أكذاك تبكر في علاك وتمطر

يا غيث ملكك لك ملكك مزهر

Thus you rise early in your loftiness and rain down,

O bountiful rain, your kingdom is a flourishing kingdom,

تسعى وجودك مثل ظلك تابع

لك والمواهب إثر خطوك تقطر

Your existence strives, like your shadow following,

For you, and talents trickle in your footsteps’ wake.

لم يبق في أم العواصم معهد

إلا وفيه من عهادك أنهر

No institute remains in the mother of cities,

Without your care streaming into it like a river.

فاليوم عطشاها بسيبك رية

واليوم مجدبها بريك مغمر

Today, by your cause, its thirst is quenched,

And today, by your rain, its barrenness is flooded.

هش المقام الأحمدي لزائر

سبقت عوارفه إليه تبشر

Delicate is the Ahmadi place for a visitor;

Its nobilities have already come to it, heralding glad tidings.

جار على سنن الجدود كما بنوا

يبني وعما أقصروا لا يقصر

Going upon the ways of ancestors, as they built,

He builds, and does not fall short of what they fell short of.

لو يستطيع مزوره من شوقه

لأطل يرتجل الثناء ويشكر

If your frequenter could, out of his passion,

Step forth to improvise praise and give thanks—

أوعي من دهش هناك خطيبه

لأقام يخطب في الحضور المنير

Or if his awe there inspired an orator—

He would stand to give a sermon to the luminous gathering.

يستقبل المحراب منك مملكاً

هو مثله للملك بل هو أكبر

The prayer nook receives you like a kingdom;

It is like you to the kingdom, nay greater yet.

آثار أسماعيل في ريعانها

ملء الجفون إلى حسين تنظر

Traces of Ismail in their prime

Fill the eyelids, looking to Husayn.

فكأنما هي السن لفعاله

أبداً تباهي في العصور وتفخر

So it is as if these are the teeth, by his deeds,

Forever boasting in the ages and taking pride.

حيتك آثار النبي محمد

وغدت تهلل باسمه وتكبر

Your traces live on by the Prophet Muhammad,

And you rejoice with his name and hold it grand.

فترو من بركاتها ورضائه

فلأنت أولى بالرضاء وأجدر

You see, from its blessings and contentment,

For you are the worthiest of contentment and most deserving.

اليوم يصطنع الثنا لك مخلصاً

وغداً تظل به ترن الأعصر

Today someone composes praise for you in earnest,

And tomorrow these verses will echo through the ages.

لله طنطا ما أشد سرورها

لله أعين أهلها من تبصر

By God, how great is Tanta’s joy!

By God, how insightful are its people’s eyes!

يطأ الحسين ترابها فيضوع من

خطواته في جانبها العنبر

Al-Husayn treads its soil, and there diffuses from

His steps along its side ambergris.

سيبيت معهدها يسامي أفقها

ويبيت ملتفتاً إليه الأزهر

Its institute rises, elevating its horizon,

While Al-Azhar turns to it attentively.

حسب الشبيبة أنها في روضه

قد نورت وكذاك سوف تنور

It suffices the youths that in its meadow

It has lit up, and so shall it illuminate.

مولاي فضلك هاج منطق صامت

والفضل يقتدح اللسان فيذكر

My master, your overflowing favor has stirred a silent tongue,

And favor inspires the tongue to mention and recall.

علمتني صوغ الثنا فعلمته

ونهضت أنظم في ثناك وأنثر

You taught me to craft praise, so I learned it,

And I set about composing verses in your praise and scattering them.

أنا صادق في ما أقول وضامن

أن الزمان إذا أقول يكرر

I am sincere in what I say and certain

That time, when I speak, will echo it.