1. يا فارس الفضل في ميدان حلبته

    ومحرز السبق الخافي عن الأول

    O knight of excellence in its tournament arena,

    and winner of a prize unknown to those who came before.

  2. قد خضت بحر لغات العرب منتخلا

    مرجانه مع جمان غير منتحل

    You have plunged into the sea of Arab tongues, sifting out

    its coral and pearls, without plagiarizing.

  3. وصنت في صدف الأوراق جملتها

    وزنت تفصيلها في اجمل الجمل

    And you preserved them all in the shells of pages,

    and adorned their details in the loveliest sentences.

  4. وباسم سر الليال منك قد وسمت

    تلك اللآلي التي كالزهر للسبل

    And you have marked with the name 'The Secret of Nights'

    those pearls, like bright stars guiding the paths.

  5. فهو السلاف الذي ذا العصر مفتخر

    على العصور به الخالي عن الخال

    For it is the choice wine in which this age takes pride

    over other ages—a wine free of blemish.

  6. وهو اللباب أو الالباب تعرفه

    وتغرف الفضل منه وهو لم يزل

    And it is the essence—or so intellects recognize it,

    and draw excellence from it, while it endures.

  7. وكم عباب حوى في طيه وثوى

    به عجاب اليه الغير لم يصل

    And how much ocean swell it holds in its folds; and there dwell

    within it marvels that others have never reached.

  8. فيه غنى عن سواه إذ تطالعه

    وليس فيما سواه عنه من بدل

    It suffices in place of all others when you peruse it,

    and nothing else offers a substitute for it.

  9. وفيه بان لنا سر اللغا وبدا

    لغو السوى وازيل الشك عن عضل

    And in it the secret of tongues became clear to us, as did

    the idle talk of others; doubt about knotty questions was dispelled.

  10. ويشرح الصدر شرح القلب فيه وكم

    يهدي بابداله للقلب من جذل

    And its explanation of letter-reversal expands the breast; how much

    joy it bestows on the heart through its letter-substitution!

  11. وكل فرع بفرق ضم فيه إلى

    مبد اشتقاق وعنه الكتب في عطل

    And every branch, separately, was joined within it to

    its derivational source, of which other books are bereft.

  12. والشهد يشهد حقاً في شواهده

    وانه كزلال عادم الزلل

    And honey truly bears witness in its citations,

    and indeed it is like pure water, free of error.

  13. يا احمد الفضل والافضال زدت علا

    ودام يزجى اليك الشكر من قبلي

    O Ahmad of excellence and bounty, you have risen in glory;

    and may thanks from me ever be offered to you.

  14. ولا تزال بشكر الخلق مغتبطاً

    ولا برحت جميل الخلق والعمل

    May you always rejoice in people's gratitude,

    and may you remain beautiful in character and deed.

  15. ودام نفعك في ذا الكون منتشراً

    حتى تدوم كبدر فيه كتمل

    And may the benefit you bring keep spreading through this world,

    so that you endure there like a moon in all its fullness.