لَو قيلَ لِلعَبّاسِ يا اِبنَ مُحَمَّدٍ

لَو قيلَ لِلعَبّاسِ يا اِبنَ مُحَمَّدٍ

قُل لا وَأَنتَ مُخَلَّدٌ ما قالَها

قُل لا وَأَنتَ مُخَلَّدٌ ما قالَها

If al-ʿAbbās were told, "O son of Muḥammad,

If it were said to al-Abbas, O son of Muhammad

Say 'no,' and you shall live forever," he would not say it.

Say no, even as you are eternally glorious; he would not have said it

ما إِن أُعِدَّ مِنَ المَكارِمِ خَصلَةً

ما إِن أُعِدَّ مِنَ المَكارِمِ خَصلَةً

إِلّا وَجَدتُكَ وَمَّها أَو خالَها

إِلّا وَجَدتُكَ وَمَّها أَو خالَها

I count no trait among the noble virtues

Whenever a virtue was prepared

Without finding you its [paternal uncle] or its maternal uncle.

I found you initiated it, or perfected it

وَإِذا المُلوكُ تَسايَرَت في بَلدَةِ

وَإِذا المُلوكُ تَسايَرَت في بَلدَةِ

كانوا كَواكِبَها وَكُنتَ هِلالَها

كانوا كَواكِبَها وَكُنتَ هِلالَها

And when kings traveled side by side in a town,

And whenever kings rode together in a city

They were its stars, and you were its crescent moon.

They were its stars while you were its crescent moon

إِنَّ المَكارِمَ لَم تَزَل مَعقولَةً

إِنَّ المَكارِمَ لَم تَزَل مَعقولَةً

حَتّى حَلَلتَ بِراحَتَيكِ عِقالَها

حَتّى حَلَلتَ بِراحَتَيكِ عِقالَها

Indeed, noble virtues had remained fettered

Indeed, virtues were always reasonable

Until you undid their tether with your two palms.

Until you adorned them with your bracelets