أسيرُ وقد جازت بنا غاية السُّرى

أسيرُ وقد جازت بنا غاية السُّرى

ولاحت خيام للحمى وقبابُ

ولاحت خيام للحمى وقبابُ

I journey on, though we have passed the utmost bounds of night travel,

I travel on, though we have passed the limit of night travel,

And the tents and domes of the sacred precinct have come into view—

and the sanctuary's tents and domes come into view.

سوابحُ في بحر السراب كأنها

سوابحُ في بحر السراب كأنها

بغارب أمواج السراب حباب

بغارب أمواج السراب حباب

Coursers swimming through a sea of mirage, as though

Floating in the sea of mirage, they seem

The foam upon the crests of the mirage’s waves.

like foam upon the crests of the mirage's waves.

تحنّ إلى أيام سلعٍ ورامةٍ

تحنّ إلى أيام سلعٍ ورامةٍ

وما دونها في السالفات قراب

وما دونها في السالفات قراب

They yearn for the days of Salʿ and Rāmah,

They yearn for the days of Salʿ and Ramah,

And, among bygone days, those falling short of them come near.

and no other days of old come close to them.

إذا خوطبت في ذكر أيامها الألى

إذا خوطبت في ذكر أيامها الألى

ثناها إلى الوجد التليد خطاب

ثناها إلى الوجد التليد خطاب

When addressed with mention of those former days,

When they are addressed with talk of their former days,

The words turn them back toward their ancient longing,

the words turn them back to their age-old passion.

كأن حشاها من وراء ضلوعها

كأن حشاها من وراء ضلوعها

تقاطر من أجفانها وتذاب

تقاطر من أجفانها وتذاب

As though their very hearts, from behind their ribs,

As though their hearts, from behind their ribs,

Dripped from their eyelids and melted away.

were dripping from their eyelids and melting away.

وعاتبت الأيام فيما قضت به

وعاتبت الأيام فيما قضت به

وهل نافع منك الفؤاد عتاب

وهل نافع منك الفؤاد عتاب

You reproached the days for what they had decreed—

And they reproached the days for what they had decreed;

But can a heart’s reproach of them avail you?

but can any reproach of yours avail the heart?

إلى الشيخ عبد القادر العيس يمَّمت

إلى الشيخ عبد القادر العيس يمَّمت

فتمَّ لها أجر وحق ثواب

فتمَّ لها أجر وحق ثواب

Toward Shaykh ʿAbd al-Qādir the white camels made their way,

Toward Sheikh ʿAbd al-Qadir the pale camels turned,

And thus their journey earned its full and rightful reward.

so their reward was complete and recompense became their due.

وما لسوى آل النبيّ محمّدٍ

وما لسوى آل النبيّ محمّدٍ

تحثّ المطايا أو يناخ ركاب

تحثّ المطايا أو يناخ ركاب

For none but the family of the Prophet Muhammad

For none but the family of the Prophet Muhammad

Are mounts urged onward or caravans made to kneel.

are mounts urged onward or riding-camels made to kneel.

كأنَّ شعاع النور من حضراتهم

كأنَّ شعاع النور من حضراتهم

تشق حشا الظلماء فهي حراب

تشق حشا الظلماء فهي حراب

It is as though the rays of light from their holy presences

It is as though the rays of light from their august presences

Pierce the heart of darkness like spears.

pierce the heart of darkness, for they are lances.

عليها من الأنوار ما يبهر النهى

عليها من الأنوار ما يبهر النهى

وينصل فيها للظلام خضاب

وينصل فيها للظلام خضاب

Such lights shine upon it as dazzle the intellect,

Upon them are lights that dazzle the intellect,

And darkness’s dye fades away within it.

and within them darkness's dye fades away.

يراها بعيني رأسه كل ناظر

يراها بعيني رأسه كل ناظر

وما دونها للناظرين حجاب

وما دونها للناظرين حجاب

Every beholder sees it with his own two eyes,

Every beholder sees them with his own eyes,

With no veil before it to obstruct the gaze.

and no veil stands between them and those who behold.

فلله قبر ضمّ أشرفَ راقدٍ

فلله قبر ضمّ أشرفَ راقدٍ

لديه كما ضم الحسام قراب

لديه كما ضم الحسام قراب

How wondrous the tomb that enfolds the noblest sleeper,

God be praised for a tomb that holds the noblest sleeper

As a scabbard enfolds the sword beside it!

within it, as a scabbard holds a keen sword.

جناب مريع عظم الله شأنه

جناب مريع عظم الله شأنه

فجلَّ له قدر وعز جناب

فجلَّ له قدر وعز جناب

An inviolable, flourishing precinct—may God exalt its station—

A lush precinct whose stature God has magnified,

Lofty in worth and mighty in sanctity.

so its rank is exalted and its precinct honored.

تصاغر كبَّار الملوك جميعها

تصاغر كبَّار الملوك جميعها

بحضرة باز الله فهي ذباب

بحضرة باز الله فهي ذباب

All the greatest kings shrink into insignificance

All the mightiest kings shrink into insignificance

Before God’s Falcon, becoming mere flies.

in the presence of God's falcon: they are flies.

ويستحقر الجبار إذ ذاك نفسه

ويستحقر الجبار إذ ذاك نفسه

فيرجو إذا ما راعه ويهاب

فيرجو إذا ما راعه ويهاب

There the mighty tyrant holds even himself in contempt,

Even the tyrant then thinks little of himself,

Then hopes when terror strikes him, and stands in awe.

so, awestruck by him, he both hopes and fears.

قصدناك والعافون أنت ملاذهم

قصدناك والعافون أنت ملاذهم

وما قصدوا يوماً علاك وخابوا

وما قصدوا يوماً علاك وخابوا

We have sought you, for you are the refuge of all who seek favor;

We have sought you; those seeking bounty find their refuge in you,

Never have they sought your lofty presence and been disappointed.

and never have they sought your lofty station and come away disappointed.

تلين الرزايا في حماك وإن قست

تلين الرزايا في حماك وإن قست

وكم لان منها في حماك صلاب

وكم لان منها في حماك صلاب

Calamities soften within your sanctuary, however hard,

Afflictions soften within your protection, however harsh,

And how many a hardness has softened there!

and how many of their hardest have softened in your sanctuary!

بك اليوم أشياخ كبار تضرعوا

بك اليوم أشياخ كبار تضرعوا

إلى الله فيما نابهم وأنابوا

إلى الله فيما نابهم وأنابوا

Through you, venerable elders now beseech

Through you today, venerable elders have pleaded humbly

God concerning what befell them, repentant and returning to Him.

to God over what has befallen them, and turned to Him.

على فطرة الإسلام شبت وشيَّبت

على فطرة الإسلام شبت وشيَّبت

مفارقهم سود الخطوب فتابوا

مفارقهم سود الخطوب فتابوا

You grew up in Islam’s primordial nature, while black calamities

They grew up in Islam's innate faith, and gray has overtaken

Turned their temples gray, and so they repented.

their hair-partings through dark calamities; so they repented.

قد استعبرت أجفانهم منك هيبة

قد استعبرت أجفانهم منك هيبة

ومالت لهم عند الضريح رقاب

ومالت لهم عند الضريح رقاب

Their eyelids shed tears out of awe of you,

Their eyelids have streamed with tears in awe of you,

And at the shrine their necks bowed low.

and their necks have bowed beside the tomb.

يمدون أيدي المستميح من الندى

يمدون أيدي المستميح من الندى

وما غير إعطاء المرام جواب

وما غير إعطاء المرام جواب

They extend the hands of a petitioner seeking bounty,

They stretch out the hands of one who begs for bounty,

And no answer comes but the granting of their desire.

and there is no reply but granting what is sought.

تُنال بك الآمال وهي بعيدة

تُنال بك الآمال وهي بعيدة

وتقضى بك الآمال وهي صعاب

وتقضى بك الآمال وهي صعاب

Through you, hopes are attained though distant,

Through you hopes are attained, though distant,

And through you, hopes are fulfilled though difficult.

and through you hopes are fulfilled, though difficult.

وأنَّى لنا يا أيها الشيخ جيئة

وأنَّى لنا يا أيها الشيخ جيئة

إلى بابك العالي وليس ذهاب

إلى بابك العالي وليس ذهاب

How could we, O Shaykh, come

And how may we, O Sheikh, come

To your lofty gate and then depart

to your lofty door? There is no leaving

إلى أن ترينا الخطب منفصم العرى

إلى أن ترينا الخطب منفصم العرى

وللأمن من بعد النزوح إياب

وللأمن من بعد النزوح إياب

Before you show us calamity with its bonds torn apart,

until you show us calamity with its bonds broken,

And security returning after long exile;

and safety returning after its departure.

وحتى نرى فيما نرى قد تقشعت

وحتى نرى فيما نرى قد تقشعت

غيوم غموم واضمحل ضباب

غيوم غموم واضمحل ضباب

Before we see, amid all that we see,

And until we see, among the things we see, the dispersal of

Clouds of sorrow dispersed and the fog dissolved?

clouds of grief, and the vanishing of mist.

إلام نعاني غصةً بعد غصةٍ

إلام نعاني غصةً بعد غصةٍ

ونرمى بأسهام الأذى ونصاب

ونرمى بأسهام الأذى ونصاب

How long must we suffer anguish after anguish,

How long must we endure one choking grief after another,

Be pelted with the arrows of harm, and stricken?

and be pelted with arrows of harm and struck?

أبا صالح قد أفسد الدهر أمرنا

أبا صالح قد أفسد الدهر أمرنا

وضاقت علينا في الخطوب رحابُ

وضاقت علينا في الخطوب رحابُ

O Abū Ṣāliḥ, time has ruined our affairs,

Abu Salih, time has ruined our affairs,

And amid disasters the wide spaces have closed in upon us.

and amid calamities, open spaces have closed in on us.

وتالله ما ننفكّ نستجلب الرضى

وتالله ما ننفكّ نستجلب الرضى

علينا من الأيام وهي غضاب

علينا من الأيام وهي غضاب

By God, we never cease trying to draw the days’ favor

By God, we never cease seeking to win favor

Toward us, though they remain enraged.

toward us from the days, though they are angry.

وتعدو كما تعدو الذئاب صروفها

وتعدو كما تعدو الذئاب صروفها

علينا وأحداث الزمان ذئاب

علينا وأحداث الزمان ذئاب

Their vicissitudes assail us as wolves assail,

Their vicissitudes rush, as wolves rush,

And the events of time are wolves indeed.

upon us; the happenings of time are wolves.

وإنا لفي دهر تسافل بعدما

وإنا لفي دهر تسافل بعدما

أقيم مقام الرأس فيه ذناب

أقيم مقام الرأس فيه ذناب

We live in an age that has sunk so low that

We live in an age that has sunk low, now that

A tail has been set in it where the head should be.

a tail has been installed there in the head's place.

فوا عجباً مما نراه بجيله

فوا عجباً مما نراه بجيله

وأكثر أحوال الزمان عجاب

وأكثر أحوال الزمان عجاب

Oh, what wonder at what we see in its generation!

Oh, the wonder of what we see among its generation!

Most of time’s conditions are wonders.

And most conditions of the age are astonishing.

يذاد عن الماء النمير ابن حرة

يذاد عن الماء النمير ابن حرة

وللنذل فيها مورد وشراب

وللنذل فيها مورد وشراب

The freeborn man is driven from the sweet water,

The son of a free woman is driven away from wholesome water,

While the vile man has free access to its spring and drink.

while a scoundrel has a watering place and drink there.

وتعلو على أعلى الرجال أراذل

وتعلو على أعلى الرجال أراذل

وتسطو على ليث العرين كلاب

وتسطو على ليث العرين كلاب

The basest rise above the loftiest men,

The vilest rise above the highest of men,

And dogs attack the lion of the den.

and dogs assail the lion in his den.

فلا خير في هذي الحياة فإنها

فلا خير في هذي الحياة فإنها

عقاب وما لا تشتهيه عقاب

عقاب وما لا تشتهيه عقاب

There is no good in this life, for it is

There is no good in this life, for it is

Punishment, and what one does not desire is punishment.

punishment—and whatever you do not desire is punishment.

حياة لأبناء اللئام وجودها

حياة لأبناء اللئام وجودها

نعيم وللحر الكريم عذاب

نعيم وللحر الكريم عذاب

Its continuance is life and bliss for the sons of villains,

A life whose existence, for the sons of the base, is

But torment for the noble freeborn man.

bliss, but for the free and noble man, torment.

إلى الله مما نابنا أيّ مشتكى

إلى الله مما نابنا أيّ مشتكى

ولله ما نُرمى به ونصاب

ولله ما نُرمى به ونصاب

To God alone we complain of what has befallen us—what a grievance!

To God, what a complaint of all that has befallen us!

And to God belongs all with which we are assailed and stricken.

And, by God, what we are pelted with and struck by!

إذا ما مضى عنا مصاب أهالَنا

إذا ما مضى عنا مصاب أهالَنا

دهانا مصاب بعده ومصاب

دهانا مصاب بعده ومصاب

No sooner does one affliction that appalled us pass away

Whenever a calamity that terrified us passes away,

Than another, and another after it, overwhelms us.

another calamity strikes us after it, and another.

وأحداثُ أيام تشبُّ ولم تَشِبْ

وأحداثُ أيام تشبُّ ولم تَشِبْ

كأن لم يكن قبل المشيب شباب

كأن لم يكن قبل المشيب شباب

The events of days flare up though they have not grown old,

The afflictions of the days grow young and never grow gray,

As though no youth had ever preceded old age.

as though no youth had ever preceded gray hair.

تَشُنُّ علينا غارة بعد غارة

تَشُنُّ علينا غارة بعد غارة

فنحن إذاً غُنمٌ لها ونهاب

فنحن إذاً غُنمٌ لها ونهاب

They launch raid after raid against us,

They launch raid upon raid against us,

So we are their spoils and plunder.

so we are their booty and plunder.

فيا آل بيت الوحي دعوة ضارع

فيا آل بيت الوحي دعوة ضارع

إلى الله يدعو ربه ويجاب

إلى الله يدعو ربه ويجاب

O Household of Revelation, grant a humble man’s prayer

O family of the House of Revelation—a humble supplicant's prayer

To God—a prayer by which he calls upon his Lord and is answered:

to God, calling upon his Lord and receiving an answer:

صلاح ولاة الأمر إن صلاحهم

صلاح ولاة الأمر إن صلاحهم

يعود علينا والفساد خراب

يعود علينا والفساد خراب

May the rulers be made righteous, for their righteousness

for the righteousness of those in authority, for their righteousness

Benefits us, while corruption brings ruin;

benefits us, while corruption brings ruin.

بحيث إذا راموا الإساءة أقلعوا

بحيث إذا راموا الإساءة أقلعوا

أو اجتهدوا فيما يَسُرُّ أصابوا

أو اجتهدوا فيما يَسُرُّ أصابوا

So that, if they intend wrongdoing, they desist,

So that, if they seek to do evil, they desist,

And if they strive for what brings joy, they succeed.

or, if they strive for what brings joy, they succeed.

مواردكم للحائمين كأنها

مواردكم للحائمين كأنها

موارد من قطر الغمام عذاب

موارد من قطر الغمام عذاب

Your watering places seem to those circling thirstily

Your watering places for those circling in thirst are like

Like sweet springs fed by raindrops from the clouds.

sweet watering places fed by the rain of clouds.

وهل ينبغي الظمآن من غير فضلكم

وهل ينبغي الظمآن من غير فضلكم

وُروداً وماء الباخلين سراب

وُروداً وماء الباخلين سراب

Should the thirsty seek any watering place beyond your bounty,

And would the thirsty seek, apart from your bounty,

When the water of misers is only a mirage?

access to water, when the misers' water is a mirage?

نعفّر منا أوجهاً في صعيدكم

نعفّر منا أوجهاً في صعيدكم

عليهنّ من صبغ المشيب نقاب

عليهنّ من صبغ المشيب نقاب

We rub our faces in the dust of your ground,

We rub our faces in the dust of your ground;

Faces veiled by the dye of gray age.

over them lies a veil of gray hair's coloring.

فلا دونكم للقاصدين مقاصد

فلا دونكم للقاصدين مقاصد

ولا بعدكم للطالبين طلاب

ولا بعدكم للطالبين طلاب

For those who seek, there is no goal short of you,

For those who seek, no destination lies short of you,

And for those who quest, no quest beyond you.

and beyond you seekers have no further quest.

مفاتيح للجدوى مصابيح للهدى

مفاتيح للجدوى مصابيح للهدى

فأيديكم في العالمين رغاب

فأيديكم في العالمين رغاب

Keys to beneficence, lamps of guidance—

Keys to bounty, lamps of guidance—

Your hands extend abundant gifts throughout the worlds.

your hands are bountiful throughout the worlds.

بكم يرزق الله العباد وفيكم

بكم يرزق الله العباد وفيكم

تنزَّل من رب السماء كتاب

تنزَّل من رب السماء كتاب

Through you God provides for His servants, and among you

Through you God sustains His servants, and among you

A Book descended from the Lord of heaven.

a Book descended from the Lord of heaven.

وأنتم لنا في هذه الدار رحمة

وأنتم لنا في هذه الدار رحمة

إذا مسَّنا فيها أذىً وعذاب

إذا مسَّنا فيها أذىً وعذاب

You are a mercy to us in this abode

You are a mercy to us in this abode,

Whenever harm and torment touch us here.

when harm and torment touch us here.

ومن بعد هذا أنتم شفعاؤنا

ومن بعد هذا أنتم شفعاؤنا

إذ كانت الأخرى وقام حساب

إذ كانت الأخرى وقام حساب

And after this life, you are our intercessors

And after this, you are our intercessors

When the Hereafter comes and the Reckoning begins.

when the next life comes and the reckoning is held.

لأعتابكم تزجى المطي ضوامراً

لأعتابكم تزجى المطي ضوامراً

وتطوى فلاة قفرة ويباب

وتطوى فلاة قفرة ويباب

Toward your thresholds lean mounts are driven,

To your thresholds lean mounts are driven,

And barren, desolate wastes are traversed.

and barren desert and wasteland are traversed.

إذا كنتم باب الرجاء لطالب

إذا كنتم باب الرجاء لطالب

فما سد من دون المطالب باب

فما سد من دون المطالب باب

Since you are the gate of hope for every seeker,

If you are the gate of hope for a seeker,

No gate bars the way to what is sought.

then no gate stands closed before what he seeks.