وإنِّي ومَدْحي أبا جعفرٍ

وإنِّي ومَدْحي أبا جعفرٍ

بما طابَ منْ شِعْريَ السَّائر

بما طابَ منْ شِعْريَ السَّائر

And indeed I, in praising Abu Jaʿfar

My praise of Abu Ja'far

with the best of my far-traveling verse—

With the finest of my poetry

وزيرَ الإِمامِ وكَهْفَ الأنامِ

وزيرَ الإِمامِ وكَهْفَ الأنامِ

ومُعْتصم اللاَّجىء الحائرِ

ومُعْتصم اللاَّجىء الحائرِ

the Imam’s minister and mankind’s refuge,

Minister of the Imam, refuge of all people

and shelter for the bewildered seeker of refuge—

Shelter for the lost, confused wanderer

وإنْ جِئْتُ في وَصْفِهِ بالعُجابِ

وإنْ جِئْتُ في وَصْفِهِ بالعُجابِ

وأحسنتُ في القولِ والخاطِرِ

وأحسنتُ في القولِ والخاطِرِ

even if I bring marvels in describing him

If I come to describe him with wonder

and excel in expression and thought,

Speaking well with heart and mind

كَمَنْ جاءَ يَحْوي ببَطْنِ السِّقاءِ

كَمَنْ جاءَ يَحْوي ببَطْنِ السِّقاءِ

على ضيقِه لُجَّةَ الزَّاخِرِ

على ضيقِه لُجَّةَ الزَّاخِرِ

am like one who comes to hold in a waterskin’s belly,

Like one who tries to contain in a waterskin

despite its narrowness, the depths of a swelling sea.

What will burst its tightness, a gushing torrent

وأينَ السِّقاءُ مِنَ الزَّاخراتِ

وأينَ السِّقاءُ مِنَ الزَّاخراتِ

وأينَ عُلاهُ مِنَ الشَّاعِر

وأينَ عُلاهُ مِنَ الشَّاعِر

And what is a waterskin beside the swelling seas?

Where is the waterskin compared to bursting torrents

And how far above the poet is his eminence!

Where is my praise compared to this poet?

ولكنْ أجيءُ بجُهْدِ المُقِلِّ

ولكنْ أجيءُ بجُهْدِ المُقِلِّ

ومِنْ فَضْلِهِ أنَّهُ عاذري

ومِنْ فَضْلِهِ أنَّهُ عاذري

But I offer the best that one of scant means can,

But I try with my humble effort

and in his graciousness he excuses me.

And it is his grace that he excuses me