جَمَعَ الصِّحابَ علَى هَوىً وَإِخَاءِ
نَجْمَانِ مِنْ صَدْنَايَا وَالشَّهبَاءِ
He gathered the companions in love and brotherhood
Two stars from Sidon and the Pleiades
طَلَعَا بِأُفْقِ النِّيلِ وَانْجَلَيَا بِهِ
فِي هَالَةٍ مِنْ سُؤْدِدٍ وَعَلاَءِ
They rose on the Nile's horizon and shone upon it
In an aura of dignity and sublimity
فَلَكُ الكَنَانَةِ وَهْوَ جَوْهَرَةُ الْعُلَى
يَجْلُو سَنَاهُ كَوَاكِبَ الأَحْيَاءِ
The star of nobility and the gem of the sublime
Whose radiance outshines the stars of the living
تَتَلَفَّت الدُّنْيَا إلى أَضْوَائِهَا
مَبْهُورَةً بِسَواطِعَ الأَضْوَاءِ
The world gazed in awe at their brilliance
Dazzled by the splendor of their lights
فَرَنَا إِلَيْهَا حَبرُ رَوُمَةَ وَانْثَنَى
يَهْدِي إلى النِجْمَينِ طِيبَ ثَنَاءِ
The ink of Rome's pen inclined towards them
And offered the two stars generous praise
شَغَفَتْهُ آياتُ المآثِرِ منْهُمَا
فَجَزَى عَلَى الآلاءِ بالآلاءِ
He was enthralled by the signs of their great deeds
And repaid favor with favor
وَدَعَا إِلى الرِّحْمَنِ فِي صَلَوَاتِهِ
يَا رَبِّ بَارِكْ دَارَةَ الكُرَمَاءِ
And invoked the Most Merciful in his prayers
"O Lord, bless the abode of the generous!"
حَفْلٌ جَلاَهُ الفَرْقَدَانِ كَمَا جَلاَ
نَجْمُ المَجُوسِ مَغَارَةَ العَذْرَاءِ
A gathering illuminated by the two moons as
The star of the Magi illuminated the Virgin's cave
جِئْنَا إِليَهِ وَفِي الوِطَابِ نَفَائِسٌ
عَلَوِيِّة قَصُرَتْ عَلَى الأٌمَرَاءِ
We came to him, our gifts treasures
Of excellence, restricted to rulers
المُرُّ فِيهَا وَاللُّبَانُ نَثِيرُنَا
وَالتِّبرُ بَعْضُ خَوَاطِرِ الشُّعرَاءِ
Myrrh, frankincense, our scattering
Some musings of the poets
الشِّعرُ سِفْرُ الْمَكْرُمَاتِ يَصُونُهَا
حِرْصاً وَيَنْقُلُهَا إِلى الأَبْنَاءِ
Poetry, the book of generous deeds that protects them
Zealously, and passes them on to sons
لَوْلاَهُ لَمْ تُعْرَفْ عَلَى طُولِ المَدَى
غِرَرُ وَلاَ رُهِنَتْ بِطُولِ بَقَاءِ
Without it, over the ages, gems would not be known
Nor would virtues last long
غَنَّت بَلاَبِلُهُ بِأَيْكَةِ نَدْوَةٍ
مُتَصَدِّرٌ فِيهَا أَبُو الآبَاءِ
His nightingales sang with delightful melody
As the father of fathers led
النُّورُ فِي قَسَمَاتِهِ وَالحَقُّ فِي
كَلِمَاتِهِ وَالطُّهرُ فِي الحَوَبَاءِ
Light in his portions, truth in his words
And purity in intents
مُتَهَجِّدٌ للهِ مُضْطَّلعٌ عَلَى
وِقَرِ السِّنينَ بِفَادِحِ الأَعْبَاءِ
Devoted to God, burdened with the weight
Of heavy years and grave duties
مُسْتَمْطِرٌ لِلنَّاسِ رَحْمَةَ رَبِّهِ
مُتَشَفِّع لَهُمُ مِنَ الأَخْطاءِ
Seeking God's mercy for the people
Interceding for their sins
وَإِذَا عَلَى العَرْشِ اسْتَوى فَكَأَنَّهُ
موسَى الكَليمُ عَلَى ذُرَى سيناءِ
And when upon the Throne he sat, it was as if
He was Moses the Kalim on Mount Sinai
بَسَطَ اليَدَ البَيْضَاءَ جَمَّلَهَا التُقَى
لِيزِينَ صَدْرُ ذَوِي يَدٍ بَيْضَاءِ
He stretched out his blessed hand, adorned with piety
To grace the chests of the white-handed
نَعْمَاءَ جَادَ بِهَا خَلِيفَةُ بُطْرُسَ
وَاللهُ فِيهَا الوَاهِبُ النُّعمَاءِ
Blessings he gave, like the successor of Peter
As God, the Giver, granted blessings
هذِي الرَّصِيعَةُ بَعْضُ مَا زَخَرَتْ بِهِ
كُتُبُ المَلاَئِكِ مِنْ سَنِيِّ جَزَاءِ
This is but some of what the books of angels recorded
Of the rewards of venerable years
