يدل على فضل الفتى حسن شعره

وسامعه يأتي بوافر شكره

The youth's fine poetry shows his merit,

And the listener comes with abundant thanks.

كديوان من حاز الدراية والهدى

ومن هو بالآداب واحد عصره

Like a collection of one who gained wisdom and guidance,

And in literature is peerless in his time.

هو الفاضل الحبر الاسير الذي غدا

بكشف رموز العلم يوسف مصره

He is the virtuous scholar, the captive, who became

By revealing knowledge's symbols, Joseph of his Egypt.

تأمل بما في قوله من بلاغةٍ

تجده كقاموس يجود بدره

Consider the eloquence in his words,

You'll find him a lexicon overflowing with pearls.

معارفه مثل الذخائر أودعت

لفائدة الطلاب في كنز صدره

His knowledge is like treasures deposited

For students' benefit in the treasure of his heart.

واشياخه الاخيار قد شهدوا له

بفضل وزكتهم حقيقة أمره

His eminent elders testified for him

With merit, and their integrity confirms his matter.

واني كما قالوا اقول ولم اخف

عتاب حسود قوله ضد فكره

And I, as they said, say, and did not conceal

The rebuke of envious whose words oppose his idea.

لعلمي ان الصبح عند ظهوره

يضيق فؤاد الكون عن كتم سره

For I know that dawn, upon its emergence,

Narrows the heart of the universe from concealing his secret.

أرى مدحه فرضاً علي وليس لي

سبيلٌ يؤديني إلى حد حصره

I see praising him an obligation upon me, and I have no

Way that takes me to the limit of enumerating his virtues.

وما زدته قدراً بتقريظ نظمه

ولكنني ممن يقوم بنصره

And I did not increase him in status by extolling his verse,

But I am one who aids him.

على ان ما ابداه فيه كفاية

لمن كان لا يدري بمقدار بحره

Moreover, what he initiated in it is sufficient

For one who does not know the extent of his sea.

ولو رمت ان يستغرق الخط وصفه

لكنت كمن قاس السماء بشبره

And if I wanted to occupy the line describing him

I would be like one who measured the sky with a span.

ولكن عن الاسهاب تكفي اشارة

كروض عليه دلنا طيب نشره

But a hint suffices instead of prolixity,

Like a meadow whose fragrance guided us.

فكم جر نفعاً من تآليفه لنا

وقد ناله ما الثنا فوق اجره

How much benefit his writings brought us!

And he got what we wished for him beyond his reward.

وكل امرئ حاز الكمال فانه

من الله يرجو ان يمد بعمره

And everyone who attained perfection,

From God, hopes He extends his life.