حضرْتُ لإسماعيلَ مجلسَ وعظِه

حضرْتُ لإسماعيلَ مجلسَ وعظِه

فصادفْتُ منه أُمّةً وهْو واحِدُ

فصادفْتُ منه أُمّةً وهْو واحِدُ

I attended a gathering where Isma‘il preached,

I attended Isma‘il’s gathering for preaching.

And found in him an entire nation, though he was but one.

And found in him a whole community, though he was one man.

ورُمْتُ نُهوضاً من لديه فلم أُطِقْ

ورُمْتُ نُهوضاً من لديه فلم أُطِقْ

نُهوضاً لأنّي أثْقلتْني الفوائد

نُهوضاً لأنّي أثْقلتْني الفوائد

I tried to rise from his presence, but could not

And I tried to rise from his presence, but could not

rise, for his lessons had weighed me down.

rise, for the useful teachings had weighed me down.

فواللهِ ما أَدْرِي أتلك فَوائدٌ

فواللهِ ما أَدْرِي أتلك فَوائدٌ

تُقَرَّطُ آذاني بها أم فَرائد

تُقَرَّطُ آذاني بها أم فَرائد

By God, I cannot tell: are these lessons

So, by God, I do not know: are those useful teachings

that grace my ears, or pearls beyond compare?

with which my ears are adorned, or precious pearls?