قُل لِقاضي القُضاة شَيخِ البَرايا

قُل لِقاضي القُضاة شَيخِ البَرايا

يا إِماماً حَوى الفَرائدَ طُرّا

يا إِماماً حَوى الفَرائدَ طُرّا

Say to the chief judge, elder of humankind:

Tell the judge of judges, sheikh of the land

O imam who has gathered all the peerless gems,

O imam who has collected sublime poems

كُنتُ قَد سُمتُ في القَلائد بَيعا

كُنتُ قَد سُمتُ في القَلائد بَيعا

فَأَتى الهَيثَمي لِذَلِكَ نُكرا

فَأَتى الهَيثَمي لِذَلِكَ نُكرا

I had bargained to buy al-Qalāʾid (The Necklaces),

I was inclined to sell necklaces

but al-Haythami met that with disapproval.

But Al-Haythami disapproved of that

إِنَّ بَيني وَبَينها نسبة العر

إِنَّ بَيني وَبَينها نسبة العر

بِ لِذاكَ اِهتَزَزتُ للعُربِ ذِكرا

بِ لِذاكَ اِهتَزَزتُ للعُربِ ذِكرا

Indeed, an Arab kinship binds me to it;

There is a connection of lineage between us

hence I thrilled at the mention of the Arabs.

So I wavered, mindful of the Arabs

إِن تَكُن نُسخَةٌ سِواها لَدَيكُم

إِن تَكُن نُسخَةٌ سِواها لَدَيكُم

فَلتَجُد وَاغتَنِم ثَناءً وَشُكرا

فَلتَجُد وَاغتَنِم ثَناءً وَشُكرا

If you have another copy,

If you have a copy other than hers

then be generous, and earn praise and thanks.

Then find and take a compliment and thanks

كَم مَديحٍ في جدِّكُم لعَليٍّ

كَم مَديحٍ في جدِّكُم لعَليٍّ

وَحَبيبٍ قَد طَبَّقَ الأَرض نَشرا

وَحَبيبٍ قَد طَبَّقَ الأَرض نَشرا

How many a praise-poem for your forefather, by Ali

How much praise of your grandfather Ali

and Habib, has spread throughout the earth!

And the beloved who spread bounty across the land

مَن يَك القاسِمُ الهُمام أَباهُ

مَن يَك القاسِمُ الهُمام أَباهُ

طابَ بَينَ الأَنامِ فَرعاً وَنَجرا

طابَ بَينَ الأَنامِ فَرعاً وَنَجرا

Whoever has the magnanimous al-Qasim as his father

Who was Al-Qasim the resolute, his father

is noble among humankind, in branch and stock.

Who was honored among people, scion and sapling