حَلفْتُ بالسّاعِينَ يومَ المَوقِفِ

وكثْرةِ الدّاعين بالمُعرَّفِ

I swore by the swift seekers on the Day of Assembly,

And the many supplicants with knowledge,

وضَجّةِ الشُّعْثِ المُلَبِّين ضُحىً

وزَحْمَةِ الحَجيجِ في المُطَوَّف

And the clamor of the disheveled pilgrims at dawn,

And the crowds of pilgrims circumambulating,

وزَمْزمٍ والمَرْوتَيْنِ ومِنَى

والجمْرَتَيْنِ والمَقامِ الأَشْرَف

And Zamzam, and the two Marwas, and Mina,

And the two Jamras, and the Most Noble Station,

والبُدْنِ تُدمَى والجِمارِ أصبحَتْ

تُرمَى وبَيتِ الحَرَمِ المُسجَّف

And the sacrifices with spilled blood, and the pebbles

Thrown at the Inviolable House,

وكُلُّ عَينٍ قابلَتْه فانْثنَتْ

مَملوءةً من الدّموعِ الذُّرّف

That every eye that saw you was dazzled,

Brimming with plentiful, gently falling tears,

حَلْفةَ بَرٍّ في أَلا يا صادِقٍ

لو لم يَثِقْ من نَفسِه لم يَحْلِف

A true oath - so believe me, O truthful one -

None would swear but the self-assured.

لو أَنّ ما وجَدْتُه وصَفتُه

أَيّامَ عُمري كُلَّها لم يُوصَف

If I described what I found and felt

All the days of my life, it could not be described,

من قَلقي السّالفِ حين اعْتادَني

وبَعدَه من طَربي المُستَأْنَف

From my former anxiety when it gripped me,

And later my newfound joy,

لِماجِدٍ طارَ فؤادي أَسَفاً

وفَرَحاً من بَعْدِ ذاكَ الأَسَف

When, alas, my heart flew off in grief,

Then joy after that grief,

يومَ ارتَحلْتُ وهْو حاشاه اشْتكى

ويومَ عاوَدْتُ وقالوا قد شُفي

The day I left while he - God forbid - complained,

And the day I returned and they said he was healed.

فقلتُ للدُّنيا وقد تَجدَّدَتْ

أَنوارُها غِبَّ ظلامٍ مُسْدِف

So I said to life, as its lights were renewed

After the darkness of sadness had faded:

يا عَيْنَ يَعقوبَ ارْجِعي مُبصِرةً

فقد أَعادَ اللهُ وَجْهَ يُوسُف

"O Jacob's eye, return seeing clearly,

For God has restored Joseph's face."

خَيْر بَنِيك لا عَرفْتُ فَقْدَه

فليس عنه للعُلا من خَلَف

The best of your sons I have not known his loss,

For no peer can replace him.

بَدْرُ جلالٍ لا استَسَرَّ أَبداً

وشَمسُ علياءَ فلا تَنْكَسِف

He is a full moon of glory that never wanes,

An ever-radiant sun that never sets.

أبلَجُ يَعْصي العاذلِينَ في النّدى

فَعالَ صَبٍّ بالمعالي كَلِف

Dazzling white, he defies the blamers with dew,

Lofty, seasoned with glory and duty-bound.

ما مِثْلُه سَماحةً في شَرَفٍ

يُلْفَى ولا تَواضُعٌ في شَرَف

None matches his nobility and honor,

Graceful, yet so humble in his nobility.

يَبْسطُ للسّائلِ كَفَّ حاتِمٍ

ويَمنَحُ الجاهِلَ سَمْعَ الأحْنَف

He extends to the beseecher Hatim's palm,

And grants the ignorant the hearing of Al-Aḥnaf.

ويُستعارُ من شَبا أَقلامِه

مَضاءُ أطْرافِ القنا المُثَقَّف

The glowing tips of his pen are borrowed

To illuminate the darkness of ignorance.

فجُودُه نَثْرُ شآبيبِ الحَيا

ورأْيُه حَدُّ الحُسامِ المُرْهَف

His generosity is the downpour of life,

And his wisdom the edge of the polished sword.

للهِ فَخْرُ الدِّينِ مثْل ماجدٍ

أَزْرَتْ يَداهُ بالغُيوثِ الوُكَّف

Pride of the faith is one like Mājid -

His hands have been graced with boundless gifts -

من سابِقٍ في المكرُماتِ يُقْتَفى

في سَنَنِ الجُود وليس يَقْتَفي

A predecessor in generous deeds to be followed,

In the ways of munificence, not a follower.

يُصفي الإمامَ نُصْحَه ووُدَّه

وهْو له منَ الأنامِ مُصْطَفى

He purifies the Imam's advice and affection,

While he is the Chosen One amongst the people.

يُصبِحُ منه كُلَّ يومٍ حادِثٍ

لِبابِه ذا قُربٍ وزُلَف

Every new day he comes to his door,

One brought near, familiar.

قد كان وَحْشاً مِدْحتي فاصطادَها

منه كريمٌ حَسَنُ التّألُّف

My eulogy was estranged, so he hunted it down -

A generous one, excellent at bringing together.

إذا انتدَى أَصبحَ ظَهْرُ كفِّه

ثَغْراً لباغي العزِّ حُلْوَ المَرْشَف

When it was recited, the back of his palm became

A mouth pouring glory’s wine, sweetly sipped.

يُكرِمُ أهْلَ الفَضْلِ حتّى ما لَهُمْ

إلاّ ذُراه أبداً من مَأْلَف

He honors the people of merit until they have

None but his gifts for evermore.

يَمدَحُه بنو الزّمانِ كلُّهمْ

بما لَهمْ من مَنْطقٍ مُؤَلَّف

All people of the age praise him

With composed words of every kind -

مِن مُوجِزٍ في مَدْحِه ومُطْنِبٍ

ومن صَريح شِعْرُه ومُقْرِف

Concise and prolix in praising him,

Plain and eloquent poetry.

والطّيرُ إنْ جاء الرَّبيعُ كُلُّها

داعيةٌ بنُطْقِها المُخْتَلَف

In spring, all the birds with their varied tongues

Call to visit this abode.

لو كان يَفْنَى الشِّعْرُ أَفْنَوه إذنْ

من وَلَعٍ بمَدْحِه وشَغَف

Were poetry to fade, I would fade it away

From passionate love and ardour for praising him.

لكنْ إذا ما كان بَحْرُ جُودهِ

يَمُدُّ بَحْرَ مَدْحِهمْ لم يُنزَف

But if the sea of his generosity

Extends the sea of their praise, it is unending.

إلى ذُراهُ قطَعتْ ركائبي

للمجدِ كُلَّ مَهْمَهٍ ونَفْنَف

For his gifts, my she-camels raced

To glory, every effort discharged.

وقائلٍ يُظهِرُ لي تَعجُّباً

من عُظْمِ ما أَسرَعْتُ من مُنصَرفي

And one exclaimed in astonishment at me,

“How quickly you journeyed back!”

أَكُلَّ عامٍ رحْلةٌ لنَحْلةٍ

هذي بتلك لو علمتَ لا تَفي

Is not every year to the bee's journey

As this to that, if you but knew!

والموقفُ الأسمَى يُنَالُ بِرُّه

على النّوى أَكرِمْ به من مَوقِف

And the Highest Assembly, its blessings

Are hoped for, so honor it when you arrive.

والمَجلِسُ السّامي الظّهيرِيَّ له

لك اعْتِناءٌ وهْو ذو تَلَطف

And the magnificent, brilliant court is yours -

Treat it with care, for it is gentle.

فلو أَقَمْتَ وبَعَثْتَ مِدَحاً

أَغنَتْ عنِ المَسيرِ والتَّعسُّف

So if you stayed and sent praise,

It would suffice, instead of imposition.

والحَجُّ فَرضٌ مرّةً على الفتى

أن يأتيَ البَيتَ بحَمْلٍ الكُلَف

The duty of ḥajj befalls the young man once,

That he may come to the House, however difficult.

ثُمَّ يُقيمُ ويُصلّي شَطْرَه

واللهُ من عَبْدٍ بذاكَ يَكْتَفي

Then he stays, prays part of it,

And God is satisfied with that from a servant.

قُلْتُ جُزيتَ الخيرَ لي من ناصحٍ

أصبحَ عن سَرائري مُستَكْشِفي

I said, “May you be rewarded with good, counselor

Who understood my innermost thoughts!”

فكُلُّ ما أَسمَعْتَنيهِ كَلِمٌ

عن جِهةِ الصّوابِ لم تُحَرَّف

“All you have advised me is rightly guided,

Not deviating from the truth.

لكنّ لي مَولىً قصَدْتُ نَحوَه

فهْو لِنُعماهُ قديماً مُسْلِفي

But I have a master whom I am traveling to,

For long has he lavished his gifts upon me.

فارقْتُه مِن قبلِ ما شاهَدْتُه

فعُدْتُ عَجْلانَ عسى أن أَشْتَفي

I left him before seeing him,

So I hastily returned, hoping to quench my thirst.

أعني ظهيرَ الدّولةِ القَرْمَ الّذي

يَزيدُ بالقَصْدِ له تَشَرُّفي

I mean the pillar of the state, the bounty

Whose seeking brings me more honor.

ما عَوْدَتي إلاّ إلى جَنابِه

واللهُ ربّي عالِمُ السِّرِّ الخَفي

I have returned only to be by his side,

And God, my Lord, knows what is hidden.

مَولىً لِقَصْدي وقَصيدي عندَه

أضحَى الزّمانُ مُسْعِدي ومُسْعِفي

A master, the purpose of my journey and ode,

Through him, time has favored and aided me.

صَرَّفْتُ دَهْري تحت حُكْمي صاغِراً

مُذْ كان تحت حُكْمِه تَصَرُّفي

I controlled fate under my command

While it was under his command and direction.

وكنتُ قبلَ اليومِ مُستَعطِفَه

فصار من إِجْلالِه مُستَعطِفي

Before today, I used to implore him -

Now by his veneration, I implore him.

فقُلْ له تَفديه نَفْسي من فتىً

أَصبحَ عُذْرَ الزّمَنِ المُقْتَرِف

Say to him - my soul ransoms him -

A youth who has become time's excuse.

أنت العزيزُ فَمُرِ الدَّهْرَ إذنْ

يُوفِ لنا الكَيلَ ولا يُطَفِّف

You are the mighty one, so order time

To fulfill the measure and not diminish.

فقد حَثَثْتُ في عِقالِ أَملي

على النّوى إلى المَحَلِّ القُذُف

For I have spurred my hopes

To you, the place of wishes thrown.

واصْرِفْ إلى أوطانِه منّي فتىً

إلاّ إليكَ نَفْسُه لم تُصْرَف

And return to his home one whose soul

Turns only to you and none other.

فهكذا إذا أُضيفَ يَنْثَني

مُنْصرِفاً ما ليس بالمُنْصَرِف

Thus, when invited, he returns,

Not one who turns away when called.

بَحرُ أميرِ المؤمنين للنّدى

ورأْيُك السّاحلُ للمُغْتَرِف

You are the sea of the Commander of the Faithful,

While your opinion is the coast for drawing water.

فأنت في إيصالِ سَيْبِ كفِّه

مُستَخلِفٌ للقائمِ المُستَخَلف

So in carrying the lightning of his palm,

You represent the successor.

وكم هَممْتُ أن أُقيمَ ساكناً

وسالِكاً طريقةَ المُخَفَّف

How often I thought to stay, residing,

Taking the path of lightness.

لكنْ لسانُ مجدِكَ الماضي الشَّبا

قال لنفسي اقْترحي وأَسرِفي

But the bygone glory of your praise

Told my soul to propose and dare.

فكيف لا يَبذلُ فَضْلَ جاهِه

مَنْ يَبْذُل الأموالَ بَذْلَ المُسْرِف

How could one not grant the favor of his position

Who spends wealth most lavishly?

مَنْ كَفُّه إذا اعتَفاه سائلٌ

أَسمَحُ من قَطْرِ الغمامِ الأَوطَف

One whose palm, when grasped by a beseecher,

Is more generous than pouring rain.

تَسخو لأبناءِ الزّمانِ كفُّه

بكُلِّ عَفْوٍ قَبلَه لم يُعْرَف

His palm spends freely on people of the age

With a pardon never before known.

وخيرُ ما نالَ به الحَمْدَ الفتَى

مالٌ لسَهْمِ الدَّهْرِ كالمُستَهْدَف

And the best thing for which a youth is praised

Is wealth aimed by fate like an arrow.

فجُدْ به وسُدْ به بَينَ الورَى

وابْذلْه بَذْلاً مِلْءَ كَفِّ المُعْتَفى

So spend it, bridge gaps with it between people,

And give it away completely like a palmful.

فالوَرْدُ من أَغصانهِ بطَبْعِه

مُنتَشِرٌ لابُدَّ إن لم يُقْطَف

The roses on its branches by nature

Spread freely when not plucked.

جاءتْكَ بِنْتُ ساعةٍ من لَيلةٍ

مَطْبوعةً من غَيرِ ما تكَلُّف

You were visited by an hour of night,

Stamped smoothly without effort -

حَسناءُ تُجلَى من بديعِ لَفْظِها

في مثْلِ بُرْدِ الرَّوضةِ المُفَوَّف

Beautiful, revealing the unique beauty of its words

Like the coolness of a thick-carpeted garden.

من خاطرٍ جارٍ متى ما أَدْعُه

إلى امتداحٍ لكمُ لم يَقِف

From a passing thought, whenever I call it

To praise you, it does not tarry,

كالبَحرِ يُلْقي الدَّهْرَ منه دُرَّه

ليس سوى فكْري لها من صَدَف

Like the sea casting its pearls upon fate

While only my mind composes it like a shell.

إن فُتِنَ النّاسُ بسِحْرِ بابلٍ

أو ملأوا منه بُطونَ الصُّحُف

If people are seduced by Babylon’s sorcery

Or fill their bellies with scripture’s leaves,

فلي يَدٌ بيضاءُ إن أظهرتُها

في النّظْمِ مهما يَأْفِكوا تَلَقَّف

I have a white hand - if I reveal it

In composition, however much they disbelieve, it collects.

وقلَمي في الطِّرسِ ثُعبانٌ إذا

نَضنَضْتُ قال الفَضلُ لي لا تَخَف

My pen in writing is a snake - if

I stir it, virtue says to me “Do not fear.”

إذا ذوو السِّحرِ رأوا آياتِها

أبْدَوْا لديها سَجدةَ المُعْتَرِف

When the sorcerers see its verses,

They will bow down in submission.

إليك أهْدَى رَمضانُ يُمْنَه

فاقْبَلْ هَديّةَ الولِيِّ المُتْحف

To you Ramadan gifted its favors -

Accept the gift of the affectionate guardian!

وافَى َبشيراً بُعلُوٍّ زائدٍ

في ظِلِّ شَمسِ دَولةٍ مُؤتَلف

It brought glad tidings of ever-rising glory

In the shade of the united state,

ومَدَّ بالبُشرَى يدَيْ هِلالِه

مثْلَ سِوارٍ فوقَها مُعطَّف

And extended with glad tidings the hands

Of its crescent like a bracelet above a sleeve.

من خِلْعةِ اللهِ عليه إذ سَعَى

إلى ذُراكَ طَلبُ التَّشَرُّف

By God’s robe of honor as he sought

Your gifts, aspiring for nobility!

بدَوْتَ تَسمو للمعالي وبَدا

يُجْلَى لعَيْنِ النّاظرِ المُستَشْرِف

You appeared lofty in greatness, and there appeared,

Gleaming to the looking observer,

ورُؤْيةُ النّاسِ هلالَيْنِ معاً

في أوّلِ الشّهْرِ مِنَ المُستَطْرَف

People’s sight of two crescents together

At the month’s beginning - a marvel!

فَزادَنا جَمعُكما أُنْساً ولو

وحْدَك للنّاسِ طَلَعْتَ لاكْتُفي

So your pair increased our intimacy - though

You alone, people would have sufficed.

فزِدْ بذا الشّهْرِ الشّريفِ بَهجةً

وَرِدْ جِمامَ العَيشِ عَذْبَ النُّطَف

Then add by this noble month more delight,

And gently curb the reins of life.

واعْدُدْ منَ الأعوامِ أَلْفاً مثْلَه

حتّى إذا استْكملْتَها فَنَيِّف

Count a thousand years like it

Until you complete them - and even more!

في دولةٍ مَحْسودةٍ عَلياؤها

ما شاقَ تَغْريدُ الحَمامِ الهُتَّف

In a state envied for its loftiness,

Unbroken by the turtledoves' cooing.