بعبد الواحد استعصمت لما

دهاني من زماني ما دهاني

I sought refuge in Abd al-Wahid when

My times dealt me the afflictions they dealt me.

بمصباح العدالة والمرجّى

لما يجنى به ثمَرُ الجناني

In the lamp of justice, the one looked to

For the garden fruits gathered through him;

وتاج الناطقين بكل علم

على استبصاره طرق المعاني

And the crown of speakers on every branch of learning,

Through his insight into the paths of meaning.

فتى جمع الفضائل في نظام

فصارة من قلائده الحسان

A youth who gathered the virtues on a string,

So they became one of his lovely necklaces [reading uncertain].

وكالقمرين حسنٌ في وفاء

فصيح اللفظ ينطق عن بيان

And, like the sun and moon, beautiful in his faithfulness;

Eloquent in speech, he speaks with clarity.

إذا حاكيته ودنوت منه

رأيت مهذبا عين الزمان

When you converse with him and draw near to him,

You see a refined man, the finest of the age.

كريم زادهُ الرحمن ممّا

حباه وزادني مما حباني

A generous man—may the Merciful give him more of what

He bestowed on him, and give me more of what he gave me.

نهوض بالمكارم والمعالي

وفي ضدّيهما حسن التواني

Ever ready for noble deeds and lofty pursuits,

And commendably slow toward their opposites.

كفاه الله ما يخشى ويأبى

كما همّ المعيشة قد كفاني

May God spare him what he fears and rejects,

As he has spared me the worry of making a living.

فأدناني وأنعشني لحّتى

كأني منه في تشبيه داني

So he drew me near and revived me, until

I seemed, in likeness, close to him.

بغير وسيلة إلا لأني

رقيق الحال مهدوم المباني

Without any claim upon him, save that I am

Of slender means, my buildings in ruins.

حباني منه في فقر بحظّ

يُصبرّني على فقري عياني

He bestowed on me, in poverty, a share of his bounty;

The sight of it helps me endure my poverty.

فما استحسنته إلا حباني

ولا استنهضته لصلاح شاني

For nothing did I admire but he bestowed it on me.

Nor did I urge him to put my affairs right,

ولا أمّلتُ من جود شرحا

عدالي فيه ثم يداني

Nor did I hope for an explanation from generosity [unclear sense].

[Unclear word] in it; then he draws near.

ولا استروحت

إلا صاب الراح أشد والصنان

Nor did I seek solace

Except that wine flowed—stronger, and stench [unclear wording].

جداري ما بقيت عليه وقف

مع التوحيد يحرى عسان

My wall, as long as I live, is dedicated to him [unclear sense].

With the profession of God's oneness—[remaining words unclear].