شَرَفَ المَعالي مَن يُساجِلُكَ العُلى

وَلَكَ الإِمامُ بِمُلكِها قَد أَسجَلا

The one who rivals you in excellence has achieved nobility,

And the Imam in his kingdom has recorded it.

تَدعو الحُظوظَ فَتَستَجيبُ كَذا وَما

لَم تَدعُهُ مِنها أَتاكَ مُطَفِّلا

You summon good fortunes, and thus they respond likewise,

No fortune you did not summon came to you uninvited.

في كُلِّ يَومٍ ما تَزالُ مُكَذِّباً

مَن قالَ غايَةُ كامِلٍ أَن يَكمُلا

Each day you continue to give the lie

To whoever said that the limit of perfection is to perfect.

وَلَقَد أَتَتكَ اليَومَ مِن فَخرٍ حُلىً

ذا المَجدُ صايِغُها وَمِن تِبرٍ حُلا

And today ornaments of pride have come to you,

With this glory as their craftsman and with ingots as their material.

هاتيكَ تُسمِعُ مِن صِفاتِكَ مُعجِزاً

لا يُستَعارُ وَذي تُري ما أَذهَلا

Wonders about your attributes render a listener speechless,

Indescribable, and show what stupefies.

لَولا البَصائِرُ مِن عَشى أَبصارِنا

لِضِيائِها خِلنا العِيانَ تَخَيُّلا

Were it not for the insights that illuminate our inner eyes,

Dazzled by their radiance, we would have imagined them illusory.

وَإِذا تَعاوَدنا ثَناءَكَ بَينَنا

عادَ المُكَثِّرُ ما رَآهُ مُقَلِّلا

And when we resume praising you amongst ourselves,

What we had diminished returns multiplied.

فَهَلِ اِنتَحَتكَ مِنَ الكَواكِبِ سُربَةٌ

كَيما تَكونَ لِنورِها مُتَسَربِلا

Did a flock of planets swoop down upon you

That you may don their light?

أَم لِلغَزالَةِ في الجَدالَةِ مَنزِلٌ

وَعَهِدتُها لا تَستَطيعَ تَرَحُّلا

Or does the gazelle have a lodging in the doe

When she is accustomed not to travel?

وَهَلِ اِدَّرَعتَ شُعاعَها فَلِأَجلِ ذا

ما إِن تُطيقُ لَكَ العُيونُ تَأَمُّلا

Or have you clad yourself in their rays? Therefore eyes

Cannot bear contemplating you.

أَم قَد كَساكَ النورَ ذو النورِ الَّذي

ما زالَ في آبائِهِ مُتَنَقِّلا

Or has the Light of lights that migrated

Through your forefathers garbed you?

لُبسُ الحَريرِ مِنَ الحَديدِ مُثَقَّلاً

أَفضى إِلَيهِ بِالنُضارِ مُثَقَّلا

Wearing silk after iron weighs down,

But he took it on with vitality despite its weight.

وَالحَربُ لا تُجنيكَ أَرياً غِبُّها

إِلّا إِذا أَجنَت عِداكَ الحَنظَلا

War brings you no harm unless

It reaps your enemies like dried stalks.

وَسَليلِ صاعِقَةٍ أَتاكَ مُعَوِّضاً

مِمّا تَرَكتَ مِنَ الضِرابِ مُفَلَّلا

And the son of a lightning bolt came to you compensating

For what you had lost of ravaging strokes.

وَالتِبرُ ما لَم تَرضَهُ لَو لَم يَكُن

بِنَفائِسِ الدُرِّ الثَمينِ مُكَلَّلا

And were ingots not delighted by the gems' nobility

Crowning them, they would still have sublime essence.

وَلَوَ اِنَّ كُلَّ الناسِ يَعرِفُ قَدرَهُ

أَغناهُ جَوهَرُ مَتنِهِ عَمّا اِحتَلا

And if all people recognized their value,

Their intrinsic gemstone essence would suffice them without esteem.

وَمُضيئَةٍ كَسَتِ النَدِيَّ بِضَوئِها

وَالحاضِرينَ بِهِ حَريقاً مُشعَلا

A resplendent star eclipsed the luminaries with its light

And set those present aflame with its blazing.

ما إِن رَأَينا هالَةً مِن قَبلِها

أَضحَت تَضَمَّنُ عارِضاً مُتَهَلِّلا

We have not seen an aura like it before

That contains a fleeting incident.

فَاِبجَح بِمَفخَرِها مَلابِسَ لَم يَكُن

غَيرُ الإِمامِ لِمِثلِها مُتَبَدِّلا

So glory in it openly since none but the Imam

Has possessed its like after having worn it.

لَمّا تَنافَسَتِ الجَواهِرُ وَالحُلى

فيها أَتَتكَ وَجِسمُها قَد فُصِّلا

When gems and ornaments vied with each other in it,

They came to you with its body detailed.

بِجُذى غَضىً ما لَمسُهُنَّ بِمُحرِقٍ

وَنُجومِ داجِيَةٍ وَلَيسَت أُفَّلا

Made of unripened pearls and of shooting stars that do not set,

And I reckon it a crown, but it did not find

وَأَظُنُّها تاجاً وَلَكِن لَم تَجِد

لِعُلُوِّ قَدرِكَ فَوقَ خَصرِكَ مَنزِلا

Above your great stature any place to lodge.

Thoroughbreds that surpassed beauty — if Kisra's page

وَسَوابِقٍ عَدَتِ الجَمالَ فَلَو مَشى

شَبدازُ كِسرى بَينَها لَتَخَيَّلا

Walked among them he would imagine himself.

Woven of every sweetly scented place, if it were not

مِن كُلِّ مَحبوكِ القَرى لَو لَم يَكُن

بَعضَ الجِبالِ لَهَدَّهُ ما حُمِّلا

For some mountains it would fell what it carries.

It transports it like the mass a swimming camel carries,

كَالطَودِ تَنقُلُهُ قَوائِمُ سابِحٍ

فَإِذا عَدا صارَت قَوادِمَ أَجدَلا

Then when it passes by its legs become crippled.

It cast off cloaks and regalia when

نَبَذَ البَراقِعَ وَالجِلالَ وَراءَهُ

لَمّا تَبَرقَعَ بِالحُلى وَتَجَلَّلا

It donned the ornaments and was adorned.

Did it come to you as prize garments or to meet a battalion?

لَبِسَت تَجافيفَ النُضارِ فَهَل أَتَت

تُحفاً لِمُلكِكَ أَو لِتَلقى جَحفَلا

And soaring in the air you would think it

A cloud, having mistaken the galaxy for a watering place,

وَمُحَلِّقٍ في الجَوِّ تَحسَبُ أَنَّهُ

ظامٍ وَقَد ظَنَّ المَجَرَّةَ مَنهَلا

Veiled over the rainbow's arch moving from one side to the other,

Of a necklace that no difficulties can tie

أَوفى عَلى قَوسِ الغَمامِ مُعَمَّماً

مِنهُ بِناحِيَةٍ لِأُخرى مُسدِلا

Truly, and it is not a knotter of what it unties.

It strings along minarets of domes whose pinnacles

مِن عَقدِ مَن ما حَلَّ خَطبٌ عَقدَهُ

كَلّا وَلَيسَ بِعاقِدٍ ما حَلَّلا

Dazzle beauty with their adornment.

He gave them to you in total — so how many say

يَقتادُ مِن زُهرِ القِبابِ شَوامِخاً

توهي بِحِليَتِها الجِمالَ البُزَّلا

"Did he send the pyramids along with what he sent?"

You have no need for a standard with a frame

أَعطاكَها شُمّاً فَكَم مِن قائِلٍ

هَل أَرسَلَ الأَهرامَ فيما أَرسَلا

That rose high so that you eclipse the faded old flag.

The lofty summits suffice you, that you not be seen

وَلَقَد غَنيتَ عَنِ اللِواءِ بِقامَةٍ

طالَت فَطُلتَ بِها الوَشيجَ الذُبَّلا

At the lowlands taking shelter in its shade.

Glory seizes you, as does bestowal, nor have you ceased

وَكَفَتكَ أَفياءُ العَوالي أَن تُرى

عِندَ الهَجيرِ بِفَيئِهِ مُتَظَلِّلا

Elevating kings, ennobling and being ennobled.

You are the one who, if the world submitted to him

لِلمَجدِ أَخذُكَ وَالعَطاءُ وَلَم تَزَل

تَعلو المُلوكَ مُنَوِّلاً وَمُنَوَّلا

What you gathered, would be more sublime than what submitted.

With the messenger, gifts of supreme value came to you,

وَلَأَنتَ مَن لَو خُوِّلَ الدُنيا بِما

جَمَعَت لَكانَ أَجَلَّ مِمّا خُوِّلا

Lighter than what is seen yet heaviest when laden.

A period that interprets your feats for mankind,

وَمَعَ الرَسولِ إِلَيكَ أَنفَسُ قيمَةً

مِمّا يُرى وَأَخَفُّ أَيضاً مَحمَلا

Though they were not hasty so as to be interpreted.

It fulfilled, though lacking a speaker — thanks

عَهدٌ يُؤَوِّلُ مَأثُراتِكَ لِلوَرى

مَعَ أَنَّها ما اِستَعجَمَت فَتُأَوَّلا

For your efforts that were not pretentious.

God, Majestic is His Majesty, has protected

وافى فَأَسمَعَنا وَلَيسَ بِناطِقٍ

شُكراً لِسَعيِكَ لَم يَكُن مُتَمَحَّلا

The word of succession from being far-fetched talk.

How much virtue it contains, and how much of its content

وَلَقَد أَعاذَ اللَهُ جَلَّ جَلالُهُ

قَولَ الخِلافَةِ أَن يَكونَ تَقَوُّلا

The Imam invoked, making you eminent!

His succession and his state are secure — they will not

كَم حازَ مِن صِفَةٍ وَكَم في ضِمنِهِ

قَولٌ دَعاكَ بِهِ الإِمامُ مُبَجَّلا

Be barred due to defiance or procrastinated.

The sword whose sharpness prophecy has not known

أَمِنَت خِلافَتُهُ وَدَولَتُهُ مَعاً

أَن يُمنَعا مِن بُغيَةٍ أَو يُمطَلا

Since it was drawn, and the arm that will not weaken.

Glory in this day on which true guidance was given

بِالسَيفِ ما عَرَفَ النُبُوَّ غِرارُهُ

مُذ سَلَّ وَالعَضُدِ الَّذي لَن يَنكُلا

To one who erected its pillar, not hoping it would fall.

Until people fancied their awakening a dream

وَاِفخَر بِذا اليَومِ الَّذي أُعطي الهُدى

فيمَن أَقامَ عِمادَهُ ما أَمَّلا

Or that Egypt's kingdom had shifted to Damascus.

Rarely does a describer depict the virtues

حَتّى لَظَنَّ الناسُ يَقظَتَهُم كَرىً

أَو مُلكَ مِصرَ إِلى دِمَشقَ تَحَوَّلا

Save that he lingers, picturing its beauty.

Wondrous is the zeal of one heavy-laden —

وَلَقَلَّما يَصِفُ المَحاسِنَ واصِفٌ

إِلّا وَظَلَّ بِحُسنِهِ مُتَمَثِّلا

How did he endure carrying it to you?

You have eased the Imams with efforts not neglected

عَجَباً لِمَجنوبٍ وَذي أَعباؤُهُ

كَيفَ اِستَطاعَ بِها إِلَيكَ تَحَمُّلا

To aid a just Imam's uprightness.

If they sufficed with you in ordeals, you have not ceased

رُقتَ الأَئِمَّةَ بِالمَساعي لَم تَدَع

عَن رَبِّها لِإِمامِ عَدلٍ مَعدِلا

To be the foremost of eras in supporting them.

Or if they seated you in their stations, who

فَإِنِ اِكتَفَوا بِكَ في المُلِمِّ فَلَم تَزَل

أولى الزَمانِ بِنَصرِهِم مُتَكَفِّلا

Has ambition elevated him to higher merit?

With God you seek victory —you are His sword,

أَو أَجلَسوكَ عَلى مَراتِبِهِم فَمَن

أَعلَتهُ هِمَّتُهُ إِلى شَرَفٍ عَلا

And the truth, secure, protects that it not be forsaken.

And the minister of a sovereign —your traits

مُستَنصِرٌ بِاللَهِ أَنتَ حُسامُهُ

وَالحَقُّ يَحمي آمِنٌ أَن يُخذَلا

Have been beside the succession constantly unashamed.

The clouds were dispelled by the Perfect One's opinion,

وَوَزيرُ مُلكٍ ظَلَّ وَصفُكَ دَأبَهُ

عِندَ الخِلافَةِ دائِماً لَن يَخجَلا

Which would show us dawn in the dead of night.

Wakeful when Islam fears, securing it

جُلِيَت بِرَأيِ الكامِلِ النُوَبُ الَّتي

كانَت تُرينا الصُبحَ لَيلاً أَلَيلا

From what it dreads may be said and done.

You have not ceased to be now manifest, now covert

يَقِظٌ إِذا الإِسلامُ خافَ فَأَمنُهُ

مِمّا تَخَوَّفَ أَن تَقولَ وَتَفعَلا

Behind the enemy, at times drawing near.

You marshal armies until

ما زِلتَ بِالغاراتِ طَوراً غائِراً

خَلفَ العَدُوِّ وَتارَةً مُتَوَقِّلا

The Nile prevented its waters from sweetening in their midst.

And a protective war not prone to a critic

تُزجي الجُيوشَ تَراكَمَت حَتّى

لَقَد مَنَعَ القَنا فيها القَنا أَن يَعسِلا

Curbing it, for questioning you sufficed to be questioned.

Until shortly before returning you left an army

وَحُماةَ حَربٍ لا تَلينُ لِغامِزٍ

ذُلَّ السُؤالِ كَفَيتَهُ أَن يَسأَلا

Helpless, its religion’s door locked.

You quelled its maladies and lopped off

حَتّى تَرَكتَ قُبَيلَ عَودِكَ قافِلاً

مِن دونِ دينِ اللَهِ باباً مُقفَلا

Every outgrown tooth and straightened what was twisted.

And you dispelled sheer fear from our homelands

وَحَسَمتَ مِن أَدوائِهِ ما أَعضَلا

وَفَلَلتَ عَنهُ كُلَّ نابٍ أَعصَلا

After having cast dread upon them.

And your authority permitted us the security that,

وَثَنَيتَ مَحضَ الخَوفِ عَن أَوطانِنا

مِن بَعدِ أَن أَلقى عَلَيها كَلكَلا

Were we to buy it with glances, would not be costly.

The stubborn in every land became tame

وَأَباحَنا سُلطانُكَ الأَمنَ الَّذي

لَو نَشتَريهِ بِالنَواظِرِ ما غَلا

When your might bowed the tyrants.

And they came to you in surrender — you were not

صارَ العَنودُ بِكُلِّ أَرضٍ ناكِلاً

مُذ ظَلَّ بَأسُكَ بِالطُغاةِ مُنَكِّلا

Morally narrow with lives that narrowness squeezes.

They walked upon their mouths out of reverence,

وَلَقَد أَنابوا وَاِنتَحَوكَ فَلَم تَضِق

خُلُقاً بِأَحياءٍ يَضيقُ بِها الفَلا

Lest this dust be trodden under heels.

And the soil you dwell upon is worthier

فَمَشَوا عَلى الأَفواهِ مِن إِعظامِهِم

هَذا الثَرى أَن يوطِؤُهُ الأَرجُلا

Of dust to be kissed than trodden paths thirsty travelers kiss.

No tyrant survives an hour of your violence

وَتُرابُ أَرضٍ أَنتَ فيها قاطِنٌ

أَولى التُرابِ بِأَن يَكونَ مُقَبَّلا

Except to revert submissively, debased.

Your spears refuse to be seen erect

ما أَسرَفَ الظَمآنُ في تَقبيلِهِ

سُبُلاً تُبَلِّغُهُ الغَمامَ المُسبِلا

Until they rise from breasts and are wetted.

You drove them into the throats of enemies, thrusting,

لَم يَبقَ غَيرَ بنِ المُفَرِّجِ خائِفٌ

يَبغي الأَمانَ وَمُجدِبٌ يَبغي الكَلا

Then returned rending them in your dread, unarmed.

So remain steadfast in this honor and forsake turmoil —

فَاِعفِر لَهُ تِلكَ الذُنوبَ مُعاوِداً

حِلماً رَجَحتَ بِهِ الجِبالَ المُثَّلا

Stabbing hearts is harsher than stabbing flanks.

Will the stallions ever part from their saddles

عاقَبتَهُ لَمّا جَنى وَقَهَرتَهُ

لَمّا تَجَبَّرَ فَاِعفُ حينَ تَنَصَّلا

Until they rouse a tumult beyond Ghazna's realm?

Time's caprice did not frustrate resolute aims

وَاِرحَم عَليلاً ما أَصابَ مُعَلِّلا

وَأَغِث طَريداً لَم يُصادِف مَوئِلا

That extended over Islam a trailing mantle.

Their wounded do not heal, their prey does not escape,

مُذ زارَ رَبعَكَ يَجتَني فيهِ الغِنى

وَالعِزَّ عافَ المَنزِلَ المُستَوبَلا

And their dead cannot be avenged.

I said to one grasping for this sublime rank, "Ask it!

عُد لا عَدِمتَ الفَضلَ بِالفَضلِ الَّذي

جَعَلَ المُلوكَ إِلى اِنتِجاعِكَ عُمَّلا

For what is forbidden to thought has been made accessible."

And ask Him what His hands contain — He will give you

لَم يُمنَ جَبّارٌ بِبَأسِكَ ساعَةً

إِلّا وَعاوَدَ خاضِعاً مُتَذَلِّلا

Generosity, but His abundant glory is matchless.

For glory, when none but its possessor remains in it

تَأبى رِماحُكَ أَن تُرى مَركوزَةً

حَتّى تُعَلَّ مِنَ الصُدورِ وَتُنهَلا

Is like a vessel when filled to the brim.

The best of kings, when virtues are distinguished

أَورَدتَها ثُغَرَ الأَعادي رامِحاً

وَرَجَعتَ تَطعَنُهُم بِخَوفِكَ أَعزَلا

By fortune, is the superior one.

Who in grimmest straits was more glittering than they

فَأَقِم عَلى ذا العِزِّ وَاِطَّرِحِ الوَغى

طَعنُ القُلوبِ أَشَدُّ مِن طَعنِ الطُلا

Palm to palm, and in hottest frays most seasoned wielding blades.

So when they judge however they desire,

أَو ما تُفارِقُ ذي الجِيادُ سُروجَها

حَتّى تُثيرَ وَراءَ غَزنَةَ قَسطَلا

Your rulings affirm the scripture sent down.

And when their guidance goes astray in reflection,

لا فَلَّ رَيبُ الدَهرِ غَربَ عَزائِمٍ

مَدَّت عَلى الإِسلامِ سِتراً مُسبَلا

You elucidate what was unclear without pondering.

And when disputants feud before them

مَوتورُها لا يَشتَفي وَطَريدُها

لا يَنكَفي وَقَتيلُها لَن يُعقَلا

With you present a glance decides between them.

Were your rule contrary to God's rule, mankind

وَمُحاوِلٍ هَذي العُلى قُلتُ اِسلُها

فَلَقَد أَراحَ الفِكرَ مَمنوعٌ سَلا

Would not submit themselves to it.

You are rightly guided and have not inclined

وَاِسأَلهُ ما تَحوي يَداهُ يُنلِكَهُ

كَرَماً وَأَمّا مَجدَهُ الزاكي فَلا

To an extent in describing your munificence that leads astray.

Until ascetics reproached you — has anyone seen

فَالمَجدُ ما لَم يَبقَ فيهِ لِغَيرِهِ

إِلّا كَما يَسَعُ الإِناءُ إِذا اِمتَلا

Ascetics reproved for generosity?

When you refused one journeying to you in need,

أَولى المُلوكِ إِذا الفَضائِلُ مُيِّزَت

بِالحَظِّ فيها أَن يُعَدَّ الأَفضَلا

For questioning you sufficed to be questioned.

So the helpless are suffering, while your munificence

مَن كانَ في اللَأواءِ أَندى مِنهُمُ

كَفّاً وَفي الهَيجاءِ أَمضى مُنصُلا

Vows hands will bear no more and legs will go no farther.

It guided me by your nearness to morsels that

فَإِذا هُمُ حَكَموا بِما يَهوَونَهُ

أَمَّت قَضاياكَ الكِتابَ المُنزَلا

I have not stopped chewing toward fortune.

And it dazzled me with gifts whose flow

وَإِذا هُمُ اِفتَكَروا وَضَلَّ رَشادُهُم

أَوضَحتَ غَيرَ مُفَكِّرٍ ما أَشكَلا

Did not cease until I loved that it wait.

If it were rain, it would pour,

وَإِذا تَنازَعَتِ الخُصومُ لَدَيهِمُ

كانَت بِحَضرَتِكَ الإِشارَةُ فَيصَلا

And if it were wind, it would be a hot gust.

Do not obligate me to detail gratitude —

لَو كانَ حُكمُكَ ضِدَّ حُكمِ اللَهِ ما

أَضحى بَنو الدُنيا عَلَيهِ نُزَّلا

The verses are overwhelmed in summary.

And when could my hopes in other than you wane?

وَلَكَ النَدى لَم تَجرِ فيهِ إِلى مَدىً

يَنحوهُ مَن في وَصفِ جودِكَ أَوغَلا

When you have burdened me with weighty gifts,

Whose number my praise is jealous of,

حَتّى لَعاتَبَكَ العُفاةُ فَهَل رَأى

أَحَدٌ عُفاةَ نَدىً عَلَيهِ عُذَّلا

And my sea within them has become a stream.

Jurisprudence does not sanction one who disregards

لَمّا أَبَيتَ لِمَن يُنيخُ بِكَ المُنى

ذُلَّ السُؤالِ كَفَيتَهُ أَن يَسأَلا

Obligation to volunteer.

And when have I proved steadfast in praise without saying,

فَالعيسُ في تَعَبٍ وَجودُكَ مُقسِمٌ

أَلّا يُريحَ ظُهورَها وَالأَرجُلا

“Be for me in evident favor my relief.”

Were it other than your seeking client, fear would not

أَنهَجتَني مِن قُربِكَ اللَقَمَ الَّذي

ما زِلتُ فيهِ إِلى السَعادَةِ مُرقِلا

Accompany my arrows along with your hitting the mark.

وَأَبَحتَني مِنَناً تَتابَعَ سَيبُها

حَتّى لَقَد أَحبَبتُ أَن تَتَمَهَّلا

لَو أَنَّها مَطَرٌ لَكانَت وابِلاً

وَلَوَ اِنَّها ريحٌ لَكانَت شَمأَلا

لا تُلزِمَنّي أَن أُفَصِّلَ شُكرَها

مِن بَعدِ ما أَعيا القَوافي مُجمَلا

وَمَتى تَخِفُّ إِلى سِواكَ مَطامِعي

أَنّى وَقَد حَمَّلتَني ما أَثقَلا

مِن أَنعُمٍ قَد غارَ عِدُّ مَحامِدي

في ضِمنِهِنَّ وَصارَ بَحري جَدوَلا

وَالفِقهُ غَيرُ مُبيحَةٍ أَحكامُهُ

مَن لا يُؤَدّي الفَرضَ أَن يَتَنَفَّلا

وَمَتى أَثَبتَ عَلى الثَناءِ فَلَم أَقُل

كُن لي مِنَ الفَضلِ المُبينِ مُحَلَّلا

لَو غَيرُ نائِلِكَ المَرامي لَم تَخَف

مَعَ ذي الإِصابَةِ أَسهُمي أَن تَنصُلا