Sol 6.1

  1. مولى له رف لواء الشرف

    موشح موشحاً بالدرر

    A lord for whom the banner of honor fluttered,

    A muwashshah poem, adorned with pearls.

  2. نظمها قلائداً فرائدا

    وصاغها مدائحاً محامدا

    He strung them into necklaces of peerless gems,

    And fashioned them into praises and commendations.

  3. أرغم فيها جاحداً وحاسدا

    لم تر إلا شاكراً وحامدا

    With them he humbled deniers and enviers;

    You saw only the thankful and the praising.

  4. أزرت بمنظوم جمان الصدف

    حسناً وبالشهب الجوالي السدف

    They put strings of shell-born pearls to shame

    In beauty, and the stars that dispel the darkness:

  5. جواهراً يعجز عنها الجوهري

    قد فاق بالآداب أهل الأدب

    Jewels beyond the jeweler's skill.

    In letters he surpassed the masters of letters.

  6. ولم يزل يأتي بطرز معجب

    إن لم يكن رباً به فهو نبي

    And never ceased to bring forth an admirable style.

    If he is not its god, he is its prophet.

  7. أمته أهل الحجا والأرب

    آيته يقذف در الصدف

    His community is the people of intellect and discernment.

    His miracle: he casts forth shell-born pearls.

  8. ولم تجد من ناعل ومحتف

    إلا له إنقاد انقياد الدرر

    And you found no one, shod or barefoot,

    Who did not submit to him as pearls submit.

  9. فواضل جادت مع الفضائل

    بها تحلى كل جيد عاطل

    Bounties flowed together with virtues;

    With them every bare neck was adorned.

  10. طالت على كل مجيد طائل

    بها وقد عزت على الأماثل

    They rose above every illustrious, eminent man;

    Through them, though even the finest found them hard to attain,

  11. حتى بها طوق أهل الشرف

    لو كانت الأعضاء لسناً لم تف

    Until he garlanded the noble with them.

    If the limbs were tongues, they would not suffice

  12. شكراً فمن يشكر كمن لم يشكر

    أقام للنظم مناراً عالياً

    For thanks; whoever thanks him is as one who has not.

    He raised a lofty beacon for poetry;

  13. فلم يزل بالنظم طوداً ساميا

    تراه حبراً لوذعياً واعياً

    And in poetry he has remained a towering mountain.

    You see him a learned scholar, sharp-witted and discerning.

  14. ومن يباريه يظل نائيا

    يقصر عن بلوغه إذ يقتفي

    Whoever vies with him remains far behind,

    Falling short of reaching him as he follows his trail.

  15. كل يناديه تكلفت قف

    ما أنت من ميدانه يا مجترى

    Everyone cries to him: “You have overreached—stop!”

    “You do not belong in his arena, rash challenger!”

  16. ما كل من جال بذا الميدان

    يسبق بالجري وبالاحسان

    Not everyone who ranges through this arena

    Takes the lead in racing and excellence.

  17. قاص عن الفرسان غير دان

    يأتي بألفاظ بلا معان

    Far from the horsemen, nowhere near them,

    He brings words without meanings.

  18. فأين هو عمن أتى يرفرف

    راق ورق عند كل منصف

    How can he compare with one who comes fluttering,

    Enchanting and delicate in every fair judge's eyes,

  19. ألذ من ريح الصبا في السحر

    هنيت يا رب المعالي الباهرة

    Sweeter than the east wind in the hour before dawn?

    May joy be yours, master of dazzling eminence

  20. والمكرمات الساميات الفاخره

    ياذا المزايا الفائقات الزاهره

    And lofty, splendid noble deeds;

    O possessor of outstanding, radiant merits

  21. والشيم الغر البوادي الظاهره

    فقت الملا من ظاهر ومختف

    And resplendent traits, manifest and plain.

    You surpassed all people, visible and hidden,

  22. لا سيما سادات أهل النجف

    وكل من فاق بهذي الأعصر

    Especially the leaders of Najaf,

    And everyone who excelled in these ages.

  23. يا صالح الأعمال والأفعال

    ويا حميد القول والخصال

    O you whose works and deeds are righteous,

    And whose speech and character are praiseworthy,

  24. ويا عديم المثل والمثال

    رقيت أعلى رتب المعالي

    And who have neither equal nor likeness,

    You ascended the highest ranks of eminence

  25. بمكرمات بهرت لم توصف

    بها انفردت عنك لم تنحرف

    Through dazzling noble deeds beyond description.

    In these you stood alone; they never strayed from you.

  26. فكنت في المنظر فوق الخبر

    قطب رحى كما كمال وأدب

    So the sight of you surpassed the reports.

    A millstone's pivot, likewise the center of perfection and letters,

  27. ساد الورى من عجم ومن عرب

    أتى بنظم قد أرى فيه العجب

    He led humankind, non-Arabs and Arabs.

    He brought verse in which he displayed marvels,

  28. أعذب من عذب وأحلى من ضرب

    عقوده قد أخرجت من صدف

    Sweeter than fresh water and sweeter than white honey.

    His necklaces were brought forth from shells;

  29. ينكر هذا الفضل من لم ينصف

    وكم له في نظمه من درر

    Only the unfair deny this excellence.

    And how many pearls he has in his verse!

  30. أجل أرباب الوفاء والصفا

    وأحسن الخلان في نهج الوفا

    The noblest of the masters of loyalty and purity,

    And the finest of friends on loyalty's path,

  31. مبجل من آل بيت المصطفى

    بذا على كل البرايا شرفا

    An honored member of the Chosen One's household,

    Through this he surpassed all creation in honor.

  32. فيا له بين الورى من شرف

    أكرم بذاك خلفاً عن خلف

    What honor he holds among humankind!

    How noble that line, successor after successor,

  33. أوضح من بدر السماء المبدر

    الطاهر الذات السليم النفس

    Brighter than the sky's moon at its fullest!

    Pure in essence, sound of soul,

  34. للادبا فيه كمال الانس

    يصبح كل عنده ويمسي

    In him men of letters find perfect companionship.

    All spend their mornings and evenings with him;

  35. أيامه تشبه يوم العرس

    تراه يبدي اللطف لم يختلف

    His days resemble a wedding day.

    You see him display kindness, never changing.

  36. يا حبذا من مشفق ومسعف

    ديدنه كسب الثنا والمفخر

    How fine a compassionate helper he is!

    His habit is to earn praise and honor.

  37. حيرني بمدحه وحمده

    ووصفه السامي الذرى ومجده

    He leaves me at a loss to praise and commend him,

    And to describe his lofty qualities and glory,

  38. وخلقه الوافي لأهل وده

    وعلمه وعقله ورشده

    His faithful nature toward those he loves,

    And his knowledge, reason, and sound judgment.

  39. أصفى فتى بين البرايا وصفي

    أوفى الأنام دونه كل وفى

    The purest youth among creation, and a faithful friend,

    The most faithful of humankind; all loyal men rank below him,

  40. أفخر بر في الملا مفتخر

    يابن الميامين الألى من هاشم

    The most glorious upright man, taking pride among the people.

    O son of the blessed men descended from Hashim,

  41. والفائقين الخلق بالمكارم

    السادة الهداة والأكارم

    Who surpass creation in noble deeds,

    Lords, guides, and noble men,

  42. والقادة الأعلام بين العالم

    لك الهنا ما عشت حتى تكتفي

    And renowned leaders throughout the world.

    May happiness be yours while you live, until you have your fill;

  43. وآخر الأمر لأعلى الغرف

    في ظل حامي المستجير حيدر

    And at the last, may you reach the highest chambers,

    In the shade of Haydar, protector of those seeking refuge.

  44. خص بفضل واضح الشعار

    كالشمس في رابعة النهار

    Singled out for excellence whose signs are plain,

    Like the sun at the height of day,

  45. حديث كل عاكف وسار

    فخاره ناهيك من فخار

    The talk of everyone, resident or traveler;

    His glory is glory enough!

  46. سل عنه وانطق فيه أولا فقف

    عن شرف ما فوقه من شرف

    Ask about him and speak of him first, then stop:

    At an honor above which there is no honor,

  47. ومفخر ما بعده من مفخر

    واعطف إلى جد المجيد صالح

    And a glory beyond which there is no glory.

    And turn to the illustrious Salih's grandfather:

  48. أعني الرضا أخ الفخار الراجح

    ذا الحسب السامي المقام الواضح

    I mean al-Rida, brother of surpassing glory,

    Of lofty lineage and manifest station,

  49. من خير من سار إلى الأباطح

    وحل في المشعر والمعرف

    Among the finest who journeyed to al-Abatih,

    And stayed at al-Mash'ar and al-Mu'arraf,

  50. وطاف بالكعبة من مطرف

    من مسلم مستلم للحجر

    And circled the Kaaba among the cloak-clad,

    A Muslim touching the Stone.

  51. عاش سعيداً ومضى شهيداً

    وكان في أفعاله حميدا

    He lived happily and departed a martyr,

    And was praiseworthy in his deeds.

  52. وان وردت بحره المديدا

    مازلت تلقى كل يوم عيدا

    And if you approached his far-reaching sea,

    You would find a festival every day:

  53. ولجة تمج در الصدف

    وجنة بها أعالي الغرف

    And an ocean spilling forth shell-born pearls,

    And a paradise with the highest chambers,

  54. وروضة تزهو بنور الزهر

    وكم حوى أبوه من مكارم

    And a meadow radiant with the light of flowers.

    How many noble qualities his father possessed!

  55. شنشنة أعراقها من هاشم

    ومنحة من النبي الخاتم

    An inborn nature whose roots reach back to Hashim,

    And a gift from the final Prophet

  56. واله الغر الألى الأكارم

    أقام فيها خلف عن سلف

    And his illustrious family, those noble men.

    A successor upheld these after a predecessor,

  57. عن ماجد على العلى منعطف

    ذي ساعد إلى التقى مشمر

    From an illustrious man devoted to lofty distinction,

    His arm bared and ready for piety.

  58. هذا وما بلغت في مقالي

    تمام مدح ناظم اللئالي

    This much—and in my words I have not reached

    The full measure of praise for the stringer of pearls,

  59. الصالح الأفعال والأقوال

    رب الندى ومالك المعالي

    Righteous in deeds and words,

    Master of bounty and possessor of lofty honors,

  60. ذي المقول المزري بحد المرهف

    وناظم أنظم من مثقف

    Whose tongue puts a keen blade's edge to shame,

    And a poet more piercing than a straightened lance,

  61. شمس سنا الآداب في أرض الغري

    هذا وسامح ما ترى من زلل

    The sun of letters' radiance in the land of al-Ghari.

    This much; forgive whatever slips you see,

  62. أو خطأ أو ركة في مقولي

    رجاي منك لا سواك فاقبل

    Or errors or weakness in my words.

    My hope rests in you alone, so accept

  63. تقريظ ذي ود لعذب سلسل

    لقدره الغير نعم لم يعرف

    A loving man's commendation of sweet, flowing verse;

    His worth—indeed—others have not recognized.

  64. أنت له يكفي وفيك يكتفي

    فدم لك الخير طويل العمر

    You are enough for him; in you he finds all he needs.

    So live long, with goodness yours.