شَهِدتُ وَقَد شاهَدتُ مَغنى جَمالِهِ

شَهِدتُ وَقَد شاهَدتُ مَغنى جَمالِهِ

مُحَيّاً يُباهي البَدرَ عِندَ كَمالِهِ

مُحَيّاً يُباهي البَدرَ عِندَ كَمالِهِ

I bore witness, having beheld the realm of his beauty—

I witnessed—having beheld the abode of his beauty—

a countenance that vies with the moon at its fullness;

A face that vies with the moon when it is full,

وَعِلماً رسى كَالطودِ يُعزى لِمَنطِقٍ

وَعِلماً رسى كَالطودِ يُعزى لِمَنطِقٍ

يَفوقُ الزُلالَ العَذبَ عَذبُ زُلالِهِ

يَفوقُ الزُلالَ العَذبَ عَذبُ زُلالِهِ

and knowledge, firm as a mountain, expressed in speech

And knowledge firm as a mountain, expressed in speech

whose sweet clarity surpasses pure, refreshing water;

Whose sweet, clear flow surpasses sweet, clear water,

وَفَضلاً مَوالي الرومِ عَمَّ نَوالُهُ

وَفَضلاً مَوالي الرومِ عَمَّ نَوالُهُ

وَبَيّنتي إِقرارهم بِنوالِهِ

وَبَيّنتي إِقرارهم بِنوالِهِ

and excellence—his largesse embraced the lords of Rum,

And excellence—his bounty encompassed the lords of Rum;

and my proof is their acknowledgment of his bounty.

And my proof is their acknowledgment of his bounty.

سَما فيهمُ كَالبَدرِ لَيلَةَ تِمِّهِ

سَما فيهمُ كَالبَدرِ لَيلَةَ تِمِّهِ

جَمالاً يَردّ الطَرف نُور جَلالِهِ

جَمالاً يَردّ الطَرف نُور جَلالِهِ

Among them he rose like the moon on the night it becomes full,

He rose among them like the moon on the night of its fullness,

with beauty whose majestic radiance turns the gaze away.

In beauty; the light of his majesty turns the gaze away.

وَفاتَهُم عِلماً وَحِلماً وَسُؤدُداً

وَفاتَهُم عِلماً وَحِلماً وَسُؤدُداً

وَرَأَياً سَديداً في جَميع فِعالِهِ

وَرَأَياً سَديداً في جَميع فِعالِهِ

He surpassed them in knowledge, forbearance, and lordly eminence,

And he outstripped them in knowledge, forbearance, and eminence,

and in sound judgment throughout all his deeds.

And in sound judgment in all his deeds.

فَيا أَيُّها المَولى الَّذي جودُ كَفِّهِ

فَيا أَيُّها المَولى الَّذي جودُ كَفِّهِ

يَفوقُ السَحابَ الجودَ وَقتَ اِنهِمالِهِ

يَفوقُ السَحابَ الجودَ وَقتَ اِنهِمالِهِ

O master, whose open hand's generosity

So, O master, whose hand’s generosity

surpasses the bounteous clouds when they pour—

Surpasses the bountiful clouds as they pour down,

بِبابكَ دَمعُ العَينِ أَصبَحَ سائِلاً

بِبابكَ دَمعُ العَينِ أَصبَحَ سائِلاً

نَداكَ فَلا تَنهَر بِردّ سُؤالِهِ

نَداكَ فَلا تَنهَر بِردّ سُؤالِهِ

at your door the eye's tears have become a petitioner,

At your door, the eye’s tears have become a petitioner

asking your bounty; do not rebuff its plea.

For your bounty; so do not rebuff them by rejecting their plea.

وَمُنَّ بِتَفسير الإِمامِ الَّذي رَقى

وَمُنَّ بِتَفسير الإِمامِ الَّذي رَقى

عَلى مِنبر التَحقيق عِندَ مَقالِهِ

عَلى مِنبر التَحقيق عِندَ مَقالِهِ

Bestow upon me the Tafsir of the Imam who ascended

And favor me with the commentary of the imam who ascended

the pulpit of exacting truth whenever he spoke.

To the pulpit of rigorous inquiry when he spoke.

وَأَعني بِهِ شَيخَ الفَتاوى أَبو ال

وَأَعني بِهِ شَيخَ الفَتاوى أَبو ال

سعُود سَقاهُ اللَهُ مُرفِدَ آلِهِ

سعُود سَقاهُ اللَهُ مُرفِدَ آلِهِ

By him I mean the chief authority on fatwas, Abu al-

And by him I mean the master of fatwas, Abu al-

Su‘ud—may God give that benefactor of his house to drink,

Su‘ud, benefactor of his family—may God give him drink,

وَأَسكَنَهُ الفِردَوسَ يُسقى رَحيقُها

وَأَسكَنَهُ الفِردَوسَ يُسقى رَحيقُها

خِتاماً بِخَتمِ الأَنبِياءِ وَآلِهِ

خِتاماً بِخَتمِ الأَنبِياءِ وَآلِهِ

lodge him in Paradise, and give him its nectar to drink

And may He lodge him in Paradise, where he is served its pure wine,

as a final draught, through the Seal of the Prophets and his House.

In closing, by the Seal of the Prophets and his family.