وعدَتْ ولم تفِ لي بذاك الموعدِ

وعدَتْ ولم تفِ لي بذاك الموعدِ

فغَدا الغرام غريمَ قلبي المُكمَدِ

فغَدا الغرام غريمَ قلبي المُكمَدِ

You promised, yet did not keep that appointed tryst with me;

She promised, but did not keep that promise to me.

and passion became the creditor of my grief-stricken heart.

Thus passion became the creditor of my grief-stricken heart.

هيفاءٌ أُرضيها وتُسخِطُني وقد

هيفاءٌ أُرضيها وتُسخِطُني وقد

طاوعْتُها وعصَيْتُ كلّ مفنّدِ

طاوعْتُها وعصَيْتُ كلّ مفنّدِ

A slender beauty: I please her while she angers me—and yet

A slender-waisted beauty: I please her, yet she angers me, though

I obeyed her and disobeyed every reproving counselor.

I have obeyed her and disobeyed every faultfinder.

يا دمعَ عيني زِدْ ولا تنقُصْ ويا

يا دمعَ عيني زِدْ ولا تنقُصْ ويا

نارَ الأسى بين الحشا لا تخمُدي

نارَ الأسى بين الحشا لا تخمُدي

O tears of my eyes, increase and do not diminish; and O

O tears of my eye, increase, do not diminish; and O

fire of sorrow within my breast, never die down.

Fire of sorrow within my breast, do not die down.

بكرت مؤنّبَتي تلومُ على الهوى

بكرت مؤنّبَتي تلومُ على الهوى

وتروح جاهلةً عليّ وتغتدي

وتروح جاهلةً عليّ وتغتدي

My reproacher came early, rebuking me for love,

My reprover came at dawn, blaming me for love;

and comes and goes, knowing nothing of my plight.

And, ignorant, she comes at me evening and morning.

ظنّت بأن اللومَ يصلحني وما

ظنّت بأن اللومَ يصلحني وما

علمَتْ بأن اللومَ فيها مفسدي

علمَتْ بأن اللومَ فيها مفسدي

She thought that blame would set me right, but

She thought reproach would set me right, but did not

she did not know that blaming me for her only ruins me.

Know that reproach concerning her is my undoing.

تاللهِ لا حاولتُ عنها سلوةً

تاللهِ لا حاولتُ عنها سلوةً

وإذا انتهيتُ الى النهاية أبتدي

وإذا انتهيتُ الى النهاية أبتدي

By God, I shall never seek consolation away from her;

By God, I have never sought to forget her;

whenever I reach the very end, I begin again.

And when I reach the end, I begin anew.

الهجر شرّد نومَ عيني في الهوى

الهجر شرّد نومَ عيني في الهوى

وأذلَّ مع عزّي جنودُ تجلّدي

وأذلَّ مع عزّي جنودُ تجلّدي

Estrangement has driven sleep from my eyes in love,

In love, estrangement has driven sleep from my eyes,

and, despite my pride, humbled the hosts of my endurance.

And, despite my pride, laid low the armies of my endurance.

ويلاهُ من رشأٍ غريرٍ أغيدٍ

ويلاهُ من رشأٍ غريرٍ أغيدٍ

أربى على حورِ الحِسانِ النُهّدِ

أربى على حورِ الحِسانِ النُهّدِ

Alas for a guileless, graceful young gazelle

Alas for me, because of a guileless, graceful gazelle fawn

who surpasses the wide-eyed, full-breasted beauties!

Who surpasses the dark-eyed, full-breasted beauties.

أشكو أبكي وهو يضحكُ لاهياً

أشكو أبكي وهو يضحكُ لاهياً

عني ويرثي لي ويبكي حُسّدي

عني ويرثي لي ويبكي حُسّدي

I complain and weep while he laughs heedlessly,

I complain, I weep, while he laughs, heedless

turning from me; he pities me and makes my enviers weep.

Of me, while my enviers pity me and weep.

لا تغرُرَنكَ رقّةٌ في خدّه

لا تغرُرَنكَ رقّةٌ في خدّه

فالقلبُ منه قد قسا كالجَلْمَدِ

فالقلبُ منه قد قسا كالجَلْمَدِ

Do not be deceived by the softness of his cheek:

Do not let the softness of his cheek deceive you:

his heart has grown as hard as solid rock.

For his heart has hardened like solid rock.

الصدق شيمتهُ ولكن لم يزلْ

الصدق شيمتهُ ولكن لم يزلْ

في الحبّ يكذبُ مخلِفاً للموعدِ

في الحبّ يكذبُ مخلِفاً للموعدِ

Truthfulness is his nature, yet he never ceases

Truthfulness is his nature, yet he never ceases

to lie in love, breaking his promised tryst.

To lie in love, breaking his promise.

مالي إذا أبرمتُ عنه سلوةً

مالي إذا أبرمتُ عنه سلوةً

في النومِ أنقضُها برغمي في غَدِ

في النومِ أنقضُها برغمي في غَدِ

Why is it that whenever I resolve to forget him,

Why is it that, when I resolve to forget him

I undo that resolve in sleep, against my will, by morning?

In sleep, I undo that resolve against my will the next day?

بالله ربّك قلْ له يا عاذلي

بالله ربّك قلْ له يا عاذلي

زِدْ عزّةً في الحبّ ذُلاً أزدَدِ

زِدْ عزّةً في الحبّ ذُلاً أزدَدِ

By God, reproacher, tell him:

By God, your Lord, tell him, O my reprover:

“Grow prouder still—for in love I shall grow still more abased.”

Grow prouder in love, and I shall grow more abased.

أنا قد رضيتُ بأنْ أكونَ مدلّهاً

أنا قد رضيتُ بأنْ أكونَ مدلّهاً

في حبّه فعلامَ أنت مفنّدي

في حبّه فعلامَ أنت مفنّدي

I have consented to be maddened

I have accepted being distraught

by love of him; why, then, do you reproach me?

In love with him; why, then, do you find fault with me?

يا طالبَ النيران دونكَ فاقتبِسْ

يا طالبَ النيران دونكَ فاقتبِسْ

من نارِ قلبي المستهامِ المُكمَدِ

من نارِ قلبي المستهامِ المُكمَدِ

O seeker of fires, come—take a spark

O seeker of flames, here you are—take a spark

from the fire of my infatuated, grief-stricken heart.

From the fire of my lovesick, grief-stricken heart.

يا صادياً هذي دُموعي أصبحتْ

يا صادياً هذي دُموعي أصبحتْ

تنهلُّ من جَفنَيْ دونَكَها رِدِ

تنهلُّ من جَفنَيْ دونَكَها رِدِ

O thirsty one, here are my tears, now

O thirsty one, these tears of mine now

pouring from my eyelids—take them and drink.

Pour from my eyelids: here they are—come and drink.

قد كان دمعي أبيضاً قبلَ النّوى

قد كان دمعي أبيضاً قبلَ النّوى

فاليومَ أصبح أحمراً كالعسجَدِ

فاليومَ أصبح أحمراً كالعسجَدِ

Before our parting, my tears were white;

My tears were white before separation;

today they have become red as red gold.

But today they have turned red as gold.

أقررتُ أني عبدُه فتيقّنوا

أقررتُ أني عبدُه فتيقّنوا

ثم اشهدوا هو سيّدي هو سيدي

ثم اشهدوا هو سيّدي هو سيدي

I have confessed that I am his slave, so be certain;

I have acknowledged that I am his slave—be certain of it,

then bear witness: he is my master, he is my master.

Then bear witness: he is my master, he is my master.

فله الجمالُ كما الفخارُ بأسره

فله الجمالُ كما الفخارُ بأسره

متجمّعٌ في الحافظِ بن محمدِ

متجمّعٌ في الحافظِ بن محمدِ

For all beauty, like all glory,

Beauty is his, just as glory in its entirety

is gathered in al-Ḥāfiẓ ibn Muḥammad.

Is gathered in al-Hafiz ibn Muhammad.

فخرُ الأئمة أحمدُ المحمودُ مَنْ

فخرُ الأئمة أحمدُ المحمودُ مَنْ

فاقَ البريّة بالنّدى والسؤددِ

فاقَ البريّة بالنّدى والسؤددِ

The pride of the imams—Ahmad, the praised—is he who

The pride of the imams, Ahmad the praised, who

surpassed all humankind in generosity and eminence.

Surpassed all creation in generosity and nobility.

زُرْهُ تزُرْ أزكى البريّة عنصُراً

زُرْهُ تزُرْ أزكى البريّة عنصُراً

متودّداً ناهيكَ من متودّد

متودّداً ناهيكَ من متودّد

Visit him, and you visit the purest of humankind in origin,

Visit him, and you visit the purest of all creation in lineage,

warmly affectionate—you could ask no finer friend!

Affectionate—what an affectionate man he is!

متيقظٌ فطنٌ أغرُّ مهذبٌ

متيقظٌ فطنٌ أغرُّ مهذبٌ

جمُّ العطايا صادقٌ في الموعدِ

جمُّ العطايا صادقٌ في الموعدِ

Watchful, discerning, radiant, cultivated;

Alert, discerning, radiant, refined,

lavish in gifts and faithful to his promise.

Lavish in gifts, true to his promise.

فاقَ الورى فعَلا عُلوّ الفرقدِ

فاقَ الورى فعَلا عُلوّ الفرقدِ

حتى لقد سمّوهُ سعدَ الأسعُدِ

حتى لقد سمّوهُ سعدَ الأسعُدِ

He surpassed humankind in deeds and rose above the star al-Farqad,

He surpassed mankind, and so rose as high as the star al-Farqad,

until they even named him “Saʿd the Most Fortunate.”

Until they named him Sa'd al-As'ud.

يُعطيكَ عند سؤاله متبسّماً

يُعطيكَ عند سؤاله متبسّماً

وإذا امتنعتَ ولم تسلْهُ يَبتدي

وإذا امتنعتَ ولم تسلْهُ يَبتدي

He gives when asked, smiling,

He gives to you smiling when you ask him,

and if you refrain and do not ask him, he begins.

And if you hold back and do not ask him, he takes the initiative.

وإذا ادلهمّ الخطبُ يوماً في الورى

وإذا ادلهمّ الخطبُ يوماً في الورى

لا تعدلَنْ عن رأيه المتوقّد

لا تعدلَنْ عن رأيه المتوقّد

Whenever calamity overwhelms humankind,

And if calamity darkens over mankind one day,

never turn away from his radiant judgment.

Do not turn away from his brilliant counsel.

شهدتْ له الأعداءُ أجمعُ أنه

شهدتْ له الأعداءُ أجمعُ أنه

علمٌ ومَن هذا الذي لم يشهدِ

علمٌ ومَن هذا الذي لم يشهدِ

All his enemies together have testified that he

All his enemies have borne witness that he is

is a beacon—and who is there that has not testified?

A beacon—and who is there who has not borne witness?

ما زال يرغبُ في الثوابِ ديانةً

ما زال يرغبُ في الثوابِ ديانةً

منه ويزهدُ في اكتسابِ العسجدِ

منه ويزهدُ في اكتسابِ العسجدِ

Out of devotion, he continually seeks spiritual recompense,

He has always sought reward out of religious devotion,

while scorning the acquisition of gold.

And, for his part, shunned the acquisition of gold.

علمٌ به كل البريّة تهتدي

علمٌ به كل البريّة تهتدي

وبرائه في كلِّ خَطبٍ تقتدي

وبرائه في كلِّ خَطبٍ تقتدي

A beacon by whom all humankind is guided;

A beacon by whom all creation finds guidance,

in every crisis, they follow his judgment.

And follows his counsel in every crisis.

أعراضُه للمادحين وجاهُه

أعراضُه للمادحين وجاهُه

للقاصدينَ ومالُه للمجتدي

للقاصدينَ ومالُه للمجتدي

His honor is for those who praise him, and his standing

His honors are for the panegyrists, and his influence

for those who seek him, while his wealth is for the petitioner.

For those who seek him, and his wealth for the petitioner.

في الفقهِ مثلُ الشافعيّ ومالكٍ

في الفقهِ مثلُ الشافعيّ ومالكٍ

وأبي حنيفةَ وابنِ حنبلَ أحمدِ

وأبي حنيفةَ وابنِ حنبلَ أحمدِ

In jurisprudence he is like al-Shāfiʿī and Mālik,

In jurisprudence, he is like al-Shafi'i and Malik,

Abū Ḥanīfa, and Aḥmad ibn Ḥanbal.

And Abu Hanifa, and Ahmad ibn Hanbal.

ضاهى البخاريّ المحدّثَ رتبةً

ضاهى البخاريّ المحدّثَ رتبةً

مع مُسلمٍ ومسدَّدِ بنِ مسرْهَدِ

مع مُسلمٍ ومسدَّدِ بنِ مسرْهَدِ

In rank he matched the hadith scholar al-Bukhārī,

He matched al-Bukhari, the hadith scholar, in rank,

along with Muslim and Musaddad ibn Musarhad.

Along with Muslim and Musaddad ibn Musarhad.

وأبو عبادةَ في القريض وجروَلٌ

وأبو عبادةَ في القريض وجروَلٌ

لو عاصراهُ أصبحا كالأعبُدِ

لو عاصراهُ أصبحا كالأعبُدِ

And Abū Nuwās in poetry, and Jarwal—

And, in poetry, Abu 'Ubada and Jarwal,

had they lived in his time, they would have become like slaves.

Had they lived in his time, would have become like slaves.

يا أحمدُ المحمودُ من دون الورى

يا أحمدُ المحمودُ من دون الورى

أنت الذي أوضحتَ شِرعةَ أحمدِ

أنت الذي أوضحتَ شِرعةَ أحمدِ

O Ahmad, praised above all humankind,

O Ahmad, praised beyond all others,

you are the one who made Ahmad’s path clear.

You are the one who made Ahmad's law clear.

خُذها إليك قصيدة رقّت كما

خُذها إليك قصيدة رقّت كما

رقّت شكايةَ مُستهامٍ مُكمَدِ

رقّت شكايةَ مُستهامٍ مُكمَدِ

Here—take from me an ode made delicate, just as

Receive this poem, tender as

the complaint of an infatuated, grief-stricken lover is delicate.

The lament of a lovesick, grief-stricken man is tender.

ألبستَها بمديحك السامي إذاً

ألبستَها بمديحك السامي إذاً

ثوبَ الفخارِ ومثلُه لم يوجَدِ

ثوبَ الفخارِ ومثلُه لم يوجَدِ

Thus, through your lofty praise, I clothed it

Through its lofty praise of you, you have clothed it, then,

in a robe of glory whose like has never been found.

In a robe of glory whose like has never been found.

أنعِمْ إذاً بقبولها متفضلاً

أنعِمْ إذاً بقبولها متفضلاً

فقبولُها فرَجي وغيظُ الحُسَّدِ

فقبولُها فرَجي وغيظُ الحُسَّدِ

Then favor me by accepting it graciously:

Be gracious, then, and favor me by accepting it:

its acceptance is my joy and the vexation of the envious.

For its acceptance is my relief and my enviers' vexation.

لا زلتَ في نعَمٍ وعزٍّ دائمٍ

لا زلتَ في نعَمٍ وعزٍّ دائمٍ

ألفاً فمثلُك في الورى لم يولَدِ

ألفاً فمثلُك في الورى لم يولَدِ

May you remain in blessings and enduring might

May you ever remain in blessings and enduring honor,

for a thousand years—for women have never borne your like—

For a thousand years—for none like you has been born among mankind—

ما ناح قُمريٌّ وغرّد طائرٌ

ما ناح قُمريٌّ وغرّد طائرٌ

سحَراً على غُصن رطيبٍ أملَدِ

سحَراً على غُصن رطيبٍ أملَدِ

as long as a turtledove coos and a bird sings

As long as a turtledove laments and a bird warbles

at dawn upon a fresh, tender, supple branch.

Before dawn upon a fresh, supple bough.