سلامٌ وتسليمٌ وألفٌ تحيةٍ

سلامٌ وتسليمٌ وألفٌ تحيةٍ

وصفوُ وِدادٍ لا يكدره الدهرُ

وصفوُ وِدادٍ لا يكدره الدهرُ

Peace, salutations, and a thousand greetings,

Greetings of peace, salutations and friendship abound,

And pure affection that time does not cloud,

Affection and goodwill that time cannot confound,

وذكرُ جميلٍ معْ فضائل جمةٍ

وذكرُ جميلٍ معْ فضائل جمةٍ

وإسداء معروف يكرره الشعرُ

وإسداء معروف يكرره الشعرُ

And kindly remembrance, with abundant virtues,

Memories of kindness and virtues in measure unbound,

And kindness bestowed, which poetry repeats,

Doing good deeds again and again as poets expound,

وحمدٌ جزيلٌ في معانٍ كأنها

وحمدٌ جزيلٌ في معانٍ كأنها

قلائدُ عِقيان تضمنها دُرُّ

قلائدُ عِقيان تضمنها دُرُّ

And abundant praise in meanings that resemble

Copious praise whose meanings are like necklaces crowned

Necklaces of pure gold enfolded by pearls,

With pure pearls and precious gems that surround,

بجيدِ فتاةٍ بنتِ عشر وأربعٍ

بجيدِ فتاةٍ بنتِ عشر وأربعٍ

كأن أساريعاً أنامِلُها العَشْرُ

كأن أساريعاً أنامِلُها العَشْرُ

On the neck of a maiden aged fourteen,

For a maiden of fourteen, with fingers fair and round,

As though her ten fingers were caterpillars.

Whose bracelets on slender wrists make a delightful sound.

أخصُّ به الزاكى سلالة ماجد

أخصُّ به الزاكى سلالة ماجد

محمد الحامى هو الباسلُ الذَّمرُ

محمد الحامى هو الباسلُ الذَّمرُ

I dedicate this to the virtuous scion of a noble man:

My choicest regards to the prosperous man of good birth,

Muhammad the protector—he is valiant and dauntless.

Muhammad the guardian, the valiant of great worth,

يَسرك مَلقاه ويهديك رَأْيه

يَسرك مَلقاه ويهديك رَأْيه

يواسيك بالحُسْنى إذا مسَّك الضرُّ

يواسيك بالحُسْنى إذا مسَّك الضرُّ

Meeting him delights you, and his counsel guides you;

May you find his company pleasant, his counsel of worth,

He comforts you with kindness when hardship touches you.

Consoling you kindly when sorrow holds you in dearth.

فإن كنتَ في شكٍّ لما أنَا واصفٌ

فإن كنتَ في شكٍّ لما أنَا واصفٌ

فسلْ عنه يخبرك المجاورُ والسفْرُ

فسلْ عنه يخبرك المجاورُ والسفْرُ

So if you are in doubt about what I describe,

If you doubt what I say of his merit on earth,

Then ask about him; the neighbor and the travelers will tell you.

Inquire of his neighbors and travelers toward his hearth.

سأثنى عليه ما حييتُ وإنْ أمُت

سأثنى عليه ما حييتُ وإنْ أمُت

فلا لومَ يعرونى إذا ضمّنى القبرُ

فلا لومَ يعرونى إذا ضمّنى القبرُ

I shall praise him as long as I live; and if I die,

I will praise him as long as I draw in life's breath,

Then no blame befalls me when the grave enfolds me.

And if death takes me to him, blame me not in death!

وليس معى مالٌ أُكافئه به

وليس معى مالٌ أُكافئه به

ولكن سأدعو أن يطالَ له العُمرُ

ولكن سأدعو أن يطالَ له العُمرُ

And I have no wealth with which to repay him,

I have no riches to give him, no wealth or bequest,

But I shall pray that his life be prolonged.

But sincerely I'll pray his life may be blessed.

وصلِّ على خير البريةِ أحمدٍ

وصلِّ على خير البريةِ أحمدٍ

شفيعِ البرايَا مَنْ له الملك والأمْرُ

شفيعِ البرايَا مَنْ له الملك والأمْرُ

And bless Ahmad, the best of creation,

Bless also the best of mankind, Ahmad the greatest,

The intercessor for created beings—O You to whom sovereignty and command belong—

Intercessor of sinners, whom angels attest!

صلاةً توالى ما لها قطُّ غايةٌ

صلاةً توالى ما لها قطُّ غايةٌ

ولم يحوِها نظمٌ ولم يحْوِها نَثْرُ

ولم يحوِها نظمٌ ولم يحْوِها نَثْرُ

With blessings succeeding one another, with no end at all,

Bless him with praises no words can arrest,

And neither verse nor prose has encompassed them.

That no poetry contains, nor can prose manifest.