1. أَقُولُ لِلْخِدْنِ الأَبَّرِّ الَّذِي

    أَهْدَى وَمَا إِهْدَاؤُهُ بِالْيسِيرْ

    I say to the kindest friend who

    Gave a gift—and his gift is no small thing:

  2. يَا مَخْرَجاً مَا جَاشَ فِي صَدْرِهِ

    وَجَالَ أَخْفَى جَوْلَةً فِي الضَّميرْ

    O outlet for what surged in his breast

    And wandered most secretly within the soul,

  3. طَرَائِفُ الأَفْكَارِ أَجرَيْتَهَا

     فِي أَيِّ قَوْلٍ عَبْقَرِيٍّ مُنِيرْ

    Wondrous thoughts—you have set them flowing

    In what inspired, luminous speech!

  4. مُنْتَظِمٌ مُنْتثِرٌ ضَاحِكٌ

    بَاكِ لَهُ مَاءٌ وَفِيهِ سَعِيرْ

    Ordered, scattered, laughing,

    Weeping; it has water, and within it a blaze.

  5. يُحَرِّكُ الْطَّوْدَ إِذَا ثَارَ أَوْ

    يَهْدَأُ رِفْقاً فيَهِزُّ السَّرِيرْ

    It moves the mountain when it rages, or

    Grows gently calm, then rocks the bed.

  6. هَذَا هُوَ الشِّعْرُ الطَّلِيقُ الَّذِي

    لَيْسَ لَهُ كَاتِبُهُ بِالأَسِيرْ

    This is the unfettered poetry to which

    Its author is no captive.

  7. رَقَّتْ مَعَانِيَهُ وَأَلْفَاظُهُ

    فَهْوَ شُعَاعُ الْوَحْيِ وَهْيَ الأَثِيرْ

    Its meanings and its words grew delicate:

    So it is inspiration's ray, and they are the ether.