قدِمْتَ قدوم الصبح من بعد غيْهبٍ

قدِمْتَ قدوم الصبح من بعد غيْهبٍ

من الليل يُلقي بالكَلاكِل مُظْلِمِ

من الليل يُلقي بالكَلاكِل مُظْلِمِ

You came as dawn comes after deep darkness

You came like the dawn after night's darkness

of a dark night pressing down with its heavy breasts.

Casting shadows with its gloom

وأبْتَ إياب الغيث بعد وديقَةٍ

وأبْتَ إياب الغيث بعد وديقَةٍ

هجومَ هَذومٍ للمَطيِّ المُخَزَّم

هجومَ هَذومٍ للمَطيِّ المُخَزَّم

And you returned as rain returns after scorching heat

And you returned like rainfall after drought

that assails and wears down the nose-ringed riding camels.

A downpour against the tucked-away mounts

فحُيِّيت من دانٍ وحُيِّيت نائياً

فحُيِّيت من دانٍ وحُيِّيت نائياً

وحُييتَ في حالَيْ مغيبٍ ومَقْدِم

وحُييتَ في حالَيْ مغيبٍ ومَقْدِم

So may you be greeted by those nearby, and greeted when far away,

I greeted you from up close and from afar

and may you be greeted both in absence and on arrival.

And you greeted while I was absent and present

ولا زلت في تأويب سعيك والسُّرى

ولا زلت في تأويب سعيك والسُّرى

إلى المجد تُرْدي كل شقَّاء صِلْدم

إلى المجد تُرْدي كل شقَّاء صِلْدم

And may you ever, in your daylong striving and night travel,

Still setting out on your path and journeying

urge every tall, sturdy mare onward to glory.

To glory, overcoming every misery

فإنك لم تبرح حُساماً ومُزنَةً

فإنك لم تبرح حُساماً ومُزنَةً

سحوحيْن وشكاً من نوالٍ ومن دَم

سحوحيْن وشكاً من نوالٍ ومن دَم

For you have never ceased to be a keen sword and a raincloud,

For you have not ceased being a sharp sword and a spear

both swiftly pouring forth bounty and blood.

Polished blades and a shield against spears and blood

حمىً وقِرىً لم يبرحا أمْن خائفٍ

حمىً وقِرىً لم يبرحا أمْن خائفٍ

ونُصْرةَ مخذولٍ وثروةَ مُعدِم

ونُصْرةَ مخذولٍ وثروةَ مُعدِم

A refuge and hospitality, always safety for the fearful,

A refuge and homes that did not abandon the fearful

aid for the forsaken, and wealth for the destitute.

And aid for the abandoned and wealth for the destitute

وزيرٌ يدلُّ البِشْرُ من قسمانِه

وزيرٌ يدلُّ البِشْرُ من قسمانِه

على جودِه قبل النَّدى والتَّكَرُّم

على جودِه قبل النَّدى والتَّكَرُّم

A vizier whose cheerful features reveal

A minister whose good tidings the humans perceive

his bounty before gifts and acts of generosity,

From his divisions, before dew and generosity

كما دَلَّ برقُ الغاديات على الحَيا

كما دَلَّ برقُ الغاديات على الحَيا

فأوسع بُشرى كلِّ مُقْوٍ ومُصرم

فأوسع بُشرى كلِّ مُقْوٍ ومُصرم

just as lightning from morning clouds foretells life-giving rain

As lightning reveals the coming of rain

and so lavishes glad tidings on every needy and penniless person.

So the gladest tiding for every agonized and determined soul

فتىً لا يخُصُّ الحِلم وقت سُروره

فتىً لا يخُصُّ الحِلم وقت سُروره

ولا جودُهُ يخْتصُّ منه بموْسمِ

ولا جودُهُ يخْتصُّ منه بموْسمِ

A young man who does not reserve forbearance for his hours of joy,

A young man whom wisdom does not favor during his joy

nor is his generosity confined to a particular season.

Nor his generosity confined to a season

ولكنْ حَليمٌ والحَفيظَةُ مُرَّةٌ

ولكنْ حَليمٌ والحَفيظَةُ مُرَّةٌ

غَمامُ نَداهُ ساكِبٌ غيرُ مُنْجم

غَمامُ نَداهُ ساكِبٌ غيرُ مُنْجم

Rather, he is forbearing even when indignation is bitter;

Rather, he is forbearing, and his wrath is bitter

the cloud of his bounty pours without ceasing.

The clouds of his generosity pour without stint

ينوبُ شَبا أقْلامهِ عن رماحهِ

ينوبُ شَبا أقْلامهِ عن رماحهِ

وآراؤهُ عن كلِّ أبيضَ مِخْذَم

وآراؤهُ عن كلِّ أبيضَ مِخْذَم

The sharp tips of his pens stand in for his spears,

His pens take the place of his spears

and his counsels for every bright, keen-edged sword.

And his views that of every unsheathed white blade

فأسطرُهُ ماذيُّ نَحْلٍ ولُؤْلُؤٌ

فأسطرُهُ ماذيُّ نَحْلٍ ولُؤْلُؤٌ

ولا ضربَ إِلا في شُجاعٍ مُصمِّم

ولا ضربَ إِلا في شُجاعٍ مُصمِّم

Thus his lines are the bees' white honey and pearls,

So his lines are the work of artful bees and pearls

and no blow is struck except against a resolute warrior.

And he strikes nowhere but with resolute courage

فأسطرُهُ ماذيُّ نَحْلٍ ولُؤْلُؤٌ

فأسطرُهُ ماذيُّ نَحْلٍ ولُؤْلُؤٌ

نظيمٌ ومَزْجٌ من مُجاجةِ أرْقَم

نظيمٌ ومَزْجٌ من مُجاجةِ أرْقَم

Thus his lines are the bees' white honey and pearls,

His lines are the work of artful bees and pearls

strung together, and a mixture of a speckled serpent's venom.

A well-arranged blend from the inkwell's dark tints

أبو جعفرٍ تاجُ المُلوكِ الذي لهُ

أبو جعفرٍ تاجُ المُلوكِ الذي لهُ

إذا اسْتَبقَ الأمجادُ فضلُ التَّقدم

إذا اسْتَبقَ الأمجادُ فضلُ التَّقدم

Abu Ja'far, the crown of kings, to whom belongs

Abu Ja'far, the crown of kings, who has

when the illustrious compete, the distinction of coming first.

Supremacy in excelling, if glories compete

تَقيٌّ يَخافُ اللّهَ في خَلَواتِهِ

تَقيٌّ يَخافُ اللّهَ في خَلَواتِهِ

ويدْأبُ في نُصْح الإِمامِ المُعظَّم

ويدْأبُ في نُصْح الإِمامِ المُعظَّم

A pious man who fears God in his solitary hours,

Godfearing in his solitude

and labors tirelessly in sincere counsel to the exalted Imam.

And striving to counsel the exalted Imam