وَأَوقَدتُ نارِي بِاليَفاعِ فَلَم تَدَع
لِنيرانِ أَعدائِي بِنُعماكَ مَوقِدا
I lit my fire with dry wood, leaving
No place for my enemies' fires, thanks to your bounty.
وَمَا كانَ مَالي طَارِفاً عَن تِجَارَةٍ
وَمَا كَانَ مِيرَاثاً مِن المَالِ مُتلَدا
My wealth was not from profitable trade
Or inherited fortune left to me.
وَلَكِن عَطَاءٌ مِن إِمامٍ مُبارَكٍ
مَلا الأَرضَ مَعروفاً وَعَدلاً وَسُؤدُدا
But a gift from a blessed Imam
Who filled the land with good, justice and help.
شَكَوتُ إِليهِ ثِقلَ غُرمٍ لَوَ انَّه
وَمَا أَشتَكِي مِنهُ عَلَى الفيلِ بَلّدا
I complained to him of the burden of debt, as if
I complained of an elephant, not just a mule foal.
فَلَمَّا حَمِدناهُ بِمَا كانَ أَهلَهُ
وَكَانَ حَقيقاً أَن يُسَنَّى وَيُحمَدا
When we praised him as was his due,
For he deserved to be praised and lauded,
تَبَلَّجَ لِي وَاهتَزَّ حَتَّى كَأَنَّما
هَزَزتُ بِهِ لِلمَجدِ سَيفاً مُهَنَّدا
He beamed at me and shook as if
I had shaken a sharp sword in praise.
أَخو فَجرٍ لَم يَدرِ مَا البُخلُ سَاعةً
وَلا أَن ذا جُودٍ عَلَى البَذلِ أنفَدا
A brother of dawn who never knew avarice
And one so generous could never be impoverished.
وَإِن تُذكَرِ النُّعمَى الَّتِي سَلَفَت لَه
فَأَكرِم بِها عِندِي إِذا ذُكِرَت يَدا
If past favors to him are mentioned
Honor them when recalled, O hand of gifts.
يُشَرِّفُ مَجداً مِن أَبِيهِ وَجدِّه
وَقَد أَورَثَا بُنيانَ مَجدٍ مُشَيَّدا
He inherits glory from his father and grandfather
Who left a legacy of glorious, firm-founded glory.
أهانَ تِلادَ المَالِ فِي الحَمدِ إِنَّه
إِمامُ هُدىً يَجرِي عَلَى مَا تَعَوَّدا
He disdained wealth's ignobility in praise
A leader of guidance, as was his habit.
فَكَم لَكَ عِندِي مِن عَطاءٍ وَنِعمَةٍ
تَسوءُ عَدُواً غائِبِينَ وَشُهَّدا
How many gifts and favors you have given me,
Vexing absent and present enemies!
أُقيمَ بِحَمدٍ مَا أَقَمتُ وَأن أَبِن
إِلَى غَيرِكُم لَم أحمَدِ المُتَوَدّدا
I will live in praise as long as I live
And never praise those hostile to you.
تَرَدّى بِمَجدٍ مِن أَبيهِ وَجَدِّهِ
وَقَد أُورِثا بُنيانَ مَجدٍ مُشَيَّدا
He is clad in glory from his father and grandfather
Who left him a legacy of glorious, firm-founded glory
تَسور بِه عِندَ العَطِيَّةِ شِيمةٌ
هِيَ الجُودُ مِنهُ غَير أَن يَتَجَوَّدا
Nobility accompanies him in generosity
Generosity from him without even trying.
وَلي مِنكَ مَوعودٌ طَلَبتُ نَجاحَهُ
وأَنتَ امرؤٌ لا تُخلِفُ الدَّهرَ مَوعِدا
I asked you for success in what you promised me
And you are one who never breaks his word.
وَعَوَّدتَني أَن لا تَزالَ تُظلُّني
يَدٌ مِنكَ قَد قَدَّمتَ مِن قَبلِها يَدا
You accustomed me that your hand would never cease
To shade me, after preceding hands shaded me.
