لي بالرضا من بني الزمان رضى

لي بالرضا من بني الزمان رضى

فرد غدا من جميعهم عوضا

فرد غدا من جميعهم عوضا

In al-Rida I find contentment among the sons of this age.

I am content with the pleasure of days gone by,

One man who has become a substitute for them all.

Each morrow brought solace in place of them all.

يا جوهراً قد زكت معادنه

يا جوهراً قد زكت معادنه

مجداً وطابت صفاته عرضا

مجداً وطابت صفاته عرضا

O jewel whose origins have flourished

O gem whose essence has been purified,

In glory, and whose qualities are pure in honor.

Whose glory and nature are purely sublime!

عرّق كسرى به وملكه

عرّق كسرى به وملكه

ممالك الفضل كلها ومضى

ممالك الفضل كلها ومضى

Khosrow rooted his lineage in him and made him lord of

Khosrau donned it as his crown and ruled;

All the realms of excellence, then departed.

It governed all kingdoms of merit and passed.

وهذبت يعرب خلائقه

وهذبت يعرب خلائقه

فهي شذور نضارها محضا

فهي شذور نضارها محضا

And Ya'rub refined his character traits,

The eloquent Arab polished his manners through it,

So they are nuggets whose gold is pure.

Rays of splendor - their brilliance undimmed.

فضائلا قد شغلن كل ملا

فضائلا قد شغلن كل ملا

وغص من بعضهم كل فضا

وغص من بعضهم كل فضا

Virtues that have filled every gathering,

Virtues that preoccupied every conclave

And every open space is crowded with some of them.

And whose excellence all vied to possess.

يا خالد الفضل يا ربيع ندى

يا خالد الفضل يا ربيع ندى

يحيا به الجود بعد ما انقرضا

يحيا به الجود بعد ما انقرضا

O enduring in excellence, O spring of bounty,

O everlasting grace, O springtime dew,

Through whom generosity revives after it had died out.

Generosity lives on though long dead.

أنت أصح الرجال معرفة

أنت أصح الرجال معرفة

أعيذها أن تقارب المرضا

أعيذها أن تقارب المرضا

You are the soundest of men in discernment;

You are the truest guide to wisdom,

I seek protection for it from approaching sickness.

I seek refuge lest sickness draws near.

نقدت شعر الرضي وهو على

نقدت شعر الرضي وهو على

نقدك رب القريض إن قرضا

نقدك رب القريض إن قرضا

You criticized al-Radi's poetry; yet he, despite

You assayed Razi's verse and it was,

Your criticism, is master of verse whenever he composes.

Through your assay, excellent poetry still.

فاسجد لآياته إذا تليت

فاسجد لآياته إذا تليت

فان فيها السجود قد فرضا

فان فيها السجود قد فرضا

So prostrate yourself before his verses when they are recited,

Prostrate yourself before its signs when recited,

For in them prostration has been made obligatory.

Prostration at them is an ordained rite.

يا ظبية البان غرّة طلعت

يا ظبية البان غرّة طلعت

وليلة السفح بارق ومضا

وليلة السفح بارق ومضا

"O gazelle of the bān-tree"—a radiance that arose;

O doe of the valley, tenderly grazed,

And "The night at the mountain's foot"—a lightning flash that gleamed.

On a night of vale, flickering, alit.

فلا تقس ضالعاً بقرم بلا

فلا تقس ضالعاً بقرم بلا

غات بأعبائهن قد نهضا

غات بأعبائهن قد نهضا

So do not compare a limping beast with a mighty camel

So favor not a weakling without burden,

Of eloquence, who has risen to shoulder its burdens.

But one heavy-laden, arisen for fight.