1. عَلَيكَ أَقَمتَ أَسناءَ الثَناءِ

    فَأَنتَ أَقَمتَ أَثناءَ السَناءِ

    Upon yourself you have raised the pinnacles of praise;

    For you have raised the folds of splendor.

  2. جَعَلتُ عَلَيَّ حَقَّ ثَناكَ فَرضاً

    وَقَد أَحيَيتَ لي مَيتَ الرَجاءِ

    I have made your rightful praise a duty upon myself,

    And you have revived my dead hope.

  3. تَوَقَّدُ فِطنَةً وَتُسيلُ لُطفاً

    كَطَبعِ السَيفِ مِن نارٍ وَماءِ

    You blaze with keen intelligence and pour forth gentleness,

    Like a sword forged from fire and water.

  4. وَحُلمُكَ راجِحٌ بِرِعانِ رَضوى

    وَعَزمُكَ كَالمُهَنَّدِ في المَضاءِ

    And your forbearance outweighs the crags of Radwa,

    And your resolve is like an Indian blade in sharpness.

  5. وَمَجدِكَ ظاهِرٌ فَوقَ الدَراري

    وَذِكرُكَ فائِقٌ عُرفَ الكَباءِ

    And your glory stands above the brilliant stars,

    And your renown surpasses the fragrance of incense.

  6. بِروحي أَنتَ لا وَحدي وَلَكِن

    فِداكَ القَومَ مِن دانٍ وَناءِ

    With my soul I would ransom you—not I alone, but

    All the people, near and far, would be your ransom.

  7. إِذا فَتَّشتُ يَوماً في عُروقي

    تَرى سَرَيانَ حُبِّكَ مَعَ دِمائي

    If one day I searched within my veins,

    You would see love for you coursing with my blood.

  8. فَأَينَ تَكونُ يا مَولايَ مِنّي

    لِأُنسى عِندَ مَنزِلِكَ اِحتِفائي

    Where, then, could you be, my lord, apart from me,

    That I should be made to forget my welcome at your dwelling?

  9. فَفي قَلبي أُعيذُكَ مِن غَليلي

    وضفي عَيني أُعيذُكَ مِن بُكائي

    For in my heart, I would shield you from my burning longing,

    And in my eye, I would shield you from my tears.

  10. لَقَد أَنآكَ بِالقَدرِ التَداني

    وَقَد أَدناكَ بِالحُبِّ التَنائي

    Indeed, drawing near has set you far above in rank,

    And distance has brought you near in love.

  11. أَرى لَكَ هَزَّةً لِلفَضلِ حَتّى

    طِباعَكَ مَجرى الطَلاءِ

    I see in you a stirring toward generosity, until

    ... your nature, like the coursing of wine.

  12. أَراكَ لَطَفتَ حَتّى كِدتَ تَخفى

    عَلى أَبصارِ مُختَبَرٍ وَراءِ

    I see you grown so subtle that you almost vanish

    From the eyes of the experienced and the beholder.

  13. فَلا بَستَ الضَمائِرَ مِثلَ سِرٍّ

    وَلا مَستَ الظَواهِرَ كَالهَواءِ

    So you have mingled with hearts like a secret,

    And touched outward forms like air.