1. هنيئاً للمَناقِبِ والمَعالي

    إذا عُدَّ المكارِمُ والكِرامُ

    Joy to noble virtues and lofty honors,

    when noble deeds and noble men are counted,

  2. بَقاءُ أغَرَّ تَحْسُدُ حالَتَيْهِ

    وفَضْلَهُما الصَّوارِمُ والغَمامُ

    for the enduring life of a radiant man whose two aspects

    and their excellence keen swords and rainclouds envy.

  3. فعِنْدَ البَاسِ هنْديٌّ جُرازٌ

    وعندَ الجودِ هَطَّالٌ رُكامُ

    So in battle, he is a cleaving Indian sword;

    and in generosity, a massed cloud pouring rain.

  4. إِمامُ هُدىً أضاءَ لنا الدَّياجي

    فلا ظُلْمٌ يُلِمُّ ولا ظَلامُ

    An imam of guidance, he has lit our dark nights,

    so neither injustice nor darkness comes upon us.

  5. وكيف تُخَصُّ تهْنئَةٌ بشَهْرٍ

    وكُلُّ زَمانِهِ الشَّهْرُ الحَرامُ

    And how can congratulations be confined to a month,

    when all his time is the sacred month?

  6. يَخافُ اللّهَ في كُلِّ المَساعي

    فلا حُوبٌ يَشينُ ولا أثامُ

    He fears God in every undertaking,

    so neither sin nor guilt mars him.

  7. ويحْلُمُ والجَرائمُ فادِحاتٌ

    ويَسْهَرُ إذْ رَعِيَّتُهُ نِيامُ

    And he is forbearing though the crimes are grievous,

    and keeps vigil while his subjects sleep.

  8. ويخْشى الجَوْرَ سَطوتَهُ عليه

    كما يخْشى مِن الصَّقْرِ الحَمامُ

    And tyranny fears his onslaught against it,

    as doves fear the falcon.

  9. أبادَ الظُّلْمَ والإِمْلاقَ حتى

    لِكُلٍّ منْ مَناقِبهِ انْتِقامُ

    He eradicated injustice and destitution, until

    each of his virtues had its vengeance.

  10. فطعْن الجود في الإِملاقِ شَزْرٌ

    وضَربُ العدلِ في الجور التِهام

    So generosity thrusts sidelong at destitution,

    and justice strikes at tyranny, devouring it.

  11. أهانَ المالَ حتى باتَ يُزْهى

    على المالِ الجَراوِلُ والرَّغامُ

    He scorned wealth, till proud they grew—

    above wealth—the stones and the dust.

  12. ونازَلَهُ مُنازَلَةَ الأعادي

    فماتَ الدَّثْرُ والبَطَلُ الهُمامُ

    And he fought it as one fights enemies;

    so the vast hoard perished; the champion was the bold-hearted man.

  13. فللأموالِ في الآفاقِ شَتٌّ

    وللحَمْدِ انْتِثارٌ وانتِظامُ

    So wealth is scattered across the horizons,

    and praise is strewn and strung together.

  14. وعَمَّ بلُطْفِ رأفَتِهِ الرَّعايا

    حُنُوَّ الأمِّ واحِدُها غُلامُ

    And he enfolded his subjects in his gentle compassion,

    with the tenderness of a mother whose only child is a boy.

  15. فكان كَعارضٍ هَتِنٍ سَحوحٍ

    تَداركَ رُفْقَةً وبها أُوامُ

    So he was like a raincloud, raining steadily and abundantly,

    that rescued a band of travelers burning with thirst.

  16. فغَدَّرَتِ الفَلاةُ وزادَ حتى

    تَغمَّرَتِ الرَّوابي والإِكامُ

    So the wilderness filled with pools, and the waters rose until

    the hills and hillocks were submerged.

  17. وأصبَحتِ الخَوامِسُ عائِماتٍ

    بذي مَوْجٍ للُجَّتِهِ التِطامُ

    And the camels watered every fifth day were now swimming

    in a wave-filled expanse whose deep waters clashed.

  18. وأضْحى القَفْرُ بعد المحْل روضاً

    يَميسُ بهِ الخُزامى والثُّمامُ

    And after drought the wasteland became a meadow,

    where lavender and thumam grass sway gracefully.

  19. نَوالُ أغرَّ أبْلَجَ مُسْتَضيءٍ

    يضيقُ ببعض مِدْحَتِهِ الكَلامُ

    Such is the bounty of a radiant man, resplendent and illumined—

    words are too narrow for even part of his praise.

  20. فلا عدِمَتْ إِمامُ الحَقِّ دُنْيا

    لَها منه سُرورٌ وابْتِسامُ

    So may the world never lose the imam of truth,

    from whom it has joy and smiles.