1. يَا مَنْ شَهَدْنَا أَنَّه كَاتِبٌ

    لَهُ المَكَانُ الأَدَبِيُّ الرَّفِيعْ

    O you whom we have acknowledged as a writer,

    Whose literary standing is exalted:

  2. لَمْ تَقْرِضِ الشَّعرِ قَدِيماً فَهَلْ

    وَاتَاكَ عَفْواً سَهْلُهُ وَالَمنِيعْ

    You had not composed verse before—did

    Its easy and its difficult strains come to you unbidden?

  3. أَعْجَبْ بِمَا أَوْحَى إِلَيْكَ الْهَوَى

    مِنْ نَغَمٍ مُشْبَحٍ وَبَثٍّ وَجِيعْ

    Marvel at what love has inspired in you:

    Of plaintive melody and anguished lament.

  4. سَجْعُكَ لمْ يُلْهَمْ أَفَانِينَهُ

    صَادِحُ أَيْكٍ فِي وَدَاعِ الرَّبِيعْ

    The varied strains of your rhymes were never inspired in

    A grove's songbird bidding farewell to spring.

  5. كَانَتْ رَبِيعاً لَكَ تِلْكَ الَّتِي

    تَبْكِي نَوَاهَا بِحَرَارِ الدُّمُوعْ

    She was your springtime, she whose

    Parting you mourn with burning tears.

  6. كَيْفُ عَفَت أَزْهَارُهَا وَانْقَضَتْ

    سَعَادَةُ الشَّمْلِ الهَنِيءِ الجَميعْ

    How her blossoms have faded! And gone is

    The joy of that sweet, unbroken union.

  7. مِنْ طِيبِ رَيَّاها وَمِنْ حُسْنِهَا

    لَمْ يَبْقَ إلاَّ ذِكْرَيَاتٌ تَضُوعْ

    Of her sweet fragrance and of her beauty,

    Nothing remains but memories that breathe fragrance.

  8. لِلهِ إبْدَاعُكَ فِي وَصْفِهَا

    تَصُوغُهُ صَوْغَ الصَّائغِ الضَّليعْ

    God, what artistry in your portrayal of her!

    You fashion it as a master goldsmith would.

  9. خَلَّدْتَ بِالشَّعرِ لَهَا صُورَةً

    مِنَ الطِّرَازِ العَبْقرِيِّ البَدِيعْ

    In verse you immortalized an image of her,

    Of a kind both inspired and exquisite.