1. سلام كروض عمه وبل ساجمه

    ففتح من نور الكمام مباسمه

    A greeting like a garden drenched by its cloud’s downpour,

    And opening its smiles with blossoms from their sheaths.

  2. سلام يفوق المسك في نشر عطره

    ويزرى بذوق الشهد في فم طاعمه

    A greeting surpassing musk in the wafting of its fragrance,

    And putting honey’s taste to shame in the mouth of its taster,

  3. على السيد الحبر الحليم شهابنا

    نواوي العلا مفتي الزمان وحاكمه

    Upon the master, the learned and forbearing one, our Shihab,

    Nawawi of lofty rank, the age’s mufti and its judge.

  4. له في سلوك الدّين أوضح منهج

    له في فنون العلم أوفى مقاسمه

    His is the clearest path in practicing the faith;

    His are the fullest shares in the branches of learning.

  5. لكلّ زمان عالم يهتدى به

    وهذا زمان أنت لا شك عالمه

    Every age has a scholar through whom guidance is found,

    And you are, beyond doubt, the scholar of this age.

  6. إذا نار بدر التمّ حندس ليله

    فأنت لنا بدر أضامنه عالمه

    When the full moon lights the deep darkness of its night,

    Then you are our moon, whose world shines by its light.

  7. بمدرسة تجلى العلوم ويهتدى

    به كلّ حبر فاز منه ملازمه

    In a school the sciences are unveiled, and guidance comes

    Through him to every scholar; his constant companion gains from him.

  8. يفكّ عويص المشكلات دراية

    بديهته تبدى خفيّ مكارمه

    He unravels the intricacies of problems with understanding;

    His ready insight reveals his hidden noble qualities.

  9. فأنت عماد الدين بل أنت روحه

    فما دمت دامت للأنام معالمه

    So you are the faith’s pillar—rather, you are its spirit.

    As long as you endure, its landmarks endure for humankind.

  10. أتاني كتاب منك للفضل حاوياً

    بنثر ونظم يحفظ اللَه ناظمه

    A letter came to me from you, filled with excellence,

    In prose and verse—may God preserve its composer.

  11. ذكرت لنا حال الزمان بأهله

    يحاربنا دأباً وقهراً نسالمه

    You told us of the age’s dealings with its people:

    It wars against us ceaselessly, and we make peace with it under duress.

  12. فكلّ شجاع يرتجى منه متقى

    سوى الدهر ليث ماله من يقاومه

    Against every valiant man, some defense may be hoped for,

    Except Time—a lion whom no one can withstand.

  13. إلى اللَه أشكو ما لقيت من النوى

    فكم أثخنت فينا مواضي صوارمه

    To God I complain of what I have suffered through separation.

    For how often its keen swords have grievously wounded us!

  14. فكم منزل أخلاه من بعد أنسه

    وربع عفت آثاره ومراسمه

    And how many a home it has emptied after its familiar warmth,

    And an abode whose traces and markings have faded.

  15. فلا عجب ان ضرّ فالضرّ طبعه

    ولكن عجيب أيها الناس سالمه

    So it is no wonder if it harms, for harm is its nature.

    Yet wondrous, O people, is anyone safe from it.

  16. جعلناه في حلّ على كلّ حالة

    ينال العلا من كان للغيظ كاظمه

    We have absolved it in every circumstance;

    Whoever restrains anger attains the heights.

  17. طلبت الدعا مني وذلك واجب

    فادعو لمستدعي الدعاء وخادمه

    You asked me for a prayer, and that is a duty;

    So I pray for the one who asks for prayer, and for his servant.

  18. وخاتمة نرجو من اللَه ربنا

    فمنه قديمات القضا وخواتمه

    And we hope for a good ending from God, our Lord,

    For from Him come destiny’s primordial decrees and its final outcomes.

  19. وتمت بحمد اللَه وافضل صلاته

    على المصطفى المختار وازكى مراحمه

    And it is complete, with praise of God and His finest blessings

    Upon al-Mustafa, the elect, together with His purest mercies.

  20. به افتخرت عرب الأنام على الورى

    خصوصاً به ابنا قصيّ وهاشمه

    Through him, the Arabs among humankind gloried above all others,

    Especially, through him, the descendants of Qusayy and his Hashim.