نجم الهنا والمجد اشرق في سما

فلك السعود وبالسيادة قد سما

A star of joy and glory shone in the sky

of fortune’s sphere, and rose high in sovereignty.

وبدا هلال سرورنا فتنورت

بضيائه العلياء واعتز الحمى

And the crescent of our joy appeared, lighting up

the heights with its radiance, while the protected domain gained honor.

وروت نسيمات الصفاء بشائرا

عن كوكب بالمهد اشرق منعما

And gentle breezes of serenity carried glad tidings

of a star shining in the cradle, blessed with ease.

وتغرد القمري فوق أريكة ال

آمال يخطب بالنجاح وسلما

And the turtledove sang above the couch of

hopes, proclaiming success and offering greetings.

لله نجم لاح في افق الثنا

يحكي بنور شهابه بدر السما

What a wondrous star has appeared on the horizon of praise!

With its blazing light, it resembles heaven’s full moon.

سعدت به الأيام لما حل في

بيت المعالي والزمان من تبسما

The days rejoiced in him when he alighted in

the house of lofty honors, and Time itself smiled.

يا حبذا تلك الربوع لقد زهت

بسناء مولود له الفضل انتمى

How delightful are those dwellings! They grew radiant

with the splendor of a newborn to whom excellence belongs.

رشأ تمنطق بالسعادة واعتلى

متن العلى مهدا وقرط انجما

A gazelle-fawn, girded with happiness, who mounted

the back of eminence for a cradle, and wore stars as earrings.

وعلى الأنام افاض خير بشارة

سمت الديار بها وطابت معلما

And upon humankind he poured the finest glad tidings,

through which the dwellings rose in honor and became a lovely landmark.

وسقى القلوب مسرة فكانها

كف الأمير أبيه انعم مكرما

And he watered hearts with joy, as though it were

the hand of the prince, his father, bestowing generous favors.

القاسم المولى الهمام ومن به

ساد المقام وبالثناء تحكما

Al-Qasim, the valiant lord, the man through whom

his station rose to preeminence, and who held sway through praise.

شهم له زهر النجوم مآثرا

والسيل كفا والمحامد مغنما

A noble man, with bright stars for glorious deeds,

a torrent for a palm, and praises for his spoils.

نسجت مكارمه له بكماله

ثوب المهابة فاكتساه منعما

His noble virtues, through his perfection, wove for him

a robe of reverence, which he donned in blessed ease.

لو شابه الطائي بمنح بذله

لروى الندى عنه ومنه تعلما

If al-Ta’i matched him in the bounty he dispensed,

he would recount generosity on his authority, and learn from him.

قرنت فراسته بخير اصابة

فاستل منها بالنباهة محكما

His discernment was joined to the surest accuracy,

and with acumen he drew from it what was sound.

جعل السماك من الفخار محله

وعلى ذرى المجد الرفيع تسنما

He made al-Simak his dwelling in glory,

and ascended the peaks of lofty renown.

ببنانه وسنانه للمال وال

أعداء أصبح قاسما ومقسما

With his fingertips and his spearpoint, for wealth and

enemies he became a distributor and a cleaver.

كم أبعدت كفاه أسود فاقة

واستخدمت بالحرب أبيض مخدما

How often his two hands drove away the lions of want,

and used in battle a white, keen-cutting blade.

ما سل باتره بيوت عريكة

الا واسقى الأرض هتان الدما

Never did he draw his cutting blade—[unclear phrase: houses of resolve]—

without watering the earth with a downpour of blood.

شبل اذا ذكرت هبات ابيه في

جدب الرياض تراه اخصب موسما

A lion-cub: when his father’s gifts are recalled during

the gardens’ drought, you see him as the most fruitful season.

فهو البشير ومن اذا قرأ اسمنه

ذو العسر اصبح بالياسر معمما

For he is al-Bashir, the one whose name, when read

by a man in hardship, crowns that man with prosperity.

أنعم به من ماجد كشف الدجى

بشهاب طالعه السعيد تكرما

How fine a noble man he is, who dispelled darkness

with the flame of his fortunate rising star, in generosity.

ما الغيث عند نواله ما الليث عند

نزاله ما الدر حيث تكلما

What is rain beside his bounty? What is the lion beside

his combat? What are pearls when he speaks?

اهدي له ولنجله خير الدعا

واصوغ مدحا بالهناء تنظما

I offer him and his son the finest prayers,

and shape congratulatory praise into ordered verse.

هنئت يا ذا القاسم الوافي بما

جاد الإله به عليك وانعما

Congratulations, O you, faithful al-Qasim, on what

God has graciously bestowed upon you, granting His favor:

نجل به نلنا التهاني والمنى

وأضا به سعد الامانة مبمسا

a son through whom we gained congratulations and our wishes,

and through whom trust’s good fortune shone, smiling.

انشاه بأريه بخير سلامة

وكساء مجدك ثوب عز معلما

May his Creator rear him in the best of health,

and clothe your glory in an adorned robe of honor.

ويسرك المولى بإخوان له

وتراه جدا بالوقار مكرما

And may the Lord gladden you with brothers for him,

and may you see him a grandfather, honored with dignity.

وتسر من أبنائه وتراه في

تاريخه قهار ضد ملحما

And may you rejoice in his sons, and see him in

his chronogram as a vanquisher of the foe, a warrior.