قالوا سررت زائراً بقادم

قالوا سررت زائراً بقادم

حجَّ شهاباً ثم عادَ بدرا

حجَّ شهاباً ثم عادَ بدرا

They said, 'You rejoiced, as a visitor, at one newly arrived,

They said you visited as a guest arrived

Who went on pilgrimage as a shooting star, then returned as a full moon.

A comet then returned a full moon

تطلب منهُ ودّهُ ورفدهُ

تطلب منهُ ودّهُ ورفدهُ

قلت نعم كلاهما وتمرا

قلت نعم كلاهما وتمرا

Do you seek his affection and his bounty?'

You seek his friendship and provision from him

I said, 'Yes—both, and dates as well.'

I said yes, both of those and dates too

قلْ للصديقِ جمال الدِّين لا برحت

قلْ للصديقِ جمال الدِّين لا برحت

نعماه حلية إنشاءٍ وأشعار

نعماه حلية إنشاءٍ وأشعار

Tell the friend Jamal al-Din: may it always remain—

Say to the friend Jamal al-Din, I have not moved

His bounty—the adornment of prose and poetry.

From his favors, a necklace of prose and verse

لئن تخيَّرت في السادات مثلك لي

لئن تخيَّرت في السادات مثلك لي

لقد تخيَّرت مختار بن مختار

لقد تخيَّرت مختار بن مختار

If indeed I have chosen among the lords someone like you for myself,

If I were to choose among lords someone like you

I have indeed chosen Mukhtar son of Mukhtar.

I would have chosen the chosen son of the chosen