رأيت الفقيهَ أبا طالب

رأيت الفقيهَ أبا طالب

إذا قلتُ مسألةً بتّها

إذا قلتُ مسألةً بتّها

I saw the jurist Abu Talib:

I saw the jurist Abu Talib

Whenever I posed a question, he settled it.

When I posed a problem to him

لحازتْ يميناهُ جزْلَ العلومِ

لحازتْ يميناهُ جزْلَ العلومِ

وحازتْ يدا غيرِه سُحْتَها

وحازتْ يدا غيرِه سُحْتَها

His two right hands have surely gathered the rich substance of knowledge,

His right hand grasped the essence of knowledge

While the two hands of others have gathered its dross.

While another’s hand grasped only its form

فيا صاديَ الفقرِ رِدْ بحرَه

فيا صاديَ الفقرِ رِدْ بحرَه

ودعْ للظِّباءِ بها قلْتَها

ودعْ للظِّباءِ بها قلْتَها

So, O you parched by poverty, come to his sea,

So guide the destitute away from his sea

And leave its rock pool there to the gazelles.

And leave the drivel to those who utter it

وطالبُ جودِ أبي طالب

وطالبُ جودِ أبي طالب

يُحكّمُه فيه كيف اشتهى

يُحكّمُه فيه كيف اشتهى

And the seeker of Abu Talib’s bounty—

Abu Talib is truly generous

He grants him authority over it, however he wishes.

Granting as he wishes whatever is sought

دعاني الى سدرةٍ عندَهُ

دعاني الى سدرةٍ عندَهُ

وبالغَ في هزّها وانتهى

وبالغَ في هزّها وانتهى

He invited me to a lote tree he had,

He invited me to a jujube tree by his home

And shook it vigorously, reaching the utmost.

Shaking its fruit until they dropped

فقلتُ له دارُكم جنّةٌ

فقلتُ له دارُكم جنّةٌ

وسدرتُكم سدرةُ المنتهى

وسدرتُكم سدرةُ المنتهى

So I said to him, “Your house is a paradise,

I said your home’s a paradise

And your lote tree is the Lote Tree of the Utmost Limit.”

Your jujube tree, the Lote Tree of the Furthest Boundary