1. يا من هو الملجأُ والمعقلُ

    مدح سواكَ اليومَ لا يحملُ

    O you who are the refuge and the stronghold!

    Today, praise of anyone but you is not to be borne.

  2. أَنت الذي إِن عدَّ أَهل العلا

    السابقُ الآخرُ والأولُ

    You are the one who, if the eminent are counted,

    Outstrips the last and the first alike.

  3. سموتَ قدراً أن يرىِ في الورى

    مِثلك في المعروفِ من يكملُ

    You have risen too high in rank for there to be found among mankind

    Anyone as perfect as you in generosity.

  4. شبهتَ بالبدرِ وعند الورى

    أَنك أَبهى منه بل أكملُ

    You have been likened to the full moon, yet mankind holds

    That you are more radiant than it—nay, more perfect.

  5. قاسوكَ بالبحرِ فكذبتهم

    البحرُ لا يبذلُ ما تبذلُ

    They compared you to the sea, but you proved them wrong:

    The sea does not give what you give.

  6. ما كأَبي القاسمِ بين الورى

    من ذا يدانيهِ ومن يعدلُ

    None among mankind is like Abu al-Qasim.

    Who is it that comes near him, and who is his equal?

  7. نفسي تقيهِ السَوَء من سيدٍ

    بمدحه الأرزاقِ تستنزلُ

    May my soul shield him from harm—a lord

    Through whose praise sustenance is called down.

  8. يا أَيها القاضي الذي كفهُ

    البحرُ في تيارِها جدولُ

    O judge, whose hand is such that

    The sea is but a brook within its torrent:

  9. حاشاكَ أَن تصغي إلى أَحمق

    أَصم أَعمى القلب لا يعقلُ

    Far be it from you to heed a fool,

    Deaf, blind of heart, incapable of reason,

  10. يأمركم أن تنقضوا قولكم

    حاشاكمُ من ذا أَن تبخلوا

    Who orders you to break your word.

    Far be it from you to do such a thing—to be miserly.

  11. وخطكم لي عندكم شاهدٌ

    عدلُ على احسانكم يقبلُ

    And your writing for me is a witness before you,

    Upright, accepted as evidence of your kindness.

  12. هذا وحقي بينكم واجب

    وحق غيري الضايع المهملُ

    This is so, and my right among you is binding,

    While another's right is lost and neglected.

  13. لو جئتكم مسترفداً منكمُ

    أضعافَه جدتثم ولم تبخلوا

    Were I to come to you, asking you for a gift of

    Many times that amount, you would give freely and not stint.

  14. قولوا لمن بالنكث يأمركم

    دعْ عنك هذا نحنُ لا نفعلُ

    Tell whoever orders you to break your pledge:

    “Leave this aside; we will not do it.

  15. فقدرُ هذا هيّنٌ عندنا

    وحقُّ إسماعيل لا يُجهل

    For this amount is trifling to us,

    And Ismail's right is not unknown.”

  16. لا زلتَ طولَ الدهر في نعمةِ

    وعمرها من عمره أطولُ

    May you ever remain in blessing for all time,

    And may its life be longer than Time's own.