لَهُ أَينَعَت أَيكُ العُلومِ فَإِن ترِد
جَناها مَتى ما شاءَ يَهمِ وَيَقطِفِ
He has the most fruitful gardens of knowledge, so if you wish
To reap their fruits whenever you desire, go ahead and pluck.
تنوَّعَ في الآدابِ يُبدي معانيا
يُعبِّر عَنها بِالكَلام المُثَقَّفِ
He is well-versed in literature, expressing meanings
Through educated speech and refined words.
كَلامٌ لَهُ سَهلُ المناحِي لَطيفُهُ
وَقَد صانَهُ عَن كُلفَةِ المُتَعَسِّفِ
His words are gentle and pleasing in expression,
Safeguarded from pretentious verbosity.
تَنَزَّهَ عَن حوشيِّ لَفظٍ وَرذلهِ
وَبُرِّئَ مِن تَعقيدِهِ وَالتَعَجرُفِ
Free from vulgar and graceless language,
And purified of convoluted complexity.
فَما رَوضَةٌ غَناء غبَّ سَمائها
وَقَد جادَها طَلٌّ بِأَسحَمَ أَوطفِ
Like a meadow whose plants are nourished by pouring rain
Flowing freely with most generous floods.
وَقَد شَرَقت يُوحٌ عَلَيها فَأَشرَقَت
بِنوّارِها كَالوَرد تَحتَ التَسجُّفِ
The sun rose upon it radiating glorious light,
As roses bloom under ample rainfall.
فَيُونِع مِنها كُلُّ ما كانَ قاحِلاً
فَيَختالُ في بَردِ الشَبابِ المُفَوَّفِ
It brings life to what was once barren and desolate,
Blossoming in the springtime of exuberant youth.
بِأَحسنَ مِما قَد وَشَتهُ أَنامِلٌ
لَهُ في حَديثِ المُصطَفى أَو بِمُصحَفِ
With finer composition than the most delicate embroidery
Whether from the Prophet’s sayings or the Holy Book.
له خُلُقٌ كَالماءِ لُطفاً شَرابُهُ
غَدا سائِغاً لِلوارِدِ المُتَرَشِّفِ
His character is gentle like water, so that his discourse
Quenches the thirsty soul who comes to drink.
جَميلُ المحيّا مُستَنيرٌ كَأَنَّما
مَحاسِنُهُ تُشتَقُّ مِن حُسنِ يُوسُفِ
Handsome of face, shining brightly, it's as though
His beauty derives from the beauty of Joseph.
عَليمٌ بِأَعقابِ الأُمورِ كَأَنَّما
يُشاهِدُها بِالفِكرِ مِن عِلم آصِفِ
Knowledgeable of the outcome of matters, it's as if
He can foresee them with discerning intellect.
حَليمٌ عَن الجاني صَفوحٌ كَأَنَّما
تحلُّمُهُ يَمتدُّ مِن حُلمِ أَحنَفِ
Forbearing with wrongdoers, forgiving, it's as if
His patience extends from the patience of Ahnaf.
وقورٌ فَما أَن يَستقرَّ كَأَنَّما
رَزانَتُهُ مِن شامِخٍ متكَنِّفِ
Dignified, so much so that when settled it's as though
His composure is from one cloaked in gravitas.
إِذا ذُكِرَت أَوصاف أَحمدَ في الوَرى
ثَمِلنا كَأَنّا قَد ثَمِلنا بِقَرقَفِ
When Ahmad's virtues are mentioned among people
We are satiated as though we feasted on loquat.
لَقَد غاصَ في بَحرٍ مِن العلمِ زاخرٍ
فَأَخرجَ دُرّاً يَنتَقِيهِ وَيَصطفِي
He has plunged into a sea brimming with knowledge
And extracted precious pearls, carefully selecting.
وَمَن يَكُ تاجاً لِلمَعالي فَإِنَّهُ
يزين اللآلي بِالثَناءِ المُضَعّفِ
Whoever is the crown of glorious deeds, verily
He adorns brilliant feats with repeated praise.
ثَناء أَريجِ المِسكِ شَنف مَسامِعٍ
وَذكر لأَفواهٍ وَمسك لآنفِ
Praise whose fragrance fills nostrils and graces lips,
The musk for noses and sweetness for mouths.
