أَهْلاً بوَجْهِك من صَباحٍ مُقْبِلٍ

وبجُودِ كَفِّك من سَحابٍ مُسْبِلِ

Welcome, your face brings a new dawn

Your generous palm, a pouring cloud

وإذا الصّباحُ معَ السّحابِ تَرافَقا

مُتَسايرَيْنِ إلى مَعالمِ مَنْزلي

When dawn and cloud move together

Two companions towards my abode

سَعِدَتْ فأشْرَق كُلُّ نادٍ مُظْلمٍ

منها وأخصَب كُلُّ وادٍ مُمْحِل

They bring joy, so each dark place lights up

Each barren valley turns fertile again

قُلْ للعيونِ وللشّفاهِ منَ الوَرى

لمّا بدا كالعارِضِ المُتَهلِّل

Say to the eyes and lips in creation

When he appeared like a cheerful full moon

السّعْدُ في ذاك الجبينِ فطالعي

واليُمْنُ في تلكَ اليَمينِ فَقبِّلي

Good fortune is on that brow, so behold it

Blessing in that right hand, so kiss it

أرأيتَ بَرْقاً بين خَمْسِ سَحائبٍ

يَسْرينَ في عَرْضِ الفلاةِ المَجْهَل

Have you seen lightning amid five clouds

Flowing through the expanse of the wilderness

إلاّ عِنانَ مُطَهَّمٍ ذي مَيْعةٍ

ألقاهُ منه بينَ تلك الأنْمُل

Except a tamed steed of excellent stock

He let it loose between those sand dunes

عالي المَواطيء بالنّجومِ مُسمَّرٍ

للنّاظِرين وبالأهِلّةِ مُنْعَل

With the stars as its high watering places

Visible to onlookers, adorned with anklets

فنأَى به ودنا بقاصيةِ المُنَى

إذ لم يكُنْ لِيَحُلَّ لو لم يَرْحَل

It kept away, but drew near to the far goal

Since it could not stay if it did not depart

ما إن رَمَوْا بسديدِ دولةِ هاشمٍ

خَطْباً فأصبحَ منه مُخْطِئَ مَقْتَل

When they plotted against the Hashimite state

He made their every attempt go wrong

أضْحَى قرارَ الدَّولتَيْنِ بِسَعْيِهِ

وبعَزْمهِ الماضي مَضاءَ المُنْصُل

Through his effort, the rule of both dynasties was secured

By his resolute past, the polished blade dispelled

والأرضُ ساكنةٌ لدَورٍ دائمٍ

يَعتادُه فَلَكٌ عليها مُعْتَل

While the earth is still for its everlasting cycles

Above which a planet constantly turns

أمسَتْ لغيبتِك النّفوسُ وأصبحَتْ

للخَلْقِ وهْي قليلةُ المُتَعلَّل

Without you, souls were in anguish and at dawn

Creation was left with little consolation

وتَركْتَ بغداداً ومَشرِقُ شَمْسِها

في عَينِ ساكنها طَريقُ المَوْصِل

You left Baghdad though it was your sunrise

And in the eyes of its dwellers, the road to Mosul

وقَدِمْتَ والصّومُ المباركُ قادمٌ

فاسعَدْ بصَوْمٍ عيدُه في الأوّل

You came as the blessed fast was approaching

So delight in a fast whose feast is early

حتّى طلَعْتَ معَ السُّعودِ فأصبحَتْ

تلك الخُطوبُ عن النَّواظرِ تَنْجَلي

Until you rose with good fortune, so those sorrows

Were unveiled from sights and started to disappear

حُيّيتَ من قَمرٍ تَجلّى والورَى

من حَيْرةٍ في مِثلِ لَيْلٍ ألْيل

You were greeted by a moon that shone, and creation

Was confused as if it were an obscure night

طَلَعتْ مواكبُه وغُرّةُ وجَهْه

تَزدادُ نُوراً في ظَلام القَسْطَل

His procession emerged, and the prime of his face

Grew brighter in the darkness of nightfall

ورَمَوا بأبصارِ العُيونِ سَوامياً

منه إلى بَدْرٍ بدا مُسْتكْمِل

Eyes shot arrows of sight towards him

To a full moon that had emerged

فرَشوا بديباجِ الخُدودِ طريقَه

حُبّاً له من قادمٍ مُستَقْبَل

They paved his way with the brocade of their cheeks

Loving one who was newly arrived

وتناهبَ النّاسُ الثّرى بجباهِهمْ

إظهارَ شُكْرٍ للوَهوبِ المُجْزِل

People hit the ground with their brows

Expressing abundant thanks to the Bountiful

ولو استطاعَ الخَلْقُ يومَ قُدومِه

من فَرْطِ شَوْقٍ بالقُلوبِ مُوكَّل

If on your arrival, people could by the fullness

Of their souls’ longing, tied to hearts

لمَشْوا إليهِ مِشْيةً قلَميَّةً

بالهامِ لا قَدمِيّةً بالأرْجُل

They would walk to you with dot-like steps

By essence, not with feet touching the ground

فَلْيَهْنِكَ العَوْدُ الحَميدُ ولا تَزلْ

يُكفَى الوَرى بك كُلَّ خَطْبٍ مُعْضِل

So may your blessed return endure, as you always

Relieve the world of every troubling matter

يا داعمَ البيتِ القديمِ بعِزّه

أشْرِفْ بمَجْدٍ قد بنَيْتَ مُؤَثَّل

O pillar of the ancient house in its glory

Ascend with honor built to last

ما سار في الآفاقِ ذِكْرُك فارساً

إلاّ على يَومٍ أغَرَّ مُحجَّل

Never did your fame as a knight travel the horizons

Except on a splendid day of high assembly

بك قَرطَس الغَرَضَ الإمامُ وقد رمَى

فغَدا منَ الباغي مُصيبَ المَقْتَل

Through you the Imam hit his target precisely

So the transgressor in the morning met his death

وجلَوْتَ وجْهَ الحقِّ غيرَ مُدافَعٍ

لمّا نطَقْتَ غداةَ ذاكَ المَحْفِل

You exposed the face of truth without defending yourself

When you spoke at the assembly that day

مُلِئَ البلادُ مَيامِناً لمّا الْتَقى

يُمْنُ الرّسولِ لها ويُمْنُ المُرْسِل

The lands brimmed with blessings when theMessenger’s

And your own good fortune converged

قُلْ للّذي أَغفَلْتُ نَفْسي ضَجْرةً

لكنّه عن عَبْدِه لم يَغْفَل

Say to Him whose neglect burdened my soul

But who did not neglect His servant

نَفْسي فِداؤك من كريمٍ لم يَزَلْ

عالي ذُراهُ منَ الحوادِثِ مَوْئلي

My soul is yours to redeem, so hear my plea

Its abode is high above the strikes of fate

وعلى البِعادِ خلالَ أكبرِ شُغْلِه

عن ذِكْرِ أصغَرْ خادمٍ لم يُشْغَل

Though busy, your thoughts during long absence

Were not distracted from your smallest servant

يا باخِلاً بالعِرْضِ من كرَمٍ به

حتّى إذا سُئلَ اللُّها لم يَبْخَل

O you who hoard not your honor’s riches

So when asked for them, you do not refrain

وذُراه مُزْدَحِمُ الوفودِ تَؤُمُّه

أبداً لأنّ نَداهُ عَذْبُ المَنْهَل

Your hospitality overflows with delegations

Quenching seekers like a sweet well

وتَراهُ يَسبِقُ بالعطاء سُؤالَهمْ

جُوداً كإلْثاثِ الغوادي الهُطَّل

You give before asked, generously

Like clouds pouring without reserve

وإذا أتَى المُمْتاحُ حَقَّق بالنّدى

كُلَّ الأماني ثُمَّ قال له سَل

When one in need arrives, you make

Every wish real, then say “Ask!”

لم أمتدِحْ طلَبَ النّوالِ وإنّما

أغْنَى وُصولٌ عن طِلابِ تَوَصُّل

I do not praise seeking gifts, but bounty

Reaching you needs no imploring

لكنْ أَرى حادي المَطيّ وقد حدا

وأُثيرَ نِضْوُ الرّاكبِ المُستَعْجِل

I see the rider spur his mount and prod

The hustle of one swiftly departing

ولقد تُجَدِّدُ للضّيوفِ كرامةً

عند ارْتحالِ الظّاعنِ المُتحمِّل

You renew generosity when guests leave

As the resolute traveler moves on

تلك البقيّةُ بعدُ باقيةٌ كما

كانَتْ وعُقْدَةُ أمرِها لم تُحْلَل

What remains is as it was, its covenant unbroken

Though its ties have not yet been unraveled

ولقد كفَلْتَ بها ورأْيُك وَحْدَه

حَسْبي لها سَبباً وإن لم تَكْفُل

You alone will safeguard it, your view sufficient,

Even if you did not undertake its charge

فأعِدْ لها نظَر الكرامِ فليس في

تَحْصيلِها إلاّ عليكَ مُعوَّلى

So tend it with your gracious gaze, for I rely

On none but you for its accomplishment

وأنا الّذي ما لي سوِاكَ ذخيرةٌ

فلقد خبَرْتُك في الزّمانِ الأوّل

I whose sole treasure is you, known before

As one who stretched your favor to its ends

من أيِّ وجْهٍ كنتُ جئْتُك راغباً

لاقَيْتُ تَطْويلي بفَرْطِ تَطوُّل

However I sought you, by whichever means

I found you indulging me beyond my hopes

فإذا أردتُ الجاهَ كنتَ مُناوِلي

وإذا أردْتُ المالَ كنتَ مُنوِّلي

If I pursued status, you bestowed it on me

If I sought wealth, you fulfilled me

ومتى اقتبَسْتُ رأيتُ أكبرَ فاضِلٍ

وإذا التمسْتُ رأيتُ أكرمَ مُفْضِل

When I drew wisdom, I saw the greatest sage

When I sought judgment, I saw the noblest arbiter

أم كيف يُمكِنُ فَوتُ ما أنا آمِلٌ

ولكَمْ رجَعْتُ بنَيْلٍ ما لم آمُل

Or how could I miss what I hope for

When have I returned unfilled from you

وإذا طلبتُ النّصْرَ يومَ حفيظةٍ

جَرَّدْتَ دوني كُلَّ عَضْبٍ مِصْقَل

If I sought victory one heated day

You stripped for me every flashing blade

لا زلتَ تَلبسُ من حِسانِ قلائدي

أشباهَ دُرٍّ في النّظامِ مُفَصَّل

Still you dress me in necklaces like scattered pearls,

Assembled into a jewelry set

وبَقِيتْ تَخْطِرُ في عِراصِ سعادةٍ

وتَجُرُّ أذيالَ البقاء الأَطْول

While you spend on me the days of bliss

And trail the robes of enduring glory