زاهِرُ العُودِ وَطيبُه

زاهِرُ العُودِ وَطيبُه

وَلَياليهِ تُشيبُهْ

وَلَياليهِ تُشيبُهْ

His stem is blooming and fragrant,

The fragrant aloes wood, and its sweet scent,

Yet his nights turn him gray.

And its nights turn it grey,

كُلَّ يَومٍ مِن مَكانٍ

كُلَّ يَومٍ مِن مَكانٍ

يَلبَسُ الذُلَّ غَريبُهْ

يَلبَسُ الذُلَّ غَريبُهْ

Every day, from some place,

Every day it's from a new place,

Its stranger dons humiliation.

Strange humiliation clothes it,

وَهْوَ يَسعى طالِباً لِل

وَهْوَ يَسعى طالِباً لِل

عِلمِ وَالهَمُّ يُذِيبُهْ

عِلمِ وَالهَمُّ يُذِيبُهْ

And he strives in search of

As it strives seeking knowledge,

Knowledge, while worry melts him away.

And worries melt it away.

وَطَوى بُردَ صِباهُ

وَطَوى بُردَ صِباهُ

قَبلَ أَن يَبلى قَشيبُهْ

قَبلَ أَن يَبلى قَشيبُهْ

And he folded the cloak of his youth

It endured the cold of youth,

Before its fresh fabric could wear out.

Before its hair turned white.

واِقتَدى بِالقَومِ يَدعو

واِقتَدى بِالقَومِ يَدعو

هُ هَواهُ فَيُجيبُهْ

هُ هَواهُ فَيُجيبُهْ

And he followed those men; his desire calls

And it followed people calling it,

Him, and he answers it.

To abandon its passion, so it would answer.

خَمسَةٌ لا يَجِدُ الحا

خَمسَةٌ لا يَجِدُ الحا

سِدُ فيهِم ما يَعيبُهْ

سِدُ فيهِم ما يَعيبُهْ

Five men: no envious man can find

Five, the envious cannot find in them,

Anything in them that he can fault.

What faults to pick on.

مِنهمُ الجَعفِيُّ لا يُع

مِنهمُ الجَعفِيُّ لا يُع

رَفُ في العِلمِ ضَريبُهْ

رَفُ في العِلمِ ضَريبُهْ

Among them is al-Ja'fi; no equal

Among them Al-Ja’fari, none can contend,

Of his is known in learning.

With him in knowledge and its ways.

وَإِذا اعتَلَّ حَديثٌ

وَإِذا اعتَلَّ حَديثٌ

فالقُشَيريُّ طَبيبُهْ

فالقُشَيريُّ طَبيبُهْ

And when a hadith falls ill,

And if a new talk starts,

Then al-Qushayri is its physician.

Al-Qushayri is the doctor to cure it.

وَأَخونا ابنُ شُعَيبٍ

وَأَخونا ابنُ شُعَيبٍ

حازِمُ الرأي صَليبُهْ

حازِمُ الرأي صَليبُهْ

And our brother Ibn Shu'ayb

And our brother Ibn Shuaib,

Is resolute in judgment, firm in it.

Strong of opinion, tough in debate.

وَأَبو داودَ مَوفو

وَأَبو داودَ مَوفو

رٌ مِنَ الفَضلِ نَصيبُهْ

رٌ مِنَ الفَضلِ نَصيبُهْ

And Abu Dawud—abundant

And Abu Dawud abundantly blessed,

Is his share of excellence.

With wisdom as his fortune’s share.

وَأَبو عيسى يَرى الجَهْ

وَأَبو عيسى يَرى الجَهْ

ميُّ مِنهُ ما يَريبُهْ

ميُّ مِنهُ ما يَريبُهْ

And Abu 'Isa—the Jahmi sees

And Abu Isa sees the confused one,

From him what makes him uneasy.

Doubt from him, it will tear.

حاديهمُ ذو زَجَلٍ يَس

حاديهمُ ذو زَجَلٍ يَس

تَضحِكُ الرَوضَ نَحيبُهْ

تَضحِكُ الرَوضَ نَحيبُهْ

Their camel-driver has a ringing chant;

Leading them is he of charm, whose meadows,

His lament makes the garden laugh.

Are delighted by his sorrow’s melody.

طارَ فيهِ البَرقُ حَتَّى

طارَ فيهِ البَرقُ حَتَّى

خالطَ الماءَ لَهيبُهْ

خالطَ الماءَ لَهيبُهْ

Lightning flew through it until

In it, lightning flashed, until

Its flame mingled with the water.

It mixed with the water, its raging flames.