced sleeplessness—cursed be that union—

    And I forsook sleep with a gracious forsaking.

  3. مِسْمِعٌ كلَّ عَنْ كَلامِ عَذُولِي

    حِينَ أَلْقَى عَلَيْهِ قَوْلاً ثَقِيلاَ

    An ear grew weary of my reprover's words,

    When he cast upon it a weighty utterance.

  4. وَفُؤَادٌ قَد كانَ بَيْنَ ضُلوعِي

    أَخَذَتْهُ الأَحْبابُ أَخْذاً وَبِيلاَ

    And a heart that once lay between my ribs—

    The beloved ones seized it with a grievous seizure.

  5. قُلْ لِراقِي الجُفُونِ إِنَّ لِجفْنِي

    فِي بِحارِ الدُّموع سَبْحاً طَويلاَ

    Tell the enchanter of eyelids: indeed, my eyelid

    Has a long swim through seas of tears.

  6. مَاسَ عُجَباً كَأَنَّهُ ما رَأَى غُصْ

    ناً طَلِيحاً وَلاَ كَثِيْباً مَهِيْلاَ

    He swayed in conceit, as though he had never seen a branch

    drooping, or a loose-piled sandhill.

  7. وَحَمَى عَنْ مُحِّبِه كَأْسَ ثَغْرٍ

    حِيْنَ أَمْسَى مِزاجُها زَنْجَبِيلاَ

    And he withheld from his lover the cup of his mouth,

    When its admixture became ginger.

  8. بَانَ عَنِّي فَصِحْتُ فِي أَثَرِ العِيْ

    سِ ارْحَمُونِي وَأَمْهِلوهُمْ قَلِيلاَ

    He parted from me; I cried after the pale camels:

    Have mercy on me, and grant them a little respite!

  9. أنا عَبْدٌ لِلْفاضِلِ بنِ عَلِيٍ

    قَد تَبَتَّلْتُ لِلثَّنَا تَبْتِيلاَ

    I am a slave of al-Fadil ibn Ali;

    I have devoted myself utterly to praise.

  10. لاَ تَسُمْهُ وَعداً بِغَيْرِ نَوالٍ

    إِنَّهُ كانَ وَعْدُهُ مَفْعُولاَ

    Do not demand of him a promise without a gift:

    Indeed, his promise has been fulfilled.

  11. وَإِذْا كانَ خَصْمَكَ الدَّهْرُ وَالحُكْ

    مُ إِلَى اللَّهِ فَاتَّخِذْهُ وَكِيلاَ

    And when Time is your adversary, and judgment

    rests with God, then take him as your advocate.

  12. جَلَّ عَن سَائِرِ الخَلاَئِقِ مدَحاً

    فَاخْتَرَعْنا فِي مَدْحِهِ التَّنْزِيلاَ

    He is exalted above all other creatures in praise;

    So we devised revelation in his praise.

  13. إِنَّ مَدْحِي لَهُ أَشَدُّ وِطَاءً

    وَقَرِيضِي أَقْوَى وَأَقْوَمُ قِيلاَ

    Indeed, my praise of him is more harmonious,

    And my verse is stronger and sounder in utterance.

  14. رَاعَ أَعْدَاءَهُ بِصُفْرِ اليَراعَا

    تِ فَأَنْسَى صَريرُهُنَّ الصَّلِيلاَ

    He terrified his foes with yellow reed pens;

    So their scratching made the clash of swords forgotten.

  15. فَاسْتَمِعْ لَفْظَهُ وَلُذْ بِحِماهُ

    تَلْقَ قَوْلاً جَزْلاً وَنَيْلاً جَزِيلاَ

    So listen to his words and take refuge in his sanctuary:

    You will find eloquent speech and abundant bounty.

  16. لاَ أَذُمُّ الزَّمَانَ إِذْ كُنْتَ فِيهِ

    يَا سَحابَ النَّدَى لِرِزْقِي كَفِيلاَ

    I do not revile the age, since you are in it,

    O cloud of bounty, guarantor of my livelihood!

  17. لِيْ دُيونٌ عَلى عُلاَكَ وَهذَا

    وَقْتُ يُسْرٍ فَأَوْفِ وَاصْنَعْ جَمِيلاَ

    Your eminence owes me debts, and this

    is a time of ease: pay in full, and do a kindness.

  18. أَتَمَنَّى رِزْقَ المُقِيمِ عَلى اللَّ

    هِ وَإِنْ رُمْتُ رِحْلَةً وَنُزُولاَ

    I wish for a resident's livelihood from God,

    Even if I seek a journey and a sojourn.