وَذي سَوادٍ لَيسَ بِالجَليبِ

وَذي سَوادٍ لَيسَ بِالجَليبِ

لَكِنَّهُ مِن خَدَمِ القُلوبِ

لَكِنَّهُ مِن خَدَمِ القُلوبِ

And a black one, no imported slave,

With a darkness not of plain garb

but one of the servants of hearts.

Yet he is of those who serve hearts

رَبَّيتُهُ بِرأيي المُصيبِ

رَبَّيتُهُ بِرأيي المُصيبِ

إِذا تَبَدّى فاحَ كُلَّ طيبِ

إِذا تَبَدّى فاحَ كُلَّ طيبِ

I nurtured him with my sound judgment.

I raised him with my correct view

When he appears, he exudes every fragrance.

When he appeared, he emitted every perfume

كَأَنَّهُ في ليقَةِ الأَديبِ

كَأَنَّهُ في ليقَةِ الأَديبِ

غالِيَةٌ في سالِفِ الحَبيبِ

غالِيَةٌ في سالِفِ الحَبيبِ

As though, in the writer’s inkwell wad, he were

As if he were in the garment of the cultured man

ghāliyah perfume on the side of the beloved’s neck.

Precious in the past of the beloved