يدل على فضل الفتى حسن شعره

يدل على فضل الفتى حسن شعره

وسامعه يأتي بوافر شكره

وسامعه يأتي بوافر شكره

The beauty of his poetry reveals a young man's merit,

The youth's fine poetry shows his merit,

and its listener offers abundant thanks.

And the listener comes with abundant thanks.

كديوان من حاز الدراية والهدى

كديوان من حاز الدراية والهدى

ومن هو بالآداب واحد عصره

ومن هو بالآداب واحد عصره

As in the collected verse of one who attained knowledge and guidance,

Like a collection of one who gained wisdom and guidance,

and who, in letters, stands alone in his age.

And in literature is peerless in his time.

هو الفاضل الحبر الاسير الذي غدا

هو الفاضل الحبر الاسير الذي غدا

بكشف رموز العلم يوسف مصره

بكشف رموز العلم يوسف مصره

He is the eminent scholar al-Asir, who has become,

He is the virtuous scholar, the captive, who became

by unveiling knowledge's mysteries, the Yusuf of his Egypt.

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

تأمل بما في قوله من بلاغةٍ

تأمل بما في قوله من بلاغةٍ

تجده كقاموس يجود بدره

تجده كقاموس يجود بدره

Reflect on the eloquence contained in his words;

Consider the eloquence in his words,

you will find him like an ocean, freely yielding its pearls.

You'll find him a lexicon overflowing with pearls.

معارفه مثل الذخائر أودعت

معارفه مثل الذخائر أودعت

لفائدة الطلاب في كنز صدره

لفائدة الطلاب في كنز صدره

His learning, like treasures, has been stored

His knowledge is like treasures deposited

for students' benefit in the treasury of his breast.

For students' benefit in the treasure of his heart.

واشياخه الاخيار قد شهدوا له

واشياخه الاخيار قد شهدوا له

بفضل وزكتهم حقيقة أمره

بفضل وزكتهم حقيقة أمره

And his righteous teachers have testified on his behalf

His eminent elders testified for him

to his merit; his true character has vindicated them.

With merit, and their integrity confirms his matter.

واني كما قالوا اقول ولم اخف

واني كما قالوا اقول ولم اخف

عتاب حسود قوله ضد فكره

عتاب حسود قوله ضد فكره

And I say as they have said, and have not feared

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

the reproach of an envier whose words contradict his thoughts.

The rebuke of envious whose words oppose his idea.

لعلمي ان الصبح عند ظهوره

لعلمي ان الصبح عند ظهوره

يضيق فؤاد الكون عن كتم سره

يضيق فؤاد الكون عن كتم سره

For I know that, when dawn appears,

For I know that dawn, upon its emergence,

the universe's heart is too narrow to conceal its secret.

Narrows the heart of the universe from concealing his secret.

أرى مدحه فرضاً علي وليس لي

أرى مدحه فرضاً علي وليس لي

سبيلٌ يؤديني إلى حد حصره

سبيلٌ يؤديني إلى حد حصره

I deem praising him a duty upon me, yet I have no

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

path that leads me to a complete account of him.

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

وما زدته قدراً بتقريظ نظمه

وما زدته قدراً بتقريظ نظمه

ولكنني ممن يقوم بنصره

ولكنني ممن يقوم بنصره

Nor have I raised his stature by commending his verse;

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

but I am among those who stand in his support.

But I am one who aids him.

على ان ما ابداه فيه كفاية

على ان ما ابداه فيه كفاية

لمن كان لا يدري بمقدار بحره

لمن كان لا يدري بمقدار بحره

Yet what he has brought forth is sufficient

Moreover, what he initiated in it is sufficient

for anyone who did not know the vastness of his sea.

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

ولو رمت ان يستغرق الخط وصفه

ولو رمت ان يستغرق الخط وصفه

لكنت كمن قاس السماء بشبره

لكنت كمن قاس السماء بشبره

And were I to seek to describe him fully in writing,

And if I wanted to occupy the line describing him

I would be like one who measured the sky with his handspan.

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

ولكن عن الاسهاب تكفي اشارة

ولكن عن الاسهاب تكفي اشارة

كروض عليه دلنا طيب نشره

كروض عليه دلنا طيب نشره

But a hint suffices in place of lengthy discourse,

But a hint suffices instead of prolixity,

like a garden whose sweet fragrance has led us to it.

Like a meadow whose fragrance guided us.

فكم جر نفعاً من تآليفه لنا

فكم جر نفعاً من تآليفه لنا

وقد ناله ما الثنا فوق اجره

وقد ناله ما الثنا فوق اجره

For how much benefit he has brought us through his writings!

How much benefit his writings brought us!

And he has received it; praise does not exceed his due.

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

وكل امرئ حاز الكمال فانه

وكل امرئ حاز الكمال فانه

من الله يرجو ان يمد بعمره

من الله يرجو ان يمد بعمره

And every person who has attained perfection surely

And everyone who attained perfection,

hopes that God will prolong his life.

From God, hopes He extends his life.