كَوكَبُ السَعد بِالنَجاح أَنارا

كَوكَبُ السَعد بِالنَجاح أَنارا

وَجَلا عَن صُدورِنا الأَكدارا

وَجَلا عَن صُدورِنا الأَكدارا

The star of good fortune shone with success,

The star of good fortune shone with success,

and dispelled sorrows from our breasts.

And dispelled the gloom from our breasts.

رَدد الطَرف في وجوه تَراها

رَدد الطَرف في وجوه تَراها

حَسَنات تَكفر الأَوزارا

حَسَنات تَكفر الأَوزارا

Let your gaze wander over faces you see

Glances returned to faces you see,

as good deeds that atone for sins.

Virtues that atone for sins.

وَغُصون تَسقى بِماءِ نَعيم

وَغُصون تَسقى بِماءِ نَعيم

قَد أَرَتني الشُموس وَالأَقمارا

قَد أَرَتني الشُموس وَالأَقمارا

And boughs watered with the water of bliss

Branches watered with the water of bliss,

have indeed shown me suns and moons.

Suns and moons have shown me.

وَذَوات تَقدَّسَت فَأَضاءَت

وَذَوات تَقدَّسَت فَأَضاءَت

وَأَفاضَت عَلى الوَرى أَنوارا

وَأَفاضَت عَلى الوَرى أَنوارا

And beings made holy have shone,

Sanctities that shone and overflowed,

and poured lights upon humankind.

With light upon the land.

وَتَأَمل فَصل الرَبيع تَجِدهُ

وَتَأَمل فَصل الرَبيع تَجِدهُ

حُكماً أَظهَرَت لَنا أَسرارا

حُكماً أَظهَرَت لَنا أَسرارا

Contemplate the season of spring: you will find it

Contemplate the chapter of spring to find,

wisdom that has revealed secrets to us.

Wisdoms that revealed secrets to us.

وَعَلى الدَوح لِلنَسيم أَياد

وَعَلى الدَوح لِلنَسيم أَياد

عَن غُصون تَفكك الأَزهارا

عَن غُصون تَفكك الأَزهارا

Upon the trees the breeze has hands,

On the sand for the breeze hands,

loosening blossoms from the boughs.

From branches that buds of flowers unravel.

تَتَجلى عَرائِساً وَعَلَيها

تَتَجلى عَرائِساً وَعَلَيها

مِن جُيوب الغَمام تَلقي نِثارا

مِن جُيوب الغَمام تَلقي نِثارا

They appear as brides, and upon them

Brides appear and upon them,

it scatters gifts from the clouds' pockets.

From the bosoms of clouds rainfall.

وَتَرى الرَوض في شَباب وَحُسن

وَتَرى الرَوض في شَباب وَحُسن

جَعل النور بَردَهُ المِعطارا

جَعل النور بَردَهُ المِعطارا

You see the garden in youth and beauty,

You see the garden in youth and beauty,

having made blossoms its fragrant mantle.

Its coolness perfumed with light.

نَغَمات لِلعَندَليب تُنادي

نَغَمات لِلعَندَليب تُنادي

هاجِعات الهَوى البدار البِدارا

هاجِعات الهَوى البدار البِدارا

The nightingale's melodies call

Melodies for the nightingale that call,

to love's sleeping ones: 'Hasten, hasten!'

Lovers of passion, bid and repeat bid.

فَتَنشق مِن الرُبا نَفَحات

فَتَنشق مِن الرُبا نَفَحات

مَهديات ما يُدهش العِطارا

مَهديات ما يُدهش العِطارا

So inhale fragrant wafts from the hills,

Wafts diffuse from the meadows,

bearing what astonishes the perfumer.

Offerings that dazzle the perfumer.

وَاِغتَنم صُحبة الأَكابر وَاِعلَم

وَاِغتَنم صُحبة الأَكابر وَاِعلَم

إِنَّ في صُحبة الصِغار صِغارا

إِنَّ في صُحبة الصِغار صِغارا

Seize the company of the great, and know

And take advantage of the company of the great, and know,

that the company of the petty brings abasement.

In the company of the small there are small ones.

وَتَمَتع بِمَدح فرع كَريم

وَتَمَتع بِمَدح فرع كَريم

مِن أُصول زَكَت عُلاً وَفَخارا

مِن أُصول زَكَت عُلاً وَفَخارا

And delight in praising a noble branch

And enjoy praising the noble branch,

from roots that flourished in eminence and glory,

Of roots that grew high and pride.

وَأَبيهِ مُحَمَد بِن عَلي

وَأَبيهِ مُحَمَد بِن عَلي

وَأَخيهِ حُسين مَن لا يُجارا

وَأَخيهِ حُسين مَن لا يُجارا

and his father, Muhammad ibn Ali,

And his father Muhammad son of Ali,

and his brother Husayn, whom none can match.

And his brother Hussein who has no peer.

فَتَراهُ في السلم أَحلم مَن كا

فَتَراهُ في السلم أَحلم مَن كا

نَ وَفي العَزم صارِماً بِتارا

نَ وَفي العَزم صارِماً بِتارا

You see him in peace the most forbearing who ever

You see him on the ladder most forbearing of those who were,

was, and in resolve a keen, cleaving blade.

And in determination a piercing hero.

قَد مَحا ظُلمة الخُطوب صَباح

قَد مَحا ظُلمة الخُطوب صَباح

مُسفر مِن جَبينِهِ أَسفارا

مُسفر مِن جَبينِهِ أَسفارا

A dawn has erased the darkness of calamities,

He erased the darkness of calamities, dawn

radiant, breaking from his brow in splendor.

Unveiled from his forehead traveled.

أَتَرانا نَحتاجُ لِلمسك طيباً

أَتَرانا نَحتاجُ لِلمسك طيباً

وَثَناهُ قَد عَطَر الأَقطارا

وَثَناهُ قَد عَطَر الأَقطارا

Do you think we need musk for fragrance,

Do you see us needing musk while,

when praise of him has perfumed the lands?

His fame has perfumed the regions.

أَو نَحُثُّ الركاب يَوماً لِمصر

أَو نَحُثُّ الركاب يَوماً لِمصر

وَكَفَتنا دِيارُهُ الأَمصارا

وَكَفَتنا دِيارُهُ الأَمصارا

Or urge our mounts toward Egypt one day,

Or urging mounts one day towards Egypt,

when his abodes have spared us the need for other cities?

While his homelands surpassed capitals.

أَو نُجيد المَديح لِلغَير سَهواً

أَو نُجيد المَديح لِلغَير سَهواً

وَنَرى في رِدائِهِ الأَخيارا

وَنَرى في رِدائِهِ الأَخيارا

Or excel in another's praise, heedlessly,

Or praising others erroneously,

when we see the virtuous within his cloak?

And we see in his cloak the righteous.

إِن آباءَهُ الكِرام هُم النا

إِن آباءَهُ الكِرام هُم النا

س جَلالاً وَرفعة وَاعتِبارا

س جَلالاً وَرفعة وَاعتِبارا

Indeed, his noble forefathers are the

Verily his noble fathers are the people,

people of majesty, eminence, and esteem.

In majesty, elevation, and prestige.

وَرِياض العُلا سَقوها مِن المَج

وَرِياض العُلا سَقوها مِن المَج

دِ مِياهاً فَفتَقَت أَزهارا

دِ مِياهاً فَفتَقَت أَزهارا

And they watered the gardens of eminence with glory's

Gardens of glory they watered from excellence,

waters, so they burst into blossom.

Waters so flowers bloomed.

وَلَهُم غَرس نعمة في البَرايا

وَلَهُم غَرس نعمة في البَرايا

وَهبات تَدَفَقَت أَنهارا

وَهبات تَدَفَقَت أَنهارا

And they have planted blessings among humankind,

For them are plants of blessing in the wilds,

and gifts that have streamed in rivers.

And gifts that gushed like rivers.

وَبُحور السَماح مِنهُم أَكُفٌّ

وَبُحور السَماح مِنهُم أَكُفٌّ

تَطعم العَنبَر الرَطيب النارا

تَطعم العَنبَر الرَطيب النارا

And among them are palms, seas of generosity,

The oceans of generosity from them are palms,

that feed fresh ambergris to the fire.

That feed the good, fragrant ambergris.

تاجَر الناسُ بِالحُطام وَكانوا

تاجَر الناسُ بِالحُطام وَكانوا

في المَعالي تَراهُم تُجارا

في المَعالي تَراهُم تُجارا

People traded in worldly trifles, while they

People traded in junk while they,

were, as you see, merchants in lofty virtues.

In the sublime you see them as merchants.

وَاِشتَرى مِنهُم النُفوس كَريمٌ

وَاِشتَرى مِنهُم النُفوس كَريمٌ

وَدَعاهُم أَعزة أَحرارا

وَدَعاهُم أَعزة أَحرارا

And a generous one bought their souls from them,

And magnanimous souls bought from them,

and called them honored, free men.

And called them honored and free.

أَنتَ يا مَن تَنقاد طَوعاً إِلَيهِ

أَنتَ يا مَن تَنقاد طَوعاً إِلَيهِ

وَاِمتِثالاً قُلوبَنا وَاختِيارا

وَاِمتِثالاً قُلوبَنا وَاختِيارا

You, O you to whom submit willingly,

You whom willingly hearts obey,

in obedience and by choice, our hearts—

And our choosing willingly complies.

ما تَأَخرت عَن مَديحك إِلّا

ما تَأَخرت عَن مَديحك إِلّا

لِأُمور تَشتت الأَفكارا

لِأُمور تَشتت الأَفكارا

I delayed your praise only

I did not delay praising you except,

because of matters that scatter thought.

For matters that distracted thoughts.

كُنتُ مِمَن يَقبَل الدَهر كَفيهِ

كُنتُ مِمَن يَقبَل الدَهر كَفيهِ

وَيُبدي إِذا غَضبت اِعتِذارا

وَيُبدي إِذا غَضبت اِعتِذارا

I was among those whose palms Time would kiss,

I was of those who accept time’s palms,

and to whom it would offer apologies when I grew angry.

And show apology when it rages.

أَضعفتَني الأَهوال عَن كُل شَيءٍ

أَضعفتَني الأَهوال عَن كُل شَيءٍ

لَم تَدَع لي لِحَمل ظلي اِقتِدارا

لَم تَدَع لي لِحَمل ظلي اِقتِدارا

Terrors have left me powerless for anything,

You weakened me from everything,

leaving me no strength even to carry my shadow.

Did not leave me ability to bear shade.

وَحُظوظ إِذا عَتبت عَلَيها

وَحُظوظ إِذا عَتبت عَلَيها

نَسَجت لي مِن الهَوى أَعذارا

نَسَجت لي مِن الهَوى أَعذارا

And fortunes which, whenever I reproached them,

And fortunes if they blame me,

wove me excuses out of caprice.

Weaved excuses of passion for me.

غُصتُ بحر القَريض بِالفكر حَتّى

غُصتُ بحر القَريض بِالفكر حَتّى

لَكَ أَهدي مِن اللآلي الكِبارا

لَكَ أَهدي مِن اللآلي الكِبارا

I dived into the sea of poetry in thought, so that

I dived deep in the sea of poetry until,

I might offer you some of its great pearls.

To you I gift some great words.

فَلَعَلي مِنها أَتيت بِنذر

فَلَعَلي مِنها أَتيت بِنذر

وَقُصوري بِالعَفو مِنكَ اِستَجارا

وَقُصوري بِالعَفو مِنكَ اِستَجارا

So perhaps I have brought a votive offering from them,

Maybe in them I came with an offering,

and my inadequacy has sought refuge in your pardon.

And my shortcomings with your pardon take refuge.

كَم أُناس ما أَن لَهُم مِن شُعور

كَم أُناس ما أَن لَهُم مِن شُعور

يَطلَبون الأَشعار مِنا اِختِبارا

يَطلَبون الأَشعار مِنا اِختِبارا

How many people with no discernment at all

How many people who have no perception,

ask us for poems to put us to the test!

Seek from us poetry as a test.

وَغَبيٌّ يَظن إِن حاز كُتُبَاً

وَغَبيٌّ يَظن إِن حاز كُتُبَاً

أَنَّها الفَضل حامِلاً أَسفارا

أَنَّها الفَضل حامِلاً أَسفارا

And a fool thinks, if he acquires books,

And a fool who thinks if he obtains books,

that they are merit—while merely bearing tomes.

That they are virtue carrying tomes.

فَكَريم الطِباع يَزداد حُلماً

فَكَريم الطِباع يَزداد حُلماً

وَلَئيم مَدَحتَهُ اِستكبارا

وَلَئيم مَدَحتَهُ اِستكبارا

Thus the noble-natured grows more forbearing,

A kind natured grows more forbearing,

but a base man, when praised, grows more arrogant.

And praising an ignoble one arrogance.

بِكَ فَخر القَريض شَرقاً وَغَرباً

بِكَ فَخر القَريض شَرقاً وَغَرباً

وَيَرى عِندَ جاهِكَ المِقدارا

وَيَرى عِندَ جاهِكَ المِقدارا

Through you, poetry has pride in East and West,

Through you poetry takes pride in east and west,

and finds its worth in your high standing.

And sees in your glory worth.

كُلُ بَيت إِذا تَأَصَلَت مَعَنا

كُلُ بَيت إِذا تَأَصَلَت مَعَنا

يَقيناً ظَنَنتَني سِحارا

يَقيناً ظَنَنتَني سِحارا

For each verse, once it takes root among us,

Every verse when rooted in meaning,

you will surely think me a sorcerer.

You would surely think me a magician.

كُلُ بَيت تَكاد تَشرَبَهُ الأَر

كُلُ بَيت تَكاد تَشرَبَهُ الأَر

واح لُطفاً إِذا أُدير غفارا

واح لُطفاً إِذا أُدير غفارا

Every verse is almost drunk by the

Almost every verse the spirits absorb gently,

souls for its delicacy, when passed around [final word unclear].

If recited concealed.

لَو رَوَتهُ الرُواة في الحَي يَوماً

لَو رَوَتهُ الرُواة في الحَي يَوماً

لِلمَصونات هَتَكَت أَستارا

لِلمَصونات هَتَكَت أَستارا

If the reciters recited it among the clan one day

If narrated one day in the alley,

to chaste women, it would rend their veils.

To the chaste their curtains unveiled.

لَيسَ يَحكي مِن راح مِما اِعتَراهُ

لَيسَ يَحكي مِن راح مِما اِعتَراهُ

مَقعَداً مِن سَعى إِلَيك وَسارا

مَقعَداً مِن سَعى إِلَيك وَسارا

One whom what befell him left

It does not recount from a nurturer what afflicted,

crippled cannot match one who hastened and journeyed to you.

A seat from journeying to you and traveling.

كُلُ طَرف يَغض مِن وَهج الشَمس

كُلُ طَرف يَغض مِن وَهج الشَمس

وَأَنتَ المُنوّر الأَبصارا

وَأَنتَ المُنوّر الأَبصارا

Every gaze lowers before the sun's blaze,

Every glance lowers from the sun’s radiance,

while you are the one who illuminates the eyes.

While you are the enlightened visions.