قِفْ خَاشِعاً بِضَرِيحِ عِزِّ الدِّينِ
وَاقْرَأْ سَلامَ أخٍ عَلَيْهِ حَزِينِ
Stand reverently at the tomb of the glory of the faith,
And read the greeting of a sorrowful brother upon him.
كُنَّا عَلَى وَعْدٍ فَحَالَ حِمَامُهُ
دُونَ اللِّقَاءِ وَعُدْتَ عَوْدَ غَبِينِ
We were bound by a promise, but his destiny intervened,
Preventing the meeting, and you returned frustrated.
عَلَمٌ مِنَ الأَعْلامِ قَوَّضَهُ الرَّدَى
أَنَّى طَوَاهُ وَكَانَ جِدَّ مَكِينِ
A towering figure felled by fate -
How it enveloped him though he was firmly rooted!
عَهْدِي بِهِ إِنْ كَافَحَتْهُ حَوَادِثٌ
أَبْلَى بِعَزْمٍ فِي الْكِفَاحِ مَتِينِ
My pact with him - if difficulties assailed him -
Was eroded by a resolve firmly anchored in struggle.
قَدْ كَانَ أَحْسَنَ قُدْوَةٍ فِي قَوْمِهِ
لِلسَّيْرِ فِي مِنْهَاجِهِ المَسْنُونِ
He was the best exemplar for his people
To follow his well-trodden path.
رَجَعُوا إِلَيْهِ فَكَانَ أَصْدَقَ نَاصِحٍ
وَاسْتَأْمَنُوهُ فَكَانَ حَقَّ أَمِينِ
They turned to him, and he was the most truthful counselor,
Entrusted by them, and he was fully faithful.
أَثْرَى بِحِكْمَتِهِ فَعَزَّ وَلَمْ يَكْن
فِيمَا تَقَاضَاهُ الْعُلَى بِضَنِينِ
He enriched with his wisdom, and so became mighty,
Not stingy in his lofty demands.
أَرْضَى الإِلَهَ وَنَفْسَهُ وَمَضَى إِلَى
غَايَاتِ دُنْيَاهُ سَلِيمَ الدِّينِ
He pleased God and himself, and departed
To the goals of his life in perfect faith.
سَلْ فِي التِّجَارَةِ كَيْفَ كَانَ نَجَاحَهُ
وَبُلُوغُهُ مَا لَيْسَ بِالمَظْنُونِ
Ask about his trade, how successful it was,
And his attainments beyond the expected.
وَسَلِ المَرَافِقَ كَيْفَ كَانَ يُديرُهَا
بِنَشَاطِ مِقْدَامٍ وَحَزْمٍ رَزِينِ
And ask his companions how he managed affairs
With vigorous enterprise and steady wisdom.
فَيُبَلُّغُ غَايَةَ نُجْحِهَا
بِالْقَصْدِ وَالتَّدْبِيرِ وَالتَّحْسِينِ
Achieving through moderation, planning and improvement
The utmost success.
أَيْ مُصْطَفَى أَلْقَيْتَ دَرْساً عَلَّهُ
يَبْقَى لَدَى الْفِتْيَانِ نُصْبَ عُيُونِ
O Mustafa, you have taught a lesson; may it
Remain before the youth as a splendid landmark!
مَجْدُ البِلادِ بِجَاهِهَا وَثَرَائِهَا
لا بِالخَصَاصَةِ وَهْيَ بَابُ الْهُونِ
The glory of a country is through its stature and wealth,
Not through stinginess - the gate of disgrace.
شَتَّانَ بَيْنَ طَلِيقِ قَوْمٍ يَبْتَنِي
مُلْكاً وَبَيْنَ مُغَلَّلٍ مِسْكِينِ
Far apart is the released one of a people who builds
A kingdom, and the shackled destitute!
يُغْرِيهِ أَنْ تُجْرَى عَلَيْهِ وَظَائِفٌ
وَبِحُبِّهَا يُرْضِيهِ عَيْشُ ضَمِينِ
Tempted by offices conferred on him,
And pleased by them, his meager living satisfied.
لَمْ يَخْتَدِعْ عَرَضٌ حِجَاكَ وَلَمْ يَجُرْ
بِكَ عَنَّ طَرِيقِ الجَوْهَرِ المَكْنُونِ
No bribe seduced your reason, nor led you astray
From the path of hidden essence.
فَاذْهَبِ حَمِيداً خَالِدَ الذِّكْرَى وَفُزْ
بِثَوَابِ مَا أَسْلَفْتَ فَوْزَ قَمِينِ
Go rewarded, eternally remembered, and win
The reward for what you did - a triumph assured.
عَبْدَ الحَمِيد كَرَامَةً وَمَحَبَّةً
أَفَلا أُجِيبُ السُّؤْلَ إِذْ تَدْعُونِي
Abdul Hamid - in reverence and love:
Should I not respond when you call me?
لِلأَكْرَمِينَ بَنِي طَرَابُلُسٍ يَدٌ
عِنْدِي وَفَضْلٌ لَيْسَ بِالمَمْنُونِ
For the noblest of the sons of Tripoli, I have
A hand and favor that will not be grudged.
هَيْهَاتَ أَنْ أَنْسَى وَإِنْ طَالَ المَدَى
ذِكْرَى حَفَاوَاتٍ بِهِنَّ لَقُونِي
Never will I forget, though time be long,
Memories of intimacy that brought me near.
فَلَهُمْ وِدَادٌ صَادِقٌ مُتَقَادِمٌ
مَوْصُولَةٌ أَسْبَابُهُ بِوَتِينِي
So my true, long friendship remains for them
With ties strongly binding me.
أَفَإِنْ تَوَلَّى ذُو مَقَامٍ بَيْنَهُمْ
يَعْتَاقُنِي شُغْلٌ عَنِ التَّأْبِينِ
If one of high station among them turns from me,
Does occupation spare me from eulogy?
فِي أَيِّ نَجْمٍ لِلْهِدَايَةِ زَاهِرٍ
فُجِعُوا وَرُكْنٍ لِلْفَخَارِ رَكِينِ
For which shining star of guidance should I grieve
Now they are bereft of pillar and steadfast mainstay?
لَوْ أَن بِي إِرْقَاءَ مَاءِ شُؤُونِهِمْ
أَرْقَأْتُهُ وَبَذَلْتُ مَاءَ شُؤُونِي
If I could pour the water of their affairs,
I would pour it, and expend my own water.
يَا وَاصِفُ النَّجْلِ النَّجِيبِ المُرْتَجَى
لِلْجَاهِ بَعْدَ أَبِيهِ وَالتَّمْكِينِ
O you who describe the esteemed, noble scion,
To glory after his father and empowerment -
عَظُمَتْ مُوَاسَاةُ الحِمَى لَكَ فَلْيَكُنْ
فِيهَا العَزَاءُ لِقَلْبِكَ المَحْزُونِ
Greatly comforting the protected one for you - let it be
In this, solace for your grieving heart.
