فَخراً دِمَشق عَلى كُل البِلاد بِمَن
أَولى البَرية مَعروفاً وَعِرفانا
Damascus boasts over all lands of one
Who did good and knew gratitude best of men
المَقريّ الَّذي في بَعض أَيسر ما
حَوى مِن الفَضل كُل راح حَيرانا
Al-Maqarri, who even a little of the excellence
He embodied would leave every wise man perplexed
شَمس مِن الغَرب قَد كانَت مَشارِقُها
بَل دونَها الشَمس يَومَ الفَخر بُرهانا
A sun setting in the west whose rising
Would put even the sun to shame as proof
أَغرّ ما أَحدقت أَيدي العِظام بِهِ
إِلّا وَأَضحى بِماءِ الفَضلِ رَيانا
None prized what great minds valued more
Except he who made it flow with excellence
تَكاد تَقرأ في لَالاءٍ غرتِهِ
مِن سورة العِزة القَعساء عُنوانا
You can almost read in the radiance of his face
A title from the chapter of Might and Honor
لَهُ مِن الرَأي ما تَحنو لا يسره
ثَواقب الزهر إِرشاداً وَإِذعانا
He has such wisdom even the sharp ends
Of flowers bend to his guidance obediently
وَسيرة مِن أَبي حَفص تَلقفها
إِلى وَقار يُضاهي هَدي سَلمانا
A life learned from Abi Hafs he embraced
To dignity rivaling the guidance of Salman
مُصاحب حسن فعل الخَير يِعشقهُ
مَراقب رَبِهِ سرّاً وَإِعلانا
Loving to do good he ardently seeks
Privately and openly devoted to his Lord
يَقضي النَهار بِدَرس غَير مُندَرس
وَيَقطَع اللَيل تَسبيحاً وَقُرآنا
He spends his day teaching unfailingly
And night remembering God reciting Quran
لِأَي وَرد نولي اليَوم وَجهِتنا
وَقَد غَدا بَحرِهِ الطاميُّ مُرجانا
To which blossom should we turn our course today
When his sea of gifts has become coral adorned
لَأَن مَنَحنا يَلحَظ مِن مَواهبهِ
نِلنا الثُريا وَكانَ الخَير عُقبانا
For the blessings we gained from him
Brought ease and goodness always followed
شَفى يَدرس الشفا مَرضى درايتنا
لَما أَفادَ مَع الإِيضاح إِنقانا
Healing, teaching medicine to our knowledge
When he imparted elucidation and wisdom
هَيهات هَيهات مَن في القَوم يَشبَهَهُ
هَل السَراب يُباري الغَيث هِتانا
Alas! Who among the people resembles him
Can a mirage compete with rain in bounty?
إِذا مَشى فَعلى الأَعناق مَشيَتَهُ
وَإِن رَأَيت رِجال الحَي رُكبانا
When he walks he treads upon their necks
Yet if you saw the living they walked mounted
يا سَيد العُلَماءِ العاملين وَمَن
هُوَ الإِمام المُفَدا حَيثما كانا
O Master of scholars, workers, and leader
Wherever there may be, of those who guide
أَبرَأت ذمة دَهر جاءَ يَمنَحَني
بَعدَ الإِساءَة مِن لُقياك إِحسانا
My life's debt is paid, my time brought me
After wronging me, the blessing of meeting you
دَهرٌ يَقبّل آمالي وَأَوسَعَهُ
إِذ أَنتَ مِن أَهلِهِ حَمداً وَشُكرانا
A time kissing my hopes, expanding them
Because you of its people, praiseworthy, thanked
فَطَأ كَما شئت لا تَنفك مُنتَصِراً
بِأَخمصيك مِن الأَعداء تيجانا
Step with your heels, relentlessly victorious,
Upon the crowns of enemies whenever you please
وَأَهنأ فَأَنتَ الَّذي وَلّاهُ خالَقهُ
مِن المَلائك أَنصاراً وَأَعوانا
And congratulations, for your Creator appointed you
Angels as helpers and aides
وَاِستَحلها نَزهاً لَو أَنَّها رزقت
حَظّاً لَكانَت لِعَين الدَهر إِنسانا
And sanctified it as a gift, if it were graced
With your company, would give life meaning
وَاِسمَع لَها مِن قَواف لا يُماثلها
قَولٌ مِن الشعر إِلا قَول حَسانا
Hear from it, unmatched by any verse
Except the poetry of Hassan, eloquent words
