1. My strange praise of Muhammad is most eloquent in gratitude
For the good morals of the honourable, glorious folk
١. ثَنائي غَريبُ امْحَمدِ في أَبلغِ امْشُّكرِ
على حُسنِ أخلاق امْكِرامِ ذَوي امْفَخْرِ
2. The stars of the horizon wish to compose poetry praising them
So you know for certain that it is the best poetry
٢. تودُّ نجومُ امْأُفْقِ نظماً بِمَدحِهم
لتدري يقيناً أنها أحسنُ امْدُرِّ
3. So how much have I burdened the eloquent with praising them
With prose jewels and pearls of poetry
٣. فَكَمْ زِنْتُ أَجيادَ امْكَلام بِمَدحِهِم
بِجَوهَر مَنظومٍ ودرٍّ من امْنَّثْرِ
4. And nothing but praising the generous should one do
To praise others would be an error of thought
٤. وَلَيسَ سِوى مَدحِ امْأَكارِمِ يَنبَغي
فَمَدحُ سِواهُم كانَ مِن خَطَأ امْفِكرِ
5. And to praise others, my wise brother, is nonsense
Among the lowest dregs of gibberish
٥. وَفي غَيرِهِم مَدحُ امْلّبيبِ أَخي امْحِجى
مِن امْهَجْو في أَدنى حَضيضٍ مِن امْهُجْرِ
6. And praising others, I have rejected it
To praising the morals of the generous Abu Bakr
٦. وَمَدحِ سِواهم إِنّني قَد رَفَضتهُ
إِلى مَدحِ أَخلاقِ امْكريم أبي بكرِ
7. My glorious brother, son of pride, cub of glories
My superior father, treasure of honour in high station
٧. أَخي امَّجدِ نَجلِ امْفَخْرِ شبلِ محامدٍ
أَبي امْفَضلِ صِنْوِ امْعِزِّ في رفعةِ امْقدرِ
8. He is the happy flag, the sun at dawn
He is the full moon in darkness and bright star
٨. هُوَ امْعلَمُ امْسَعديُّ وامْشّمسُ في امْضُحى
هو امْبدرُ في امْظلماءِ وامْكَوكَبُ امْدُرّي
9. He is the master mounted on the camel litter of glory
To the highest peak of sublimity in the nobility of time
٩. هوَ امْسيّدُ امْراقي على هامَةِ امْسُهَى
إِلى ذروةِ امْعَلياءِ في شَرفِ امْدَهرِ
10. He is the astute young colt from his cradle days
He is the accomplished scholar from the world of youth
١٠. هُوَ امْبارِعُ امْدراك مِن حِينِ مَهدِهِ
هوَ امْعالِمُ امْنِحريرُ مِن عالَمِ امْذرِّ
11. If asked about his superiority and vastness
The tongue of state would say, "Speak of the sea"
١١. فَلَو سُئِلوا عَن فَضلِهِ وَاِتِّساعهِ
يَقولُ لِسانُ امْحالِ حدِّثْ عَنِ امْبحرِ
12. An eloquent preacher, if he spoke advice
He would silence Sahbaan and leave him confused
١٢. خَطيبٌ بَليغٌ لَو تَكَلَّم واعِظاً
لَأُفْحِمَ سَحبانٌ وَأَصبَحَ لا يَدري
13. And if our ears heard the pearls of his words
They would say, may God keep you, give us more pearls
١٣. وَلَو سَمِعَت آذانُنا درَّ لَفظِهِ
لَقالَت رَعاكَ اللَّهُ زِدنا مِنَ امْدرِّ
14. A literary scholar, eloquent, prominent and steadfast
Wise, intelligent, sound of mind and thought
١٤. أديبٌ أريبٌ فارهٌ وسَمَيْدَعٌ
لَبيبٌ ذَكيٌّ ثابِتُ امْذِّهْنِ وَامْفِكرِ
15. He is peerless and unique in the highest realm
So I cannot compare him to Zayd or Amr
١٥. هوَ امْفردُ امْخالي عَنِ امِّثْلِ في امْعُلى
فَلَستُ أضاهيه بزيدٍ ولا عَمرِو
16. The elite and the proud boast of him and the summit
And none in time can boast of pride like him
١٦. بِهِ تَفخَرُ امْعَلياءُ وَامْفَخرُ وَامْنّدى
وَلَيسَ بِمَن في امْدّهر يَفخَرُ بامْفَخْرِ
17. To you son of Saad ad-Deen I have sent perfumes
Intoxicating, gifted to you from the perfume maker
١٧. إِلَيكَ ابنَ سَعدِ امْدينِ أَرسلت غادةً
مخدرةً تُهدى إِليكَ من امْخِدرِ
18. Inhale them graciously and cover their faults
For the veil of the noble is the virtue of the free man
١٨. فَشِمْها بِإِقبالٍ وَغَطِّ عيوبَها
فسترُ امَّساوِي من كمال امْفَتى امْحُرِّ
19. And live in God's safety as long as the morning
Praised you in character perfumed by scent
١٩. وَدُمْ في أَمانِ اللَّه ما أَثنت امْصَبَا
عَلَيكَ بِأَخلاقٍ كَستها رِدا امْعِطرِ
20. And Ibn Fathallah praised in verse saying
My strange praise of Muhammad is most eloquent in gratitude
٢٠. وَأَثنى اِبنُ فَتحِ اللَّه بامْحَمْدِ قائلاً
ثَنائي غَريب امْحمدِ في أَبلغِ امْشُّكرِ