هناء به شمل المعاني تنظما

وثغر المعالي بالسرور تبسما

A joy through which the company of meanings fell into order,

and the mouth of lofty honors smiled with delight.

وروض المنى بالبشر اضحى مدبجا

وابدى لنا خدا وصدغا ومعصما

The garden of wishes became brocaded with gladness,

and revealed to us a cheek, a temple-lock, and a wrist.

وخد الشقيق الغض اينع عندما

كساه الندى بالدر حسنا ورق ما

The tender anemone's cheek ripened blood-red;

dew clothed it with pearls, in beauty and embroidery.

وحاكت يد الانوار من مزنة الحيا

لروض الهنا ثوبا بديعا مسهما

The hand of blossoms wove, from a cloud of life-giving rain,

a wondrous, arrow-patterned robe for the garden of joy.

وجلق من ابهى حلاك كسوتها

طرازاً بديع الحسن بالوشي معلما

And Jilliq—from your loveliest adornments, you clothed her

in a border of wondrous beauty, adorned with brocade.

ومربعها اخضرت حواشي بروده

وحوم فيها النبت والمجد خيما

The fringes of her spring abode's cloaks grew green,

and vegetation hovered within her, while glory pitched its tent.

واشهرها اضحت ربيعا لاننا

بطيب لياليها نسينا المحرما

Her months became springtime, because we

in the sweetness of her nights forgot Muharram.

وقالت لنا الايام طبتم ليهنكم

لقد صار هذا اليوم عبدا وموسما

The days said to us, “May you fare well; may joy be yours!

This day has indeed become a servant and a festive season.”

امولاي يا قاضي القضاة ومن به

ربيع الندى يحيى وبالفضل قد سما

O my lord, O judge of judges, and you through whom

the spring of bounty lives, and who has risen through excellence!

يقولون ان الغيث يحكيك في الندى

وما الغيث الا من نداك تعلما

They say the rain resembles you in bounty,

but the rain learned only from your bounty.

لك المنة العظمى بمقدمك الذي

شفيت به منا قلوبا واعظما

Yours is the greatest favor in your coming, through which

you healed our hearts and bones.

وبلغتنا الآمال فيك فلم تقل

لعل عسى يوما وليت وربما

You brought us to our hopes in you; you did not say:

“Perhaps,” “maybe one day,” “if only,” and “possibly.”

وجئت يحيى الغيث والعود قد ذوى

فما كان احلى ما اتيت على ظما

You came as the rain came to life, while the bough had withered;

how sweet was what you brought amid thirst!

وحزت من المجد الرفيع مكانة

بها في العلا جاوزت شهيا وانجما

You gained a rank of exalted glory,

by which, in loftiness, you surpassed what is coveted, and the stars.

وشيدت بيتا قد تسامت طباقه

لآل بني فرفور لن يتهدما

You built a house whose tiers rose high,

for the family of Banū Farfūr, never to crumble.

وسدت على الأقران مذ سرت للعلا

مجدا فكنت السابق المتقدما

You prevailed over your peers since you set out toward eminence,

in glory, becoming the foremost, leading the way.

يمينا بيمناك التي في التقى غدت

ابر يمين بالوفاء واكرما

I swear by your right hand, which in piety became

the most dutiful right hand in faithfulness, and the most generous:

لأنت الذي بالفضل والعلم والحجا

وآياته تسمو على من تقدما

you indeed are the one who, through excellence, learning, and wisdom

and its proofs, rises above those who came before.

الا يا بني الآمال حثوا ركابكم

اليه تروا في الحال مغنى ومغنما

Come, O sons of hopes, spur your mounts

toward him: at once you will find a haven and a reward.

فهذا الذي يفني النضار مواهبا

ومبتدئا يولي النوال تكرما

For this is he who exhausts gold in gifts,

and takes the initiative in granting bounty, out of generosity.

جواد طويل الباع لله دره

فكم مد كفا للعصاة معصما

A generous man, long of reach—God be praised for him!

How often he has held out a hand to the disobedient as a refuge!

بلاغته أزرت بسحبان وائل

وقس ايادر بالفصاحة افحما

His eloquence put Sahbān Wāʾil to shame,

and with eloquence he left Quss of Iyādar speechless.

ومنطقه من نحوه الدر يجتلي

ومنه المعاني عقدها قد تنظما

Pearls are revealed from the manner of his speech,

and from it the necklace of meanings has been strung.

وكل فصيح عند معرب لفظه

تراه اذا ما اعرب النطق اعجما

Every eloquent speaker, beside his clearly expressed words,

you see tongue-tied whenever he gives speech clear expression.

وجمع السجايا الغر فيه تقسمت

فلله ما ابهاه جمعا ومقسما

The sum of radiant qualities was apportioned within him;

God be praised—how splendid he is, whole and in each part!

هو البدر عند التم والغصن في النقا

على انه ابهى وابهج منهما

He is the moon at its full, and the bough upon the sandhill,

though he is lovelier and more delightful than either.

فيا كعبة الجدوى ويا حرم الرجا

حنانيك اني جئت نحوك محرما

O Kaaba of bounty, O sanctuary of hope,

your mercy! I have indeed come toward you as a consecrated pilgrim.

فدونك مني اليوم مدحا جعلته

اليك طريقا في الوصول وسلما

So take from me today a praise-poem that I have made

a road for reaching you, and a ladder.

فدم في ذرى الاقبال والسعد مقبل

اليك لقد وافى سعيدا مكرما

So remain on the heights of good fortune, with happiness approaching

you; it has indeed arrived, happy and honored.

فلا زلت بحرا للوفا متداركا

بسيط الايادي وافر الجود منعما

May you never cease to be a sea of loyalty, coming to aid,

open-handed, abundant in generosity, bestowing favors.

ودمت بنا برا رؤفا ومحسنا

جميل السجايا والعطايا معظما

May you remain kind to us, compassionate, and benevolent,

beautiful in character and gifts, held in honor,

حميدا سديد الرأي ما هبت الصبا

وغرد قمري الحمى وترنما

praiseworthy, sound in judgment, as long as the east wind blows

and the sanctuary's turtledove warbles and sings,

وما هام وجدا بالعراق اخو نوى

ويمم مشتاقا حجازاً وزمزما

and as long as one far away wanders in longing in Iraq,

and turns yearning toward Hijaz and Zamzam.