يقْظانُ قلبٍ وطرفٍ لا يُغالِبُهُ

إِشكال خطبٍ ولا إدمانُ تَسْهارِ

The wakefulness of an attentive heart and eyelid unconquerable

By entanglements of speech or addiction to late nights,

فنوْمُه عازِبٌ والرأيُ مُقتربٌ

مُصَرَّفٌ بين إِيرادٍ وإصْدارِ

Its sleep aloof, its reason drawing near,

Turning between revenue and expenditure.

يتْلو ويقْري لحامَ المُتلياتِ دُجىً

للطَّارقينَ فنِعْمَ القارىءُ القاري

It recites and intones the darkness of sublime verses

For the night visitors - what an excellent reciter!

فسوْرةٌ لسنَى النِّيرانِ رافِعَةٌ

وسورةٌ ذكْرُها يُنجي من النارِ

A chapter to kindle the fires of years gone by

And a chapter whose mention rescues from hellfire.

يحلُّ ضيفانُه منه بخرْقِ نَدىً

لا يكْسعُ الشَّوْل من يبُخلٍ بأغْبار

His guests take their leave of him with a tear of dew,

Unstinted by one whose palm is barren of dust.

ويمْطرُ المحْل والأنواءُ مخلِفَةٌ

بوابلٍ من نَدى كَفَّيْهِ مِدْرارِ

He rains upon the land and the clouds that remain

Are downpours from his overflowing palms.

شمس الضحى ونجوم الليل شاكيةٌ

من النَّدى والرَّدى في الحرب والدار

The sun of morning and stars of night complaining

Of the dew and grace in war and home.

فصاعِدٌ من صليبٍ غير ذي نَقَدٍ

وساطِعٌ من قُدورٍ غيرِ أعْشارِ

So a donor with no money ascends the cross

And a giver whose pots are no tithes shines forth.

فللْقَنا والغَضا جودانِ من يَدهِ

على فقيريْنِ مَشَّاءٍ وطَيَّارِ

To the beggar and monk from his hand flow generosity -

On two wretched wandering monks.

تلْقى أبا جعفرٍ والبأس شيمتهُ

سَمْحَ الخلائق سَهْلاً غير جبَّار

Father Ja'far is met whose valour is his nature -

Gentle to all creatures, without tyranny.

كأنَّهُ زهْرةُ العام الخصيبِ إذا

زهَتْ مَنابتُها القُصْوى بنُوَّارِ

As if he were the flower of a fertile year

When its furthest buds blossom with blazing light.

تُهدي لناظرِها حُسْناً وناشِقِها

طيباً بأوْقاتِ آصالٍ وأسْحارِ

Bestowing upon its viewer beauty and upon its smeller

Fragrance during times of intimacy and dawn.

وزيرُ مجدٍ ضَفَتْ منه ملابسُهُ

وعِرْضُهُ أبَداً عارٍ مِن العارِ

Minister of glory whose clothes were perfumed by him

While his honour is ever free of disgrace.

كسوتُ ريحَ الصَّبا رَيَّا مدائحهِ

فكُلُّ جَوٍّ عليه نَشْرُ عَطَّارِ

I clothed the breeze of the morning wind with his praises

So every atmosphere spreads his perfume.