لعليٍّ أبي الحسين سَميّي

لعليٍّ أبي الحسين سَميّي

خُلقٌ لا يُذَمُّ في خُلانِهِ

خُلقٌ لا يُذَمُّ في خُلانِهِ

Ali, Abu al-Husayn, my namesake, has

For Ali, my father al-Husayn I name him

a character beyond reproach among his friends.

A character without flaws in his manners

رجلٌ يتْبَعُ المولِّي بالسي

رجلٌ يتْبَعُ المولِّي بالسي

فِ إلى أن يكُرَّ نحو خِوانِهِ

فِ إلى أن يكُرَّ نحو خِوانِهِ

A man who pursues whoever turns away with a sword,

A man who follows the master sincerely

until they wheel back toward his dining table.

And inclines toward his brethren

آمنٌ معتَفيه منه ولكن

آمنٌ معتَفيه منه ولكن

ما لمعفيه مطمعٌ في أمانه

ما لمعفيه مطمعٌ في أمانه

His seeker of bounty is safe from him, but

Trustworthy to those who trust him but

whoever spares him a request has no hope of safety from him.

No greedy hopes in his guarantees

ويلُ من لا يُريغ سيْبَ يديه

ويلُ من لا يُريغ سيْبَ يديه

من يديه وويلُه من لسانه

من يديه وويلُه من لسانه

Whoever does not seek the bounty of his hands faces woe

Woe to him who does not restrain his hands

at his hands, and woe to him from his tongue.

From his hands and woe to him from his tongue

ماجدٌ يبذل الجزيلَ بلا مَنْ

ماجدٌ يبذل الجزيلَ بلا مَنْ

نٍ ويُعدي على صروف زمانه

نٍ ويُعدي على صروف زمانه

A noble man, he gives abundantly without reminding others of his favors,

Majestic, he gives generously without

and lends aid against the vicissitudes of his age.

Stinting and exceeds the turns of time

عالَمُ اللَّهِ داره والأماني

عالَمُ اللَّهِ داره والأماني

من قِراهُ والناس من ضِيفانه

من قِراهُ والناس من ضِيفانه

God's world is his house, and wishes

He knows God’s home and wishes

are part of his hospitality, and people are among his guests.

For his towns and people are his guests

ولهُ هِمةٌ حَمولٌ عليه

ولهُ هِمةٌ حَمولٌ عليه

تستقلُّ الكثيرَ من إحسانه

تستقلُّ الكثيرَ من إحسانه

And he has an ambition that makes heavy demands on him,

He has great ambitions he bears

deeming his abundant generosity little.

Much of his goodness finds too little

مُعشِباتٌ أجنابُه من نداهُ

مُعشِباتٌ أجنابُه من نداهُ

مُورقاتٌ أقلامُه من بَنانه

مُورقاتٌ أقلامُه من بَنانه

His surroundings are lush with grass from his bounteous dew;

Blooming are the pens of his boons

his pens put forth leaves from his fingertips.

Budding the fingers of his right hand

أيّ حين أتاهُ طالبُ جدوا

أيّ حين أتاهُ طالبُ جدوا

هُ أتاه في حينه وأوانِهِ

هُ أتاه في حينه وأوانِهِ

Whenever a seeker of his bounty comes to him,

Whenever a seeker of his bounty came to him

he comes to him at the right moment and proper time.

He came to him at his time and moment

مشترٍ للثناء مُغلٍ يرى أنْ

مشترٍ للثناء مُغلٍ يرى أنْ

نَ حياةَ النفوس من أثمانه

نَ حياةَ النفوس من أثمانه

A buyer of praise who bids high, believing that

A buyer of praise, unwilling to see that

human lives are among its prices.

The lives of souls are among his prices

زادَهُ اللَّهُ نعمةً وعلاءً

زادَهُ اللَّهُ نعمةً وعلاءً

إنّه نعمةٌ على إخوانه

إنّه نعمةٌ على إخوانه

May God increase him in blessing and eminence,

May God increase him in bounty and glory

for he is a blessing to his brethren.

Truly a bounty upon his brethren

ووقاهُ من أن يسوءَ وليّاً

ووقاهُ من أن يسوءَ وليّاً

ثَبَّطتْه الخُطوبُ عن غِشيانه

ثَبَّطتْه الخُطوبُ عن غِشيانه

And may He keep him from hurting a friend

And protect him from doing wrong to a friend

whom misfortunes have kept from visiting him.

Misfortunes have discouraged his betrayals