أَقولُ لِنُطقي اليَومَ إِن كُنتَ مَسعَدي

أَقولُ لِنُطقي اليَومَ إِن كُنتَ مَسعَدي

إِذاً أَرقَ أَسبابَ السَماءِ بِمَصعَدِ

إِذاً أَرقَ أَسبابَ السَماءِ بِمَصعَدِ

I say to my speech today: if you are my helper,

I say to my speech today, if you have brought me good fortune,

then ascend the paths of heaven by a ladder,

Then ascend to the highest reaches of the sky by stairs,

وَاِنظُم مِنَ القَولِ النَفيسِ فَرائِداً

وَاِنظُم مِنَ القَولِ النَفيسِ فَرائِداً

تُنزِل شِعري الأُفقَ في شِعرِ مُنشِدِ

تُنزِل شِعري الأُفقَ في شِعرِ مُنشِدِ

and string rare pearls from precious speech

And compose from the finest words leading poems,

that bring the horizon's Sirius down into a reciter's verse.

That bring down my poetry to the horizon in the poetry of one who chants.

إِذا أَنا لَم أوفِ المَكارِمَ حَقَّها

إِذا أَنا لَم أوفِ المَكارِمَ حَقَّها

مِنَ الشُكرِ في سَلكِ القَريضِ المَنضَدِ

مِنَ الشُكرِ في سَلكِ القَريضِ المَنضَدِ

If I do not give noble deeds their due

If I have not fulfilled virtues their due,

of gratitude in the ordered thread of verse,

Of gratitude in the path of polished verse,

فَلا شَغَفَت لي بِالمَكارِمِ مُهجَةً

فَلا شَغَفَت لي بِالمَكارِمِ مُهجَةً

وَلا عَزَّ آبائي وَلا طابَ مُحتَدي

وَلا عَزَّ آبائي وَلا طابَ مُحتَدي

then may no heart of mine be enthralled by noble deeds,

Then no zeal for virtues has stirred my heart,

nor my forefathers be noble, nor my lineage be pure,

Nor has the glory of my forebears been sweet, or my boast seemly,

وَلا بَلَغَت بي رُتبَةً مِن مَكانَةٍ

وَلا بَلَغَت بي رُتبَةً مِن مَكانَةٍ

أَنالَ بِها لُقيا العَزيزِ مُحَمَّدِ

أَنالَ بِها لُقيا العَزيزِ مُحَمَّدِ

nor may I be raised to a rank of distinction

Nor have I attained through any rank of status,

through which I gain a meeting with the noble Muhammad.

The honor of meeting the esteemed Muhammad.

وَأَذكُرُ عَلياهُ وَذِكرُ مُحَمَّدٍ

وَأَذكُرُ عَلياهُ وَذِكرُ مُحَمَّدٍ

أَلَذَّ كَلامٍ قيلَ بَعدَ التَشَهُّدِ

أَلَذَّ كَلامٍ قيلَ بَعدَ التَشَهُّدِ

And I recount his exalted glory—and the mention of Muhammad

And remembering Ali, and mentioning Muhammad,

is the sweetest speech uttered after the testimony of faith.

Is the sweetest speech spoken after prayers.

عَزيزٌ حَمَدتُ الدَهرَ عِندَ لِقائِهِ

عَزيزٌ حَمَدتُ الدَهرَ عِندَ لِقائِهِ

وَمَن لَقى التَوفيقَ لِلسِيَرِ يَحمَدِ

وَمَن لَقى التَوفيقَ لِلسِيَرِ يَحمَدِ

A noble man—upon meeting him I praised Time,

A dear one whom I praised fate for upon meeting,

and whoever meets good fortune praises the journey.

And one who attains guidance to walk the path, praises.

وَلا غَروَ أَن حَنَّت لِتَقبيلِ كَفِّهِ

وَلا غَروَ أَن حَنَّت لِتَقبيلِ كَفِّهِ

عَلى البُعدِ نَفسَ تَلمَسَ النَجمَ بِاليَدِ

عَلى البُعدِ نَفسَ تَلمَسَ النَجمَ بِاليَدِ

Nor is it strange that there yearned to kiss his palm,

And it is no wonder that for kissing his hand,

from afar, a soul that touches the star with its hand.

A soul far away reached for a star with its hand.

وَشاقَت لَهُ رَبَّ الرَقائِقِ طَلعَةً

وَشاقَت لَهُ رَبَّ الرَقائِقِ طَلعَةً

لَعَمرَكَ تَذكى الشَوقُ في قَلبِ جَلمَدِ

لَعَمرَكَ تَذكى الشَوقُ في قَلبِ جَلمَدِ

And a countenance stirred the master of tender verse to yearn for him—

And for him the Lord of wisps created a rising,

by your life, it kindles longing in a heart of stone.

By your life, yearning burns in the heart of a rock.

فَدونَكَها يا غُرَّةَ المُلكِ غادَةً

فَدونَكَها يا غُرَّةَ المُلكِ غادَةً

تَميسُ كَغُصنِ البانَةِ المُتَأَوِّدِ

تَميسُ كَغُصنِ البانَةِ المُتَأَوِّدِ

So take her, O splendor of kingship, a graceful maiden,

So away with you, O jewel of the kingdom, gently,

swaying like the bending bough of a bān tree.

You touch like a bough of acacia bending with love.

وَإِنّي إِذا أُهدي العَزيزَ مَدائِحي

وَإِنّي إِذا أُهدي العَزيزَ مَدائِحي

أَبوءُ بِصِدقِ القَولِ غَيرَ مُفَنَّدِ

أَبوءُ بِصِدقِ القَولِ غَيرَ مُفَنَّدِ

And indeed, when I offer the noble one my praises,

And when I present the esteemed one with my praises,

I attest to the truth of my words, unrefuted.

I acknowledge the truth of my words, undeceiving,

وَمَن رامَ مِن إِدراكِ كَنهِكَ غايَةً

وَمَن رامَ مِن إِدراكِ كَنهِكَ غايَةً

يَجِدُ غايَةَ ما تُدنِ لِلوَصلِ تُبعِدِ

يَجِدُ غايَةَ ما تُدنِ لِلوَصلِ تُبعِدِ

And whoever seeks an end to grasping your true essence

And one who seeks to attain the essence of your truth,

finds a goal that, as it draws him toward union, sends him farther away.

Will find the goal which draws near to connect pushes away.

وَإِلّا فَما حاوَلتُ إِدراكَ غايَةً

وَإِلّا فَما حاوَلتُ إِدراكَ غايَةً

بِشِعري وَلا نَظَّمَ القَصائِدَ مَقصَدي

بِشِعري وَلا نَظَّمَ القَصائِدَ مَقصَدي

Otherwise, I have not sought to attain a goal

Otherwise I have not attempted to attain a goal,

through my verse, nor is composing odes my purpose.

With my poetry, nor did my aim compose poems.