اِني خَبرْتُ عُلاهُ خُبْر مجربٍ

اِني خَبرْتُ عُلاهُ خُبْر مجربٍ

فجعلتُ صفو قلائدي لثَنائهِ

فجعلتُ صفو قلائدي لثَنائهِ

Indeed, I have come to know his eminence through firsthand experience;

I have known his sublime character as one well-versed,

so I devoted the finest of my necklaces to praising him.

So I made the choice pearls of my poems his praise.

وتعلَّمتْ مني الخواطرُ جودَهُ

وتعلَّمتْ مني الخواطرُ جودَهُ

فَبدائهي في الحمدِ مثلُ عَطائهِ

فَبدائهي في الحمدِ مثلُ عَطائهِ

And thoughts have learned his generosity from me;

And from me thoughts have learned his generosity,

so my improvisations in praise are like his giving.

So my initiating in praise is like his giving.

ولقد أغيبُ فعتريني ظُلْمَةٌ

ولقد أغيبُ فعتريني ظُلْمَةٌ

في الحِسِّ يجْلوها ضياءُ لِقائهِ

في الحِسِّ يجْلوها ضياءُ لِقائهِ

And indeed, when I am away, a darkness overtakes me

When absent, darkness overwhelms me,

in my senses; the radiance of meeting him dispels it.

Which, when we meet, his light dispels.

ولقد رأيتُ بني الزمان فلم أجِدْ

ولقد رأيتُ بني الزمان فلم أجِدْ

كذمامه ووفائه وسَخائهِ

كذمامه ووفائه وسَخائهِ

And I have indeed seen the sons of the age, but found nothing

And I have seen the people of time and found none

like his pledged protection, his faithfulness, and his generosity.

Like his perfect fidelity, generosity, and nobility.

جمُّ العَوارفِ والمعاذرُ جَمَّةٌ

جمُّ العَوارفِ والمعاذرُ جَمَّةٌ

لا يستكِفُّ قِراهُ قُرُّ شِتائهِ

لا يستكِفُّ قِراهُ قُرُّ شِتائهِ

His favors abound, and excuses are plentiful;

He who brings tidings of noble deeds is a bringer

the chill of his winter does not curb his hospitality.

Whose neighborhood no nearer neighbor resents.

اللهُ يُبْقي الزينبيَّ فأنهُ

اللهُ يُبْقي الزينبيَّ فأنهُ

ممَّنْ يُسرُّ المجدَ طولُ بَقائهِ

ممَّنْ يُسرُّ المجدَ طولُ بَقائهِ

May God preserve al-Zaynabi, for he is

May God make the Zaynabi endure, being one

one whose long life gladdens glory.

Who rejoices to exalt glory through lasting.

مَلآنُ منْ كرمٍ فانْ فتَّشتَه

مَلآنُ منْ كرمٍ فانْ فتَّشتَه

أبصرتَ خلو القلب من شَحْنائهِ

أبصرتَ خلو القلب من شَحْنائهِ

He is full of generosity; if you examine him,

Filled with bounty - so if you examine him

you will find his heart free of rancor.

You see his heart is empty of any stinginess.