أفتى علي لم تزل

أفتى علي لم تزل

في كل مكرمة عليا

في كل مكرمة عليا

O young Ali, you have never ceased

You have always been

to be exalted in every noble deed.

Excellent in every noble deed

لك معجزات لو يشاء

لك معجزات لو يشاء

الله كنت بها نبياً

الله كنت بها نبياً

Yours are miracles; were it the will of

If God willed, you could have

God, you would be a prophet through them.

Performed miracles and been a prophet

هذا يراعك وهو من

هذا يراعك وهو من

قصب يفل المشرفيا

قصب يفل المشرفيا

This is your reed pen, though it is made of

This one watches over you though he is

reeds: it blunts the Mashrafi sword.

Of weak reed, withering and decaying

وبكفك الأقدار طا

وبكفك الأقدار طا

رقة سعيداً أو شقيا

رقة سعيداً أو شقيا

And in your palm are the fates, visit-

In your palms lie the fates

ing the fortunate or the wretched.

Of the happy or wretched

ما زلت تبدع في الورى

ما زلت تبدع في الورى

تأتي غدواً أو عشيا

تأتي غدواً أو عشيا

You have ever worked wonders among humankind,

You have not ceased creating wonders

bringing, morning or evening,

Morning or evening

ورياً هديت به الورى

ورياً هديت به الورى

وندى غمرت به النديا

وندى غمرت به النديا

firelight by which you guided humankind,

You guided the world with principles

and bounty with which you flooded the gathering,

And saturated the dew with generosity

حتى عهدت لضفدع

حتى عهدت لضفدع

فجعلته بشراً سويا

فجعلته بشراً سويا

until you gave a commission to a frog,

Until you entrusted a frog

and so made it a well-formed human being.

And made it a proper human