أنسمةٌ فاحَت بِنَشر الخزام

عاطرة الردنِ كَذات الخزام

A breeze blew, spreading the aroma of flowers,

Fragrant like the blossoms of the vine.

أم رَوضة وَشّى حلاها الحَيا

كَأَنَّها الجَنّة دار السَلام

Is it a garden adorned with vitality?

As if it were Paradise, abode of peace.

أَم بِبَديع الطِرس قَد سطّرت

رِسالة مَحكمة الإِنسِجام

Or with eloquent prose did it pen

A coherent epistle, profound and sage.

حازَت عَلى ما اِعتمدتهُ الأُلى

مَضوا عَلى سنّة خَير الأَنام

It attained what the eminent have endorsed,

Following the way of the best of mankind.

مِن مَذهب النُعمان شمس الهُدى

وَمَن لهُ بِالفَضل أَعلى مقام

Of the doctrine of al-Nu‘man, sun of guidance,

And the one of highest stature in merit.

فَيا لَها عقداً تَحلّت بِهِ

أَحكامهُ الغُرُّ فَزادَ اِنتِظام

So excellent a necklace it donned,

Its ingenious laws increased its coherence.

كَم ذات خدرٍ قَد جَلا حُسنهُ

مِنها وَعَنها قَد أَزاح اللِثام

What a blushing cheek revealed its beauty—

It removed the veil over it and about it.

كَأَنَّهُ عقد الثُرَيّا إِذا

حَلّى ثَناه جيد بَدر التَمام

As if it were a choker of gems when

It adorned a neck like the full moon.

يُعزى لِأَعلام الهُدى نَقلها

مَن كُلّ مِفضال وَحيد إِمام

It is ascribed to the guides of Truth—their transmission—

From every virtuous and peerless imam.

إِذ صحّة المَنقول تَمحو دجا ال

وهم كنور الشَمس يَمحو الظَلام

For the soundness of transmission erases the darkness of doubt,

As the light of sun erases darkness.

لا رَيب إِن دلّت عَلى فَضل مَن

أَلّفَها ذاكَ الفَريد الهمام

There is no doubt it indicates the merit of the one

Who compiled it—that outstanding sage:

العالم العامل برّ التُقى

وَالجَهبذ الكامل خدن الكِرام

The scholar who acts with true piety

And the perfect hero of generosity.

عنيت عَبد القادر المُنتَمي

دُرّة تيجان ذَوي الإِحترام

I mean ‘Abd al-Qadir who belongs

To the elite family of highest prestige.

وَمَن نَجا إِذ لَقَّبوه نَجا

بِجدّهِ طَه عَلَيهِ السَلام

And the one named Deliverance for his ancestry

To Taha (Moses)—on him be peace.

فَخُذ هداك اللَه يا صاح مِن

ذا البَحر درّاً في بَديع النِظام

So, guided by God, take O connoisseur

From this ocean a unique pearl of construction.

وَاِطرب عَلى سَجع رَخيم حَلا

مِنهُ وَلا تصغ لِسَجع الحمام

Delight in its flowing, melodious prose,

Not the cooing of doves.

أصبو لِمَعناه كَما أَنَّهَ

يَصبو لِأَنفاس الصِبا المُستَهام

Yearn for its meaning as if

You yearn for the exhales of the passionate morning breeze.

وَأَنثني مِن لُطف أَلفاظِهِ

كَأَنَّما أَرشف كَأس المُدام

And relax from the subtlety of its words,

As if you sipped the wine-cup.

يا دَوحَة العلم الَّتي لَم تَزَل

أَغصانُها مُثمرةً لِلأَنام

O palm tree of knowledge, whose branches

Have been fruitful for mankind.

جَزاكَ باري الخَلق خَير الجزا

مِن فَضلِهِ حَتّى تَنال المَرام

May God, Creator of beings, reward you well

For your merit until you attain your hopes.

ما اِفترّ ثَغر الزَهر عَن لُؤلؤٍ

رَطب إِذا ما اِنهلَّ دَمع الغَمام

No lips of blossoms would part from a moist pearl

When the raincloud sheds its tears.

أَو صَدح الطَير بِدَوح الربى

فَهَيَّج الوَجد بِأَهلِ الغَرام

Nor would a bird trill with joy in the valley,

Stirring fervor in lovers’ breasts.

أَو رَقص الغُصن بِأَيدي الصبا

حَيث غَدَت تَهصر مِنهُ القوام

Nor would a branch dance in the hands of morning breeze

Swaying gently through it.

أَو ما حمام الأَيك قَد أَعرَبَت

أَلحانُهُ مَبنيَّ هَذا الهيام

Nor would the cooing of dove in the sanctum

Express with its melodies this passion.

أَو نبَّه الوَسنان في شَدوه

حيّ عَلى نَيل المُنى يا نِيام

Nor would the nightingale in its song awaken

The sleeper to attaining wished desires.

أَو ما عَلى الهادي وَأَنصاره

وَآله وَالصَحب صَلّى السَلام

Nor would blessings on the Guide, his party,

Progeny, and Companions—blessings and peace—

أَو عطّرت نَفحة إِمدادهم

أَرّخت أَحياناً بِمسك الخِتام

Or a scent of their aid ever inscribe

At times in musk the seal.