زاهِرُ العُودِ وَطيبُه

وَلَياليهِ تُشيبُهْ

The fragrant aloes wood, and its sweet scent,

And its nights turn it grey,

كُلَّ يَومٍ مِن مَكانٍ

يَلبَسُ الذُلَّ غَريبُهْ

Every day it's from a new place,

Strange humiliation clothes it,

وَهْوَ يَسعى طالِباً لِل

عِلمِ وَالهَمُّ يُذِيبُهْ

As it strives seeking knowledge,

And worries melt it away.

وَطَوى بُردَ صِباهُ

قَبلَ أَن يَبلى قَشيبُهْ

It endured the cold of youth,

Before its hair turned white.

واِقتَدى بِالقَومِ يَدعو

هُ هَواهُ فَيُجيبُهْ

And it followed people calling it,

To abandon its passion, so it would answer.

خَمسَةٌ لا يَجِدُ الحا

سِدُ فيهِم ما يَعيبُهْ

Five, the envious cannot find in them,

What faults to pick on.

مِنهمُ الجَعفِيُّ لا يُع

رَفُ في العِلمِ ضَريبُهْ

Among them Al-Ja’fari, none can contend,

With him in knowledge and its ways.

وَإِذا اعتَلَّ حَديثٌ

فالقُشَيريُّ طَبيبُهْ

And if a new talk starts,

Al-Qushayri is the doctor to cure it.

وَأَخونا ابنُ شُعَيبٍ

حازِمُ الرأي صَليبُهْ

And our brother Ibn Shuaib,

Strong of opinion, tough in debate.

وَأَبو داودَ مَوفو

رٌ مِنَ الفَضلِ نَصيبُهْ

And Abu Dawud abundantly blessed,

With wisdom as his fortune’s share.

وَأَبو عيسى يَرى الجَهْ

ميُّ مِنهُ ما يَريبُهْ

And Abu Isa sees the confused one,

Doubt from him, it will tear.

حاديهمُ ذو زَجَلٍ يَس

تَضحِكُ الرَوضَ نَحيبُهْ

Leading them is he of charm, whose meadows,

Are delighted by his sorrow’s melody.

طارَ فيهِ البَرقُ حَتَّى

خالطَ الماءَ لَهيبُهْ

In it, lightning flashed, until

It mixed with the water, its raging flames.