عرف المشيب مقامه فتقدما

وبدا على عرض العلاء وسلما

Gray hair knew its station and stepped forward,

And appeared upon glory’s broad expanse and offered greeting.

ما عاقه وقر الزمان عن العلى

فعلا ذراها ناهضاً وتسنما

Time’s burden did not keep it from the heights;

So it rose to their summits, striving upward, and scaled them.

والبطل راح بذيله متعثراً

والحق رمم بيته المتردما

And falsehood went away, stumbling over its train,

And truth repaired its ruined house.

والقلب ضمد جرحه لما رأى

روض الهناء له يوفر بلسما

And the heart bound up its wound when it saw

Joy’s garden furnishing it with balm.

والعين قرت بعدما أجرت له

عهد السهاد سخين مدمعها دما

And the eye found solace, after shedding for him,

In sleepless hours, its hot tears as blood.

والعدل نبه طرفه من رقدةٍ

من قال ان العدل ادركه العمى

And justice awakened its eye from slumber—

Who said that blindness had overtaken justice?

فيمين ايليا الزمان تعيد عا

دي البطل عن ربع الحقيقة محجما

For the right hand of this age’s Iliya turns back

Falsehood’s attacking force, recoiling from truth’s abode.

لما رأى تلك الكلوم تجسمت

بقلوبنا اهدى إلينا المرهما

When he saw those wounds had grown great

Within our hearts, he bestowed salve upon us.

ولدن رأى عرش العلى متأوداً

القى إليه صخرةً فتقوما

And when he saw the throne of glory bending,

He set a rock against it, and it stood upright.

فليهجع الطرف السهود فقد بدا

قمر الهدى ومحا الضلال المظلما

So let the sleepless eye rest, for there has risen

The moon of guidance, effacing dark error.

وليتئد رامي السهام فربما

رجعت وقد نزلت بمهجة من رمى

And let the archer be cautious, for arrows may

Return and pierce the heart of him who shot them.

وليرهب الحمل الوديع رماته

فلقد يكون لدى الوقيعة ضيغما

And let its archers fear the gentle lamb,

For in battle it may well be a lion.

حسب الليالي ما جنت وكفى العلى

شوق لبطرس في الفؤاد تكتما

The nights have wrought enough harm; glory has had enough

Of longing for Butrus, kept hidden in the heart.

فاليوم موعدها بمطلع وجهه

في عرشها طلق الجبين مكرما

So today is its tryst with the dawning of his face,

Upon its throne, bright-browed and honored.

واليوم يوم فتاك يا مولاي في

هذا المجال لكي يكون مقدما

And today is your young man’s day, my lord, in

This arena, that he may be placed foremost.

ما شاقني إلا طلوعك راعياً

شعباً تنهجه الطريق الأقوما

Nothing stirred my longing but your rising as shepherd

Of a people whom you guide along the straightest path.

فإذا بك الراقي إلى أوج العلي

متوخياً بيض المآثر سلما

And behold, you ascend to the pinnacle of the heights,

Choosing bright deeds of honor as your ladder.

فادر لحاظك بالوجوه تجد بها

سر القلوب على الأسرة ترجما

So turn your gaze upon the faces; there you will find

The hearts’ secret translated upon their brows.

وتوسم الشعب الذي ينساب من

حوليك فيك هناءه متوسما

And regard the people who stream from

Around you, discerning their happiness in you.

واغفر لدهرك ما جنى فلقد أتى

بالذل عن آثامه متأثما

And forgive your age its wrongs, for it has come

In abasement, repentant of its sins.

ان كان قد خان الشباب بعهده

فإلى المشيب عن الشباب تندما

If it betrayed youth in youth’s own season,

Then before gray hair it has repented for wronging youth.

فاطلق بطرفك في مقام قد بدا

فلكاً يضمُّ من الأكارم انجما

So let your gaze roam through a gathering that has appeared

As a firmament enfolding stars of noble men.

يشدو هزار البشر في جناته

مستهزماً عنها الغراب الازسحما

The nightingale of joy sings in its gardens,

Driving the coal-black crow away from them.

مولاي حسبك ما بلغت وحسبنا

أنا نراك لنا الإمام القيما

My lord, what you have attained suffices you; for us, it is enough

That we see you as our upright leader.

ونهجت نهجاً من صباك على رضى

مولاك ترضى الأرض عنه والسما

And since your youth you have followed a path pleasing to

Your Lord, a path that earth and heaven approve.

ان كان يغضبك المديح من الملا

فلسان فضلك لم يزل متكلما

If praise from the assembly angers you,

Your virtue’s tongue has nonetheless never ceased to speak.

فاليكها بكراً لأصدق خاطرٍ

جاءت لتعلن وجه المتكتما

So here she is for you, a maiden born of the sincerest feeling;

She came to unveil the face of the one who kept silent.

تمشي إليك وعقدها در الثنا

وسوارها حبٌّ يزين المعصما

She walks toward you, her necklace pearls of praise,

And her bracelet love adorning her wrist.

بدأت بمطلعك الوضئ ولم تشأ

إلا بلثم يديك ان تتختما

She began with your radiant rising, and wished for nothing

But to end by kissing your hands.