بَلَغتُكَ لَم أَنسُب وَلَم أَتَغَزَّلِ

وَلَمّا أَقِف بَينَ الهَوى وَالتَذَلُّلِ

I have not indulged in praise or flirtation,

Nor have I wavered between passion and humiliation,

وَلَمّا أَصِف كَأساً وَلَم أَبكِ مَنزِلاً

وَلَم أَنتَحِل فَخراً وَلَم أَتَنَبَّلِ

I have not described a cup, nor wept over an abode,

I have not claimed glory or dressed with affectation,

فَلَم يُبقِ في قَلبي مَديحُكَ مَوضِعاً

تَجولُ بِهِ ذِكرى حَبيبٍ وَمَنزِلِ

So there was no room left in my heart for your praise

Where memories of a beloved and home might wander.

رَأَيتُكَ وَالأَبصارُ حَولَكَ خُشَّعٌ

فَقُلتُ أَبو حَفصٍ بِبُردَيكَ أَم عَلي

I saw you while eyes around you were downcast

So I said: "Is that Abu Hafs or is it Ali?"

وَخَفَّضتُ مِن حُزني عَلى مَجدِ أُمَّةٍ

تَدارَكتَها وَالخَطبُ لِلخَطبِ يَعتَلي

And I lowered my sadness for the glory of a nation

You saved when misfortune climbed and took hold,

طَلَعتَ بِها بِاليُمنِ مِن خَيرِ مَطلَعٍ

وَكُنتَ لَها في الفَوزِ قِدحَ اِبنِ مُقبِلِ

You rose with it in blessing from the best of dawns

And for its triumph you were like Ibn Muqbil’s wine cup.

وَجَرَّدتَ لِلفُتيا حُسامَ عَزيمَةٍ

بِحَدَّيهِ آياتُ الكِتابِ المُنَزَّلِ

You unsheathed for the youths a sword of resolve

With two edges: Quranic signs, a revelation descended!

مَحَوتَ بِهِ في الدينِ كُلَّ ضَلالَةٍ

وَأَثبَتَّ ما أَثبَتَّ غَيرَ مُضَلَّلِ

With it you erased in religion every misguidance

And affirmed what no one astray could make firm.

لَئِن ظَفِرَ الإِفتاءُ مِنكَ بِفاضِلٍ

لَقَد ظَفِرَ الإِسلامُ مِنكَ بِأَفضَلِ

If jurisprudence is blessed by an exceptional one through you,

Islam is blessed by the best one through you!

فَما حَلَّ عَقدَ المُشكِلاتِ بِحِكمَةٍ

سِواكَ وَلا أَربى عَلى كُلِّ حُوَّلِ

No one has untied tangled problems with wisdom

But you, no one more fitting for each twisted turn!