1. وَرَد الكتابُ من الحبيبِ الواثقِ

    باللهِ ربِّ العالمينَ الخالقِ

    The letter arrived from the beloved who trusts

    In God, the Lord of all worlds, the Creator.

  2. وردَ الكتابُ من الحبيبِ أخِي التقَى

    علمِ الهُدَى نسلِ الكريمِ الحاذِقِ

    The letter arrived from the beloved, brother to piety,

    A beacon of guidance, scion of the noble, accomplished man,

  3. أهلِ النباهةِ والبلاغَةِ والهدى

    وأخِى الفصاحةِ والمقالِ الصادقِ

    A man of distinction, eloquence, and guidance,

    And brother to eloquence and truthful speech,

  4. وابن الأَخِلاّءِ الذين عهدتهمْ

    مِن قبلُ أهلُ عزائمٍ ومُوَاثقِ

    And son of the dear friends whom I knew

    Of old as men of resolve and firm pledges,

  5. وابنِ الذين فِعالُهم مشكورةٌ

    بين الورَى بمغاربٍ مَشارقِ

    And son of those whose deeds are praised

    Among humankind, in western and eastern lands.

  6. أَعْنِي به الفَطِنَ اللبيبَ المرتضَى

    وأخَا الرضىّ أهل النجَارِ السَّابقِ

    I mean the discerning, wise, well-regarded man,

    And brother to contentment, of long-established lineage.

  7. ويكادُ مِن كرمِ الطباعِ تُسِيغُه

    لكنّه حَتْفٌ لكلِّ مُنافِق

    And so noble is his nature, you could almost swallow him,

    Yet he is death to every hypocrite.

  8. أكرمْ به مِنْ صاحبٍ ومُصاحبٍ

    أحسنْ به مِنْ صادَقٍ ومُصَادِق

    How noble he is as a friend and companion!

    How fine he is as a sincere man and a friend!

  9. لما أتاني خطُّهُ وكِتابُه

    كاللؤلؤ الرطْب اللطيف الرائقِ

    When his handwriting and his letter came to me,

    Like fresh, delicate, limpid pearls,

  10. ذرفتْ مدامعُ مُقْلتِي متذاكراً

    عَهداً قديماً بالمكان السَّامِقِ

    Tears streamed from my eye as I recalled

    A time long past in the lofty place.

  11. ففضضتُ خَتْمَ كتابِه ونشرتُه

    فعرفتُه مِنْ سيدِّي ومُوابِقي

    So I broke the seal of his letter and unfolded it,

    And recognized it as from my master and my like-minded companion.

  12. أبدي جواهرَ منطِقي لجوابهِ

    وخفوقَ قلبي مثلَ قلبِ الوامِقِ

    I reveal the jewels of my speech to answer him,

    And my heart's flutter, like a lover's heart.

  13. فَطَفِقْتُ أياماً بهِ متحيراً

    وأجيلُ أفْكارِي بقلبٍ خانِقِ

    So I spent days bewildered over it,

    And turned my thoughts over with a stifling heart.

  14. وأنا القَؤُول أعدُّ نفسي ماهراً

    في الشعرِ رَبُّ نوادرٍ ودَقائِق

    And I, a fluent speaker, count myself skilled

    In poetry, a master of rarities and subtleties.

  15. لكنْ أرَى تركَ الجوابِ سفاهة

    وأقولُ ترْكُ الرد طبعُ المارِقِ

    But I regard neglecting the reply as folly,

    And say that not replying is a renegade's nature.

  16. واعذرْ وسامحْ إنني متكلفٌ

    لكنْ ظفرتُ به بعونِ الرازِقِ

    And excuse and forgive me, for I am straining for words;

    But I achieved it with the Provider's help.