هذا ثرى حط الأثير لقدره

لوعزه هام الثريا يخضع

This is earth before whose worth the ether descends;

before whose might the crown of the Pleiades bows.

وضريح قدس دون غاية مجده

وجلاله خفض الضراح الأرفع

And a sacred tomb, beneath the summit of whose glory

and grandeur even lofty al-Durah is brought low.

أنى يقاس به الضراح علاً وفي

مكنونه سر المهيمن مودع

How can al-Durah compare with it in loftiness, when within

its hidden depths the mystery of the All-Guardian is entrusted?

جدث عليه من الإله سرادق

ومن الرضا واللطف نور يسطع

A grave above which there is a canopy from God,

and from approval and kindness a light shines forth.

ودت دراري الكواكب أبها

بالدر من حصبائه تترصع

The gleaming stars wished that they

might be adorned with pearls from its pebbles.

والسبعة الأفلاك ود عليها

لو أنه لثرى على مضجع

And the seven celestial spheres—their heights longed

to be a resting-place for Ali's dust.

عجباً تمنى كل ربعٍ أنه

للمرتضى مولى البرية مربع

How wondrous! Every dwelling wished that it

were an abode for al-Murtada, master of creation.

ووجوده وسع الوجود وهل خلا

في عالم الإمكان منه موضع

And his being encompasses all existence; is any place

in the realm of possibility devoid of him?

كشاف داجية القضاء عن الورى

بعزائم منها القضاء يروع

Dispeller of fate's darkness from humankind,

with resolves that strike fate itself with awe.

هزام أحزاب الضلال بصارم

من عزمه صبح المنايا يطلع

Vanquisher of the factions of error with a keen blade,

from his resolve the dawn of death breaks.

سباق غايات الفخار بحلةٍ

فيها السواري وهي شهب تطلع

Outstripping glory's furthest goals, in a robe

in which the night-travelers rise as shooting stars.

عم الوجود بسابغ الجود الذي

ضاقت بأيده الجهات الأربع

He encompassed existence with abundant generosity, whose

might the four directions could not contain.

أنى تساجله الغيوث ندىً ومن

جدوى نداه كل غيثٍ يهمع

How could rains rival him in bounty, when from

the gifts of his bounty every rain pours down?

أم هل تقاس به البحار وإنما

هي من ندى أمداده تتدفع

Or can the seas be compared with him, when

they surge forth only from the dew of his aid?

فافزع إليه من الخطوب فإن من

ألقى العصا بفنائه لا يفزع

So seek refuge in him from calamities, for whoever

lays down his staff in his courtyard knows no fear.

وإذا حللت بطورسينا مجده

وشهدت أنوار التجلي تلمع

And when you alight at the Mount Sinai of his glory,

and witness the lights of manifestation gleaming,

فاخلع إذاً نعليك إنك في طوى

لجلال هيبته فؤادك يخلع

then take off your sandals: you are in Tuwa;

his awe-inspiring majesty wrenches out your heart.

وقل السلام عليك يا من فضله

عمن تمسك بالولا لا يمنع

And say: Peace be upon you, O you whose bounty

is not withheld from anyone who holds fast to loving allegiance.

مولاي جد بجميلك الأوفى على

عبد له بحميل عفوك مطمع

My master, bestow your fullest kindness upon

a servant who longs for the beauty of your pardon.

يرجوك إحساناً ويأملك الرضا

فضلاً فانت لكل فضل منبع

He looks to you for kindness and hopes for your approval,

as a grace, for you are the wellspring of every grace.

هيهات أن يخشى وليك من لظىً

ويهوله يوم القيامة مطلع

Far be it that your devotee should fear the blazing Fire,

or be terrified by the prospect of Resurrection Day;

ويهوله ذنب وأنت له غداً

من كل ذنب لا محالة تشفع

or be appalled by sin, when tomorrow you

will surely intercede for him for every sin;

ويخاف من ظمأ وحوضك في غدٍ

لذوي الولا من سلسبيل مترع

or fear thirst, when tomorrow your pool

will brim with Salsabil for those of loving allegiance.

يا من إليه الأمر يرجع في غدٍ

ولديه أعمال الخلايق ترفع

O you to whom command returns tomorrow,

and before whom the deeds of creatures are raised,

وله مآل ثوابها وعقابها

يعطي العطاء لمن يشاء ويمنع

and to whom their final reward and punishment belong:

he grants bounty to whom he wills, and withholds it.

أعيت فضائلك العقول فما عسى

يثني بمدحتك البليغ المصقع

Your virtues have baffled minds; what, then, can

the eloquent, masterful orator say in your praise?

وأرى الألى لصفات ذاتك حددوا

قد أخطأ وامعنى علاك وضيعوا

And I see that those who set bounds to the attributes of your essence

have erred and squandered the meaning of your exaltedness.

ولآي مجدك يا عظيم المجد لم

يتدبروا وحديث قدسك لم يعوا

And the signs of your glory, O great in glory, they have not

pondered; nor have they understood the account of your holiness.

عجبي ولا عجب يلين لك الصفا

والماء من صم الصفا لك ينبع

I marvel—yet it is no marvel—that rock softens for you,

and water springs for you from solid rock.

ولك الفلا يطوي ويعفور الفلا

لدعاك من أقصى السباسب يسرع

And for you the wilderness folds away, and the wilderness gazelle

hastens to your call from the farthest desert wastes.

ولك الرمام تهب من أجداثها

والشمس بعد مغيبها لك ترجع

And for you mouldering remains rise from their graves,

and the sun returns for you after setting.

والشمس بعد مغيبها إن ردها

بالسر منك وصي موسى بوشع

And if the sun was brought back after setting

by Bushaʿ, Moses' successor, it was through a mystery from you.

ولك المناقب كالكواكب لم تكن

تحصي وهل تحصي النجوم الطلع

And your virtues, like the stars, have never been

counted—can the rising stars be counted?

فالدهر عبد طائع لك لم يزل

وكذا القضا لك من يمينك أطوع

So time has always been your obedient servant,

and likewise fate obeys you more readily than your right hand.

ولئن نجت بالرسل قبلك أمةٌ

فلقد نجت بك رسل ربك أجمع

And if a people before you were saved through messengers,

all your Lord's messengers were indeed saved through you.

وصفاتك الحسنى تقصر عن مدى

ادنى علاها كل مدح يصنع

And your fairest attributes—short of the reach

of their least height falls every praise composed.

ورفيع مدح الخلق منخفضٌ إذا

كان الكتاب بمدح مجدك يصدع

And the loftiest praise of mortals sinks low when

the Book proclaims the praise of your glory.

والحمد مقصور عليك ثناؤه

وعلى سواك لواؤه لا يرفع

And praise reserves its acclaim for you alone;

over no other is its banner raised.