1. أهلاً بأكرم غَادةٍ

    أَهدَى بها المولى الخَطير

    Welcome to the noblest maiden,

    whom the illustrious lord sent as a gift.

  2. حسنآءُ شفَّ نقابُها

    عن بهجَة القَمر المُنير

    A beauty whose veil grew sheer,

    revealing the splendor of the shining moon.

  3. حتَّى إذا حيَّت بَدَا

    في ثغرها الدرُّ النَّضير

    Then, when she greeted me, there appeared

    in her mouth the lustrous pearls.

  4. باتَت تطَارحني حَد

    يثاً رقَّ كالمآءِ النَمير

    She spent the night exchanging with me

    talk as delicate as pure, wholesome water:

  5. عذبٌ يَروق زلالهُ

    وِرداً ويُشرَب بالضمير

    sweet—its crystal-clear water delights

    as a draught, and is drunk by the heart,

  6. من كلّ قافَيةٍ بَدَت

    كالزهر في الروضِ المُطير

    from every rhyme that appeared

    like flowers in the rain-watered garden,

  7. ولطيف معنًى كالنسيم جَرَى

    بأَنفَاس العَبِير

    and a delicate meaning, flowing like the breeze

    with breaths of perfume.

  8. خَلعت عليَّ من الثنا

    ثوباً بمُرسلهَا جَدير

    She clothed me in praise,

    a robe worthy of her sender:

  9. الفاضل الندبُ المُهذَّب

    صاحب الأَدب الغَزير

    the virtuous, generous, refined man,

    possessor of abundant literary learning,

  10. والشاعر المُنشِي الذي

    يُنسيكَ أَحمدَ مع جرير

    and the poet, the writer, who

    makes you forget Ahmad along with Jarir.

  11. خضَعت لفكرتهِ المَعا

    ني الغرُّ وهوَ لها أَمير

    To his thought bowed

    the radiant meanings, and he is their prince.

  12. يَا مَن حباني منَّةً

    بوفائِها بَاعي قَصير

    O you who granted me a favor,

    my reach is too short to repay it.

  13. قد أَعجَزَت ضعفي فَلم

    أُحسِن مراعاة النَّظير

    It has overtaxed my feeble powers, so I could not

    respond properly in kind.

  14. فاعذُر ودُم ربَّ

    الجَميل المَحضِ والفضل الكبير

    So forgive me, and remain the master

    of pure kindness and great bounty.