عَتَب الشريفُ لأن نشرتُ محاسنا

عَتَب الشريفُ لأن نشرتُ محاسنا

مرموقةً من خُلقِه وجلالهِ

مرموقةً من خُلقِه وجلالهِ

The Sharif reproached me because I made known virtues

The Sharif reproached me for proclaiming fine qualities

held in esteem for their source in his character and majesty.

Admired in his character and majesty.

وزعمتُ حقّا أنّ بدرَ جَماله

وزعمتُ حقّا أنّ بدرَ جَماله

زانت مطالعَه نجومُ خِصالهِ

زانت مطالعَه نجومُ خِصالهِ

And I declared—truly—that the full moon of his beauty

And I asserted, truly, that the full moon of his beauty

had its rising horizons adorned by the stars of his virtues—

Had its rising places adorned by the stars of his virtues,

بمحاسنٍ لو كان يمكن صوغُها

بمحاسنٍ لو كان يمكن صوغُها

أغنت غزال الإنس عن خَلخالهِ

أغنت غزال الإنس عن خَلخالهِ

virtues which, if they could be fashioned into ornaments,

With charms that, if they could be fashioned,

would leave the human gazelle no need of her anklet.

Would spare humankind's gazelle the need for his anklet.

صِفة الهلال بدا أوانَ طلوعه

صِفة الهلال بدا أوانَ طلوعه

أن لا يشعَّثَه زمانُ كمالهِ

أن لا يشعَّثَه زمانُ كمالهِ

I described the crescent as a full moon at the very moment it rose,

The crescent's nature, as it appears at the time of its rising,

for fear that the hour of its fullness might fail to make it whole.

Is that the time of its fullness does not mar it.

فضلُ الملاحةِ عند كلّ مصوِّرٍ

فضلُ الملاحةِ عند كلّ مصوِّرٍ

في الناس ليس إليه نقصُ مثالهِ

في الناس ليس إليه نقصُ مثالهِ

The choicest subject of praise, in every portraitist’s eyes,

The credit for beauty rests with every painter

among mankind—no likeness of him but falls short.

Among people; a flaw in his model is not his responsibility.

عتبٌ لعمرُك ليس يَعِتب مثلَه

عتبٌ لعمرُك ليس يَعِتب مثلَه

إلا حبيبٌ شاءَ قطعَ حباله

إلا حبيبٌ شاءَ قطعَ حباله

My reproach—by your life—none offers the like of it

A reproach—by your life!—such as none would utter

except a beloved who wishes to sever his ties.

Except a beloved who wished to sever his bonds.

فامسح جفونَك عن عقابيل الكرى

فامسح جفونَك عن عقابيل الكرى

وانظر وصلِّ على النبىّ وآلهِ

وانظر وصلِّ على النبىّ وآلهِ

So wipe from your eyelids the lingering traces of slumber,

So wipe your eyelids free of the lingering traces of sleep,

and look; invoke blessings upon the Prophet and his family.

And look, and invoke blessings upon the Prophet and his family.