رقت من الدهر يا بشراي أوقات

للأنس فيها إعادات وعادات

Some moments of life have grown sweet—O joy of mine!

In them, delight has its returns and familiar ways.

وقد تجلت رياض البشر ناضرةً

تجلى لخمر الصبا فيهن كاسات

And the gardens of gladness have appeared, fresh and flourishing,

where goblets are displayed for the wine of youth.

والورق تفصح عن لحن له رقصت

من الحسان غداة اللهو قينات

And the doves give voice to a tune to which danced

lovely songstresses on a morning of revelry.

والروض تضحك عن زهر خمائله

مطلولة فوقها تبكي الغمامات

And the garden's groves smile, revealing blossoms,

dew-drenched, while clouds above them weep.

يا حبذا زمن اللذات إن به

وافت إلي مع البرق البشارات

How lovely is the season of pleasures, for in it

glad tidings came to me with the lightning.

مسرة ترقص الأغصان بهجتها

شوقاً فكيف إذا وافت مسرات

A joy whose gladness makes the branches dance

with longing—what, then, when many joys arrive?

والراح يسعى بها للصب ذو هيف

وما سوى ثغره المعسول راحات

And a slender figure brings wine to the lovesick one,

yet there is no solace but his honeyed mouth.

كأن راحته في راحة جهلت

فما تبين لها في الشرب جامات

As though his palm, at rest, had gone unrecognized,

with no goblets discernible to it during drinking.

نعيم وجنته كالنار ملتهب

فاعجب لخد به نار وجنات

The delight of his cheek is ablaze like fire;

so marvel at a cheek containing fire and gardens.

يا بدر طالعت في خديك لي شبحاً

كأن خديك للرائين مرآة

O full moon, I beheld my own image in your cheeks,

as though your cheeks were a mirror for all who gaze.

عليك أقسم في لام العذار أما

للصب منك بواو الصدغا عطفات

By the lām of your cheek-down, I adjure you: have you no

tender turns for the lovesick one in the wāw of your temple-locks?

أديم خدك مصقول أخال به

عكساً بأن خيال الهدب خالات

Your cheek's surface is polished; I fancy that upon it,

in reflection, the shadows of lashes are beauty marks.

باللَه يا حكمي عطفاً علي فلي

إن جرت أحمد نخشاه الهدب خالات

By God, my arbiter, have mercy on me, for I have—

if you wrong me—Ahmad, whom we fear—eyelashes, beauty marks [text unclear].

كأنه البدر في أفق الفخار وقد

دارت عليه من الطلاب هالات

He is like the full moon on the horizon of glory, while

haloes of students have circled around him.

أنا يضل سبيل الرشد طالبهم

وذا محياه مصباح ومشكاة

How could one seeking them stray from the path of right guidance,

when his countenance is a lamp and a lamp-niche?

سحائب البشر جادت في قدومهم

وهن من قبل طل بل صبابات

The clouds of gladness poured abundantly at their arrival,

though before they were dew—rather, drops of longing.

على المحب تصوب اليمن وهي على

الجاني عليه مصيبات مصيبات

They rain blessings upon the devoted, but upon

the one who wrongs him, they fall as calamities that never miss.

أجاب داعي الهدى لما أثاب به

وللكرام إذا تدعي إجابات

He answered the caller of guidance when he bestowed recompense for it;

and the noble respond when they are called.

قرت بطلعته عين الكمال وكم

له من اللَه عن نقص عنايات

Perfection's eye was gladdened by his appearance; how many

are God's cares protecting him from imperfection!

حقيقة صدق لفظ البحر في يده

وفي سواه مجاز واستعارات

The word 'sea' is literally true of his hand;

applied to others, it is figure and metaphor.

يفرق المال والتفريق سيئة

للَه كم أحسنت تلك الإساءات

He scatters wealth—and scattering is a sin;

God be praised—how much good those misdeeds have done!

جلى مناسب مثل الشمس تشبهها

منه مناقب في العليا جليات

He made his lineage radiant as the sun, which is matched

by his virtues, manifest in the heights of glory.

الفكر نافعه واللَه عاصمه

فليس عن غيره تروي القرارات

Thought is his helper, and God his protector;

so rulings are transmitted on no authority but his.

للفضل والجود والتقوى أضيف فكم

تتابعت منه في العليا إضافات

He is linked to merit, generosity, and piety—how many

additions to high glory have come from him in succession!

لا تعجبوا إن طغت كالبحر راحت

فتلك أيدي نداه جعفريات

Do not marvel if his palm overflows like the sea;

for those hands of his bounty are Jaʿfari streams.

علائم العلم شعت في أسرته

وللعلوم كما قالوا علامات

The signs of learning have shone within his family,

and the sciences, as they say, have their signs.

بالمسك يكتب في طرس الهوى قلم

سطورها حين تملي عنبريات

A pen writes in musk upon the parchment of love;

its lines, when you dictate, are fragrant with ambergris.

علامة العصر والأحكام شاهدةٌ

وليس تنكر منهن الشهادات

The great scholar of the age, with rulings bearing witness,

and the testimony they offer cannot be denied.

سمعاً أبا الفتح فالفتح المبين أبي

تنمي لغيرك في الدنيا الفتوحات

Listen, Abu al-Fath, for manifest victory refuses

that this world's victories be ascribed to anyone but you.

رايات فضلك يوم الفخر خافقةٌ

عنها نكصن من الحساد رايات

The banners of your excellence fly on the day of boasting;

the banners of the envious have recoiled before them.

راموا سباقك للعليا وأذرعهم

عن قيد فترك لو قيست قصيرات

They sought to outpace you toward glory, but their arms,

if measured, fall short of your thumb-to-forefinger span.

يا آل جعفر هذا عهد جدكم

جددتموه وذي تلك الزعامات

O house of Jaʿfar, this is your forefather's covenant;

you have renewed it; these are those same marks of leadership.

كشف الغطا لكم ينمي فعلكم

في الدين وحي مبين وانكشافات

The lifting of the veil is credited to you; your work

in religion is clear revelation and unveiling.

شمل العلى بينكم ما انفك مجتمعاً

وشمل وفركم للوفد أشتات

Glory's company has never ceased to be united among you,

while your gathered wealth is scattered among visiting delegations.

منكم علي المعالي من سمت شرفاً

مناقب من مساعيه وضيئات

Among you is Ali of high glories, exalted in honor by

the radiant virtues born of his endeavors.

فهل أتى نبأ قاضٍ بغصمته

وكم أتت فيه أنباء وآيات

And has a report come affirming his infallibility [reading uncertain]?

How many reports and signs have come concerning him!

هو ابن موسى الذي ناجاه خالقه

فقربته من اللَه المناجات

He is the son of Musa, to whom his Creator spoke in confidence;

and intimate communion brought him nearer to God.

ومنكم المرتضى الهادي إلى جدد

آثارهن قديمات قويمات

And among you is al-Murtada, who guides toward paths

whose traces are ancient and upright.

أخبار فضلكم صحت روايتها

نقلاً فهن صحيحات صريحات

Reports of your excellence have proved sound in their narration

and transmission: they are authentic and explicit.

من العدالة إن ينحط غيركم

عنكم فما بينكم يوماً مساوات

It is a matter of justice if others fall

below you, for never is there equality between you and them.

دمتم بدوراً بأفاق الهدى سفرت

وليس تبعدكم عنها انتقالات

May you remain full moons shining in the horizons of guidance,

and may no change ever take you away from them.