لمثلك يا مولى العلا أنظم الشعرا

فوصفك قد حاكى الدراري والدرا

For one like you, O lord of loftiness, I compose verse.

For your portrayal has rivaled brilliant stars and pearls.

وأنت سلاف العصر أكرم أهله

سلالة أسلاف الكرام بني الزهرا

And you are the age's choicest wine, the noblest of its people,

A scion of noble forebears, the sons of al-Zahra.

فذلك طه المصطفى ووزيره

علي فقد أمسيت أعلى الورى نجرا

For there are Taha, the Chosen One, and his minister,

Ali; thus you have become the loftiest of mankind in lineage.

وقد سرت من عهد الصبا سيرتيهما

فكنت السعيد السيد الرأس والصدرا

And from youth onward you have followed both their ways,

So you became the fortunate lord, the chief and foremost.

فوفقت للتقوى وفقت ذوي الهدى

بأعمالك الحسنى وأخلاقك الغرا

You were granted success in piety and surpassed the rightly guided,

Through your excellent deeds and radiant virtues.

وفزت بإحسان إلى مستحقه

فحزت به من ربك الحب والأجرا

And you triumphed through kindness to those deserving it,

Thus gaining your Lord's love and reward through it.

وجاهدت في الرحمن حق جهاده

فأولادك في الأولى الوجاهة والأخرا

And you strove for the All-Merciful with the striving due to Him,

So your children have distinction in this life and the next.

وأودعت شهر الصوم خير عبادة

وودعتهُ بعد اعتكافك بالسرا

And you placed the finest worship in the month of fasting,

And after your devotional retreat, bade it farewell with joy.

فابشر بأجر وافر متزايد

فأنت شكور بالمزيد له احرا

So rejoice in an abundant, ever-increasing reward,

For you are grateful to Him, and more deserving of increase.

أمولاي عبد القادر الحسني الذي

مع العلم حاز الحلم والمجد والقدرا

O my lord Abd al-Qadir al-Hasani, who

Alongside knowledge has gained forbearance, glory, and stature!

لأنت إذا عد الأكارم مبتدا

لك الخبر المبدي الغوالي والعطرا

Indeed, when the noble are counted, you are the first—the subject;

Yours is the predicate, revealing costly perfumes and fragrance.

تهنأ بما أوليتهُ من كرامة

فأنت ولي المشتكى الضيم والضرا

Rejoice in the honor bestowed upon you,

For you are the patron to whom oppression and affliction are lamented.

ويا أيها المولى الذي بولائه

أصبنا الهدى ثم الهدية والبرا

And O lord, through whose patronage

We gained guidance, then the gift and kindness,

وجل به ذا العصر إذ هو سعده

وباهت دمشق الشام مذ حلها مضرا

And this age was exalted through him, for he is its good fortune,

And Damascus of al-Sham has boasted since he settled there—a Mudar.

واشبه جود السحب جود يمينه

فسائله من سيله أحرز اليسرا

And the bounty of the clouds resembled that of his right hand,

So his petitioner won prosperity from his torrent.

وبشر محياه ببشر وفده

بما جل رفد واسع يطرد الفقرا

And his countenance heralded his visitors' joy,

Through splendid, ample bounty that drives poverty away.

هو البر والبحر الذي كل سائل

بساحله يغني ولا يجد النهرا

He is the land and the sea, where every petitioner

Finds wealth at his shore and encounters no rebuff.

هو الكعبة الغراء دوما يحجها

ذو والحجر عالو الكعب ثم بنو الغبرا

He is the radiant Kaaba, ever visited in pilgrimage

By men of discernment and lofty rank, then the sons of dust.

شمائله تحكي الشمال لطافة

إذا وردت ورد الربا فجرت فجرا

His traits resemble the north wind in gentleness,

When it reaches the roses of the hills and flows at dawn.

تواضعه واللطف زاداه هيبة

وهيبته معها المحامد تستقرا

His humility and gentleness increased his awe-inspiring dignity,

And with his dignity, praiseworthy virtues abide.

له منصب الفضل الرفيع مؤبدا

يجر له اقصى ثناء الملا جرا

His is the lofty station of excellence, forever,

Drawing to him the utmost praise of the multitude.

امام به ائتم الهداة وانهم

بذلك قد نالوا السعادة والذكرا

An imam whom the guides have followed; indeed, they

Have thereby attained happiness and renown.

أمير يسبر الركب بحدو بوصفه

كما باسمه يلقى التيمن والبشرا

An emir who probes the caravan with chants of his praise [wording unclear],

Just as in his name one finds blessings and glad tidings.

هو الألمعي الصائب الرأي والحجا

هو الطاهر الذيل الذي يكره النكرا

He is keen-witted, sound in judgment and intellect,

He is pure of hem, one who abhors wrongdoing.

فما خامر الفحشاء خاطر قلبه

ولا لفظ النطق الهراء ولا الهجرا

For indecency never touched the thoughts of his heart,

Nor has his speech uttered nonsense or foul language.

له نسب عال ونفس زكية

على حسب سام له يجلب الأطرا

He has lofty lineage and a pure soul,

Along with exalted ancestral honor that brings him praise.

على حبه كل البرية اجمعوا

واحر به ان حاز حب الورى طرا

All creation has agreed upon loving him,

And how fitting that he has won the love of all mankind!

وإني لا انفك دهري أسيره

ويا حبذا أسر به تكرم الأسرا

And throughout my life I never cease to be his captive;

And how delightful a captivity in which captives are honored!

فلا زال يحكي الشمس في أفق العلا

وأنجاله تحكي كواكبها الزهرا

So may he ever resemble the sun on the horizon of loftiness,

And may his sons resemble its radiant stars.

ولا زالت الأملاك تهدأ حوله

وكل ملوك الأرض تهدي له الفخرا

And may the angels ever repose around him,

And may all the kings of the earth offer him glory.

ودامت معاليه العوالي كميلة

ودام يؤدي للإله بها شكرا

And may his lofty excellences remain perfect,

And may he keep giving thanks to God for them.

ولا زال يطري بالفضائل والتقى

بلا كدرٍ يعرو ولا حادث يطرا

And may he ever be praised for virtues and piety,

Without trouble befalling him or misfortune arising.