بك المناصب في العلياء تفتخر

وذكر مجدك في الآفاق منتشر

You take pride in high offices,

And the mention of your glory spreads in horizons.

وحزت في فلك العلياء منزلة

من دونها المشتري والأنجم الزهر

You have attained a lofty position in the circle of the eminent,

Below it are Venus and the shining stars.

نعم وطابت بك الأيام واعتدلت

والدهر مما جنى قد جاء يعتذر

Yes, the days have been blessed by you and set right,

And time has come to apologize for what it had yielded.

وما برحت يحمد الله منتصرا

ولم يخب من بحمد الله ينتصر

You have not ceased thanking God victorious,

And those who thank God are never disappointed.

يكفيك أن العدا من مكرهم رجعوا

بغيظهم وبهم قد حاق ما مكروا

It suffices you that the enemies in their cunning went back,

Out of rage and frustration over their failed plots.

ابشر فسعدك وافى بيت عاشره

والعز حل به والنصر والظفر

Receive good news, your fortune is perfect

And glory, victory and triumph have descended upon it.

فقل لمن في العلا اضحى بناظره

أقصر فعنديَ فيما قلته نظر

So say to those looking down from the heights,

"Make it brief, for in what you have said, I see no merit."

هذا سماء أياديه تفيض لنا

منها النوال وسحب الجود تتهمر

This is a sky whose hands rain down on us

Grants and clouds of generosity pouring forth.

بحر حلا موردا طابت مصادره

والعذب يحمد منه الورد والصدر

A sea whose streams are sweet,

Roses and breasts praise its fresh water.

بالقول والفعل قد ابدى مطالعة

فاللفظ منتظم والدر منتثر

In words and deeds, it has shown noble character,

Speech adorned, and pearls scattered about.

قالوا فمن ذا الذي تعنى فقلت لهم

مولى هو الروح وهو السمع والبصر

They asked: “Who is it you speak of?” I said to them:

“The Spirit itself, the Hearing and Sight.”

قاضي القضاة ولي الدين من شهدت

بفضله وعلاه البدو الحضر

The judge of judges and guardian of faith, witnessed by

Nomad and settled as sublime and virtuous.

بحر الوفا روضة العليا وبهجتها

حاوي رياض المعاني روضها النضر

The sea of loyalty, the garden of the exalted, and their delight,

Containing the meadows of meanings, their freshest garden.

قطب المعالي بديع في محاسنه

مطول المدح في معناه مختصر

Pinnacle of glories, excellent in his virtues,

Laudable in meaning, though succinct in praise.

كهف الندى من اليه تهرع الشعرا

في العسر كالنمل احزابا وهم زمر

Cave of dew, to which the poetry swarms

In times of need, like ants in droves.

يقل عند اياديه ونائلها

يوم الندى الاجودان البحر والمطر

It says, at the hands of its grantor:

On a rainy day, the most generous are the sea and rain.

تخاله عند بذل المكرمات وقد

تهلل الوجه منه انه التمر

You’d think, when he grants honours, his face

Lights up — yes, he is the fruitful date palm.

بحمد سيرته الامثال قد ضريت

أهذه سيرٌ في المجد ام سور

In praise of his conduct the parables have mingled:

“Is this a course to glory or a fence?”

ومن جميل عطاياه وسؤدده

يعطي الكثير لراجيه ويعتذر

Among the beauty of his gifts and habitual generosity,

He gives plenty to the hopeful and apologizes too!

كل المحاسن في اوصافه انحصرت

لكن سيب عطاه ليس ينحصر

All the virtues are confined to his attributes,

Except his irrepressible, inborn generosity.

لا عيب فيه سوى ان السخاء به

طبع ويمناه لا تبقي ولا نذر

His pens have thrived and blossomed through his munificence,

Beautifying and fructifying his gifts.

بالجود أقلامه قد اينعت وزهت

محاسنا وعطاياه لها ثمر

His right hand relates the tale of his bounty,

And his cheerful face truthfully tells it too.

يمينه في الندى تروي حديث عطا

وبشر مرآه عنه بصدق الخبر

My master! O eminent and virtuous one,

Through whom the world shines and prides itself.

مولاي يا واحد العليا وفاضلها

ومن به تشرق الدنيا وتفتخر

Take them as marvellous, inimitable rhymes,

Glorious in meanings, every single one a gem.

خذها حروف قواف لا نظير لها

بديعة في المعاني كلها غرر

Novel congratulations on your blessed year,

Rather, congratulations to all people for your joy.

بكر اليك سعت من خدرها ادبا

وكل بيت لها معناه مبتكر

So delight in them and in these fine, fragrant praises,

Whose perfume your renown has spread.

جاءت تهنيك بالعام المبارك بل

جاءت سرورا تهنيها بك البشر

You remain safeguarded, secure and carefree,

Your sweet life pure, unstained by bitterness.

فانعم بها وبامداح موشعة

روض العبير كساها نشرك العطر

And you have not ceased, for days on end, to be gladdened,

With a heart, until the Resurrection, cloven for your foes.

لا زلت بالامن في حفظ وفي دعة

وعيشك الحلو صاف ما به كدر

The lutes of my meadows were never played, nor

Did song give joy and rapture like the strings.

ولا برحت مدى الأيام منشرحا

وقلب ضدك حتى الحشر منفطر

ما حرك العود قمري الرياض وما

غنى وأطرب ما لم يطرب الوتر