وأزهر وضَّاح الصفات عليّها

وأزهر وضَّاح الصفات عليّها

مدحت به المدح الذي أنا قائله

مدحت به المدح الذي أنا قائله

And a radiant man, resplendent in his qualities and lofty in them—

The most radiant of virtues shine upon him,

Through him I praised the very praise that I utter.

I praise him with praise of which I am the speaker,

يقولون ماذا من أياديه ترتضي

يقولون ماذا من أياديه ترتضي

قفلتُ التي ترضى لمثلي نوافله

قفلتُ التي ترضى لمثلي نوافله

They ask, 'Which of his favors do you choose?'

They say, from his hands what do you desire?

So I said [reading an apparent transposition]: 'Those his bounty deems fitting for one like me.'

I have locked away that which pleases one such as me.

أقدم اسمي مصدراً في مديحه

أقدم اسمي مصدراً في مديحه

ويفعل صوب الغيث ما هو فاعله

ويفعل صوب الغيث ما هو فاعله

I place my name at the head of my praise of him,

I present my name as a source in his praise,

And the downpour of rain does what he does.

And he does for the rain what it does for him,

وما البرُّ إلا ما نوته هباته

وما البرُّ إلا ما نوته هباته

لعافٍ ولكن أهنأ البرّ عاجله

لعافٍ ولكن أهنأ البرّ عاجله

And kindness is nothing but what his gifts have intended

Virtue is only what his gifts intend,

For a seeker of bounty; yet the most welcome kindness is that given promptly.

For wellbeing, but the gift of virtue is swifter.