جَزَيتَ بفَرْط الودّ مثْنَى ومَوْحدا

ومثلُك من سامَ الهدَاية واهتدى

You have repaid excessive affection with reciprocation

And one like you who attained guidance and was guided

وما زلتَ في مِنهاج سنّة أحمد

تشيِّد منه كلّ ما كان شُيِّدا

You have never ceased to follow the way of Ahmed

Constructing from it all that was constructed

وتُشْبِهُهُ هَدْياً وبرّاً ومذهباً

كذا يُشْبه الآباءَ من طاب مولِدا

And resembling him in guidance, righteousness and creed

Thus does one resemble virtuous fathers if born with fortune

وما زلتُ أرجو فيك هذا فِراسةً

وأعلَمه حتى بدا منك ما بدا

And I have never ceased to expect in you this sagacity

And made it known until it appeared from you

سعودُك قادت صفوَ ودِّك نحونا

وما زال سعدُ المرء للمرء مرشِدا

May your good fortune guide your abundant affection toward us

And the good fortune of a man for a man has always been a guide

فلا يَبْتعد ما يعتريك به المُنى

فقد آن منه كلُّ ما قد تبعدا

So do not shy from what befalls you of sorrows

For all that could keep distant has come to pass from it

إذا استبعد الأمرَ الجهولُ تضايقت

خلائقه عنه وملَّ التّجلُّدا

When the ignorant shun a matter, his manners recoil from it

And he is laden with pretense

وتَلْقى اللبيبَ الماجدَ الطبع ثابتاً

تَزيد سجاياه الرّزايا تشدّدا

While you will find the brilliant, noble-natured intelligent man

His traits made more resolute by calamities

وإنّك لَلْمَشهود رأياً وحكمةً

وحزماً إذا اشتدّ الزمان وسؤددا

And you are indeed witnessed to have wisdom, discernment

And resolve when times grew difficult and calamitous

ولم أزْج وعظي نحو ودِّك أنّني

أخاف عليه الدهر أن يَتبدَّدا

I do not mix my advice toward your affection fearing

It would diminish should time treat it badly

ولكنّه ذكرٌ يزيد هواك لي

وفاءً إذا كلّ الهوى وتجددا

But it is a reminder that increases your passion for me

And loyalty when all passions have changed and renewed

حَلفتُ بآبائي الكرام ألِيّةً

وبالله حَلْفاً بعد ذاك مؤكّدا

I swore a solemn oath by my honorable fathers

And by God thereafter even more binding

لَتجْتَنِينّ السُؤل ممّا تُحبّه

وتبلغُ أقصى ما تؤمِّل في العِدا

You will grant me my request from what you love

And attain the utmost extent of what you hope for in return

وما هي إلاّ ليلة طاب جَوْنُها

فلا تَبْتئس إذ ذاك وارقب لها غدا

It is but a night whose essence was beautiful

So do not despair, observe it tomorrow