1. نَشَرتُ شِراع المَدح في أَوحَد الدَهر

    سَليلِ العلا خدن المَعارف وَالفَخرِ

    I unfurled the sail of praise for the peerless one of the age,

    Scion of eminence, companion of learning and glory:

  2. محمد المَولى الحَليم الَّذي سَمَت

    بِهِ دَولة العرفان في ذَلِكَ القطر

    Muhammad Halim, the lord through whom rose

    The realm of knowledge in that land.

  3. أَمير حَوى عِلماً وَحلماً وَحكمة

    وَرَأياً وَفَضلاً جلّ في القَدر عَن حَصر

    A prince endowed with knowledge, forbearance, and wisdom,

    And judgment and excellence beyond all reckoning.

  4. وَأَحيا رُسوم المَجد بَعد اِندِراسها

    وَأَنسى الوَرى المَأمونَ بِالعلم وَالبر

    And he revived the traces of glory after their effacement,

    And made mankind forget al-Ma'mun through learning and benevolence.

  5. فَما عَدل كِسرى إِن تَقسه بِعَدله

    يُعادل مِنهُ غَير ما دقَّ مِن كسر

    For Kisra's justice, if you measure it against his,

    Equals no more than the tiniest fraction of it.

  6. وَما رَأي قَيس الرَأي إِلا حثالة

    لَدَيهِ وَلا مَعروف مَعْنٍ سِوى النزر

    And the counsel of Qays al-Ra'y is but dregs

    Beside him, and Ma'n's generosity is but a pittance.

  7. وَما كرّ عمروٍ وَاِبن شدّاد في الوَغى

    عَلى ما يُرى إِلا كَنَوعٍ مِنَ الفرّ

    And the charge of Amr and Ibn Shaddad in battle

    Appears to be no more than a kind of flight.

  8. وَما اللَيث مِن أَضرابه في نزاله

    وَما الغَيث إِلا القطر مِن ذَلِكَ البَحر

    And the lion is no peer of his in combat,

    And rain is but drops from that sea.

  9. فَعَن حلمه وَالبر وَالحَزم وَالوَفا

    وَهمته حدّث وَعَن طَيِّب الذكر

    So of his forbearance, benevolence, prudence, and fidelity,

    And his high purpose, speak—and of his good repute.

  10. وَذا الدَهر وافى بِالمَسرة وَالهَنا

    وَبِاليسر مِن بَعد الجِناية وَالعُسر

    And this age has come with joy and happiness,

    And with ease after wrongdoing and hardship.

  11. وَأَصبح مَولانا الحَليم محمد

    يقابل أَبناء المَعارف بِالبشر

    And our lord Muhammad Halim now

    Greets the sons of learning with a cheerful face.

  12. وَرَوضة شَبرَى أَشرَقَت بضيائه

    وَشحرورها حَيّاه بِالنَظم وَالنَثر

    And Shubra's garden shone with his radiance,

    And its blackbird greeted him in verse and prose.

  13. وَنرجسها وَالياسمين وَوردها

    وَأَزهارها كُلٌّ غَدا نافح العطر

    And its narcissus, the jasmine, and its roses,

    And its flowers—all began wafting fragrance.

  14. فَلا زالَ مَنصوراً سَعيداً مؤيداً

    سَمير المَعالي دَهره باسم الثَغر

    So may he ever remain victorious, happy, and upheld,

    A nightly companion of greatness, smiling all his days.

  15. وَلا زالَ مَغبوطاً بِأَجزل نعمة

    وَلا اِنفَكَّ عَن قَيد السُرور مَدى الدَهر

    And may he ever be envied for the richest blessing,

    And never be released from joy's bond for all time.

  16. وَإِقباله ما دامَ يبدي مؤرخاً

    حَليم حَليف العَزم وَالفَتح وَالنَصر

    And his good fortune, while it endures, proclaims this chronogram:

    "Halim, ally of resolve, conquest, and victory."