مُحَمَّدُ إِنّي بَعدَها لِمُذَمَّمُ

مُحَمَّدُ إِنّي بَعدَها لِمُذَمَّمُ

إِذا ما لِساني خانَني فيكَ أَو شُكري

إِذا ما لِساني خانَني فيكَ أَو شُكري

Muhammad, after that I am surely blameworthy,

Muhammad, after her I was in tatters,

If my tongue—or my gratitude—should fail me concerning you.

Whenever my tongue failed me in praising you or giving thanks.

لَئِن بَقِيَت لي فيكَ آثارُ مَنطِقٍ

لَئِن بَقِيَت لي فيكَ آثارُ مَنطِقٍ

لَقَد بَقِيَت آثارُ كَفَّيكَ في دَهري

لَقَد بَقِيَت آثارُ كَفَّيكَ في دَهري

If traces of my words about you have endured,

If any eloquence remained in me,

The traces of your hands have surely endured throughout my life.

The traces of your hands remained in my life.

لَقيتَ صُروفَ الدَهرِ دونِيَ تابِعاً

لَقيتَ صُروفَ الدَهرِ دونِيَ تابِعاً

لِأَمرِ العُلى فَاِختَرتَ شُكري عَلى عُذري

لِأَمرِ العُلى فَاِختَرتَ شُكري عَلى عُذري

You faced time's vicissitudes in my stead, obeying

You met the vicissitudes of fate before me,

The command of nobility; thus you chose my thanks over my excuse.

Obeying the command of the Most High, so you chose my thanks over my apology.

فَأَولَيتَني في النائِباتِ صَنائِعاً

فَأَولَيتَني في النائِباتِ صَنائِعاً

كَأَنَّ أَياديها فُجِرنَ مِنَ البَحرِ

كَأَنَّ أَياديها فُجِرنَ مِنَ البَحرِ

So you bestowed favors upon me amid calamities,

You granted me in tribulations, kind deeds,

As though their bounties had gushed forth from the sea.

As if their hands had burst forth from the sea.

خَلائِقَ لَو كانَت مِنَ الشِعرِ سَمَّجَت

خَلائِقَ لَو كانَت مِنَ الشِعرِ سَمَّجَت

بَدائِعُها ما اِستَحسَنَ الناسُ مِن شِعري

بَدائِعُها ما اِستَحسَنَ الناسُ مِن شِعري

Virtues that, were they poetry, would put to shame,

If attributes were made of poetry, their wonders

Through their marvels, all that people have admired in my verse.

Would outshine what people admire in my poetry.

فَعَلَّمتَني أَن أُلبِسَ الحَمدَ أَهَلَهُ

فَعَلَّمتَني أَن أُلبِسَ الحَمدَ أَهَلَهُ

وَذَكَّرتَني ما قَد نَسيتُ مِنَ الشُكرِ

وَذَكَّرتَني ما قَد نَسيتُ مِنَ الشُكرِ

So you taught me to clothe the deserving in praise,

You taught me to adorn praise upon its people,

And reminded me of the gratitude I had forgotten.

And reminded me of what I forgot of gratitude.