يا خيرةَ اللّهِ حُلِّي عند مُجتهدٍ

يا خيرةَ اللّهِ حُلِّي عند مُجتهدٍ

لفرْضهِ الخيرَ تنويهِ ضمائرهُ

لفرْضهِ الخيرَ تنويهِ ضمائرهُ

O God's chosen one, dwell beside one who strives

O best of Allah's creations, inspire the diligent

To fulfill his duty, whose inner thoughts intend good.

To intend good deeds and purify their souls

وساعديهِ بتوفيقٍ على أمَلٍ

وساعديهِ بتوفيقٍ على أمَلٍ

راضٍ به أبداً واللّه شاكرهُ

راضٍ به أبداً واللّه شاكرهُ

And aid him with success toward a hope

And aid them with success and hope

With which he is ever content, and God appreciates him.

Ever pleased with Him, thankful is Allah

وسددي رأيهُ في كل مُعْضلةٍ

وسددي رأيهُ في كل مُعْضلةٍ

حتى تؤول إِلى أمْنٍ محاذرهُ

حتى تؤول إِلى أمْنٍ محاذرهُ

And guide his judgment aright in every difficulty,

And guide their judgment in every difficult issue

Until what he fears turns to safety.

Until it leads to secured, cautious solutions

فانهُ نَدُسٌ جَمٌّ مناقبهُ

فانهُ نَدُسٌ جَمٌّ مناقبهُ

مُرُّ الأُبِيَّةِ تحلو لي مكاسِرهُ

مُرُّ الأُبِيَّةِ تحلو لي مكاسِرهُ

For he is astute, his virtues abundant,

For he is refined, of sublime traits

Bitter in proud defiance, yet his character is sweet to me.

Bitter sorrows sweetened for me by his friendship

الباسِمُ الثغرِ والجُلَّى مُقطِّبةٌ

الباسِمُ الثغرِ والجُلَّى مُقطِّبةٌ

كأنَّ جُلاَّهُ من صبرٍ بشائرهُ

كأنَّ جُلاَّهُ من صبرٍ بشائرهُ

Smiling-lipped, while great calamity frowns,

Smiling face and radiant brow

As though, through patience, his great ordeal were his glad tidings.

As if his aura was made of joyful tidings

ومُفرش الناس لطفاً مِن تودُّدهِ

ومُفرش الناس لطفاً مِن تودُّدهِ

كأنَّ خادمهُ الأقصى مُعاقرهُ

كأنَّ خادمهُ الأقصى مُعاقرهُ

And he spreads kindness before people out of his affection,

And he humbly serves people with affection

As though his remotest servant were his drinking companion.

As if the Holy House's servant was his drinking buddy

كأنما ذكرهُ في كل مجتمعٍ

كأنما ذكرهُ في كل مجتمعٍ

نشرُ الخمائلُ جادتهُ بواكِرُهُ

نشرُ الخمائلُ جادتهُ بواكِرُهُ

As though his mention in every gathering

As if the mention of him in any gathering

Were the fragrance of thickets drenched by early showers.

Spreads his generosity at the start of it

اِنَّ اصْطفاءَ أمير المؤمنين لهُ

اِنَّ اصْطفاءَ أمير المؤمنين لهُ

أمُّ المناقبِ يا للّهِ خاطرهُ

أمُّ المناقبِ يا للّهِ خاطرهُ

Indeed, the Commander of the Faithful's choosing him

Indeed, the Caliph's choice of him

Is the mother of virtues—God, what a mind he has!

Is the mother of virtues, O Allah, may it persist

لقد حبا الدَّست منه راجحاً يقظاً

لقد حبا الدَّست منه راجحاً يقظاً

طوْداً وسيفاً اذا تبكي محابرهُ

طوْداً وسيفاً اذا تبكي محابرهُ

He has indeed given the dais, in him, a judicious, vigilant man,

The Hand of Power endowed him, watchful and alert

A mountain and a sword when his inkwells weep.

A towering mountain and a sword that makes his adversaries weep

اذا نبتْ مُرهفاتُ البيض عن أملٍ

اذا نبتْ مُرهفاتُ البيض عن أملٍ

قاصٍ حوتْهُ وأدنتهُ مزابِرهُ

قاصٍ حوتْهُ وأدنتهُ مزابِرهُ

When the keen edges of gleaming swords fall short of a goal

When the sharp edges of the swords hankered for hope

Far away, his pens encompass it and bring it near.

It embraced him and brought him closer to its tombs

فثابتٌ وحُبى الأقوامِ طائشةٌ

فثابتٌ وحُبى الأقوامِ طائشةٌ

وصارمٌ والرَّدى تنْبو بواتِرهُ

وصارمٌ والرَّدى تنْبو بواتِرهُ

Thus he stands firm, while men's knee-bindings fly loose,

Steadfast he remains while the people are fickle

And is a keen sword, while Death's cutting blades glance off.

Wielding his blade as ruin wails with its storms