بهمة إسماعيل تدنو كواكبُ

وَتَسعى بِها نَحوَ المَعالي مَواكبُ

With the resolve of Ismail, the stars draw near

And with it the processions strive for the highest ideals

وَيَحيا بِها في الكَون شَرقاً وَمَغرِباً

مِن الناس ماشٍ ذُو مواتٍ وَراكب

And by it, in the universe, East and West alike

Live — the walking and the mounted among mankind

وَجود يَديهِ كُل يَوم عَلى الوَرى

بِدُون سُؤال كَالسَحائب ساكب

His generosity rains upon all creatures each day

Without asking, like pouring clouds

وَإِقدامه المَعهود في كل معرك

يَدين لَهُ بَينَ الفَوارس غالب

And his famous determination in every battle

Makes him victorious among the horsemen

وَتَدبيره في كَشف أَسرار غامض

بِهِ فُتِحت لِلعالمين مَطالب

And his management in unraveling complex mysteries

With it, hopes are fulfilled for the worlds

وَلَو أَنَّني أَصبَحت كلِّي ألسناً

وَأَنفقتُ عُمري في الثَنا وَهوَ واجب

And if all I am were to become tongues

And I spent my life in praise — and that is a duty

وَزادَ ليسري حسنُ شكري عَلى الَّذي

حَباني بِهِ وَالدَهر مغضٍ وَغاضب

And the goodness of my gratitude increased for the one

Who blessed me while time was unkind and wrathful

وَطابَ مَديحي فيهِ حَيث أَغاثَني

بِما فيهِ لِلعَبد الفَقير مَواهب

And my praise was refined for the one who rescued me

With gifts for the poor slave in need

بِما فيهِ لِلداعي رَشاد رِعاية

بِها رَفَعت عَن والديه مَصائب

With which the guide's care raised his parents

From ordeals and tribulations

لقصرت عَن إحصاء مَعشار عشر ما

بِهِ تَتَحلّى مِن علاه مَناقب

I would fall short of enumerating a tenth of the virtues

With which his supreme qualities are adorned

أَيا أَيُّها الشَهم الَّذي قَد تشرّفت

بِطلعته في ملك مصر مَراتب

O gallant one, whom ascended in the ranks

Of the Egyptian rule to prominence

وَقَد نالت الأَوطان مِن حُسن رَأيه

وَفطنته ما منه تَسمو مَناصب

And the homelands gained from his wise opinion

And insight what high positions aspire to

وَفيها صفت مِنهُ بِأَسنى سِياسةٍ

لملتجئٍ يأَوي إِلَيهِ مَشارب

And found in him the finest governance

For a refugee seeking his guidance

إِلَيكَ عَليٌّ لاحَ بِالشُكر ناطِقاً

عَلى نعمٍ عَن حَصرِها كَلَّ حاسب

To you, Ali, gratitude shines forth speaking

Of blessings beyond any counter's count

عَلى فَتح بَيت كاد لَولاك بابه

يُغلِّقُه يَأس عَنيد مُراقب

For opening a house whose door, were it not for you

Would be shut by stubborn, watchful despair

فَكُن لي نَصيراً يَوم لا ذو فتوّة

سِواك عَن العَبد الضَعيف يُحارب

So be my ally on a day none but you

Would defend the weak slave under attack

وَعَهديَ في أَخلاقك الغرّ أَنَّني

أَفوز وَلي يَقضي بِظني مآرب

And my covenant in your noble nature is that

I will succeed and my wishes with you fulfilled

وَأَبلغ ما أَمّلت فيك وَلم أَكُن

لَدَيك كَمَن ضاقَت عَلَيهِ مَذاهب

And attain all I hoped in you, and I was not

Of those whose paths were too narrow

فَستون شَهراً في البِطالة أَذهَبَت

أَثاثي وَقَد سدّت عَليّ المَسارب

Sixty months of unemployment exhausted

My furniture and closed off my avenues

وَأَنتَ كَريم راحمُ القَلب بامرئ

بِحَزمك مِنهُ لَيسَ يُهضم جانب

But you are kind, merciful at heart, so that

None withstand your resolve without being wronged

وَمَن دقَّ أَبواب الكِرام تفتحت

لَهُ وَتَوارت عَن حِماه نَوائب

And whoever knocks on the doors of generosity

They open to him and tribulations disappear

فَلا زلت غَوثاً للعباد بِدَولة

بِنُورك تُجلَى عَن سَماها غَياهب

So you remain a rescuer of servants in a state

Whose light dispels gloom from its sky

وَلا بَرح الإِقبال عَبدك ماثلاً

بِهمة إسماعيل تدنو كَواكب

And your servant continues to visions success

With the resolve of Ismail, the stars draw near