لَئِنْ كَانَ وَرْدُ الْخَدِّ أَبْدَعَ فِي الصَّبْغِ

لَئِنْ كَانَ وَرْدُ الْخَدِّ أَبْدَعَ فِي الصَّبْغِ

وَحَاطَتْهُ حَيَّاتٌ تَدَلَّتْ مِنَ الصُّدْغِ

وَحَاطَتْهُ حَيَّاتٌ تَدَلَّتْ مِنَ الصُّدْغِ

If indeed the cheek's rose is more exquisite in color,

Though the rose of the cheek may be wondrous in its hue,

and serpents dangling from the temple encircle it,

Encircled by serpentine curls dangling from the temple,

وَذَادَتْ نِبَالُ اللَّحْظِ دُونَ اقْتِطَافِهِ

وَذَادَتْ نِبَالُ اللَّحْظِ دُونَ اقْتِطَافِهِ

وَبَانَتْ عَلَى مَنْ سَامَهُ سِمَةَ الصَّدْغِ

وَبَانَتْ عَلَى مَنْ سَامَهُ سِمَةَ الصَّدْغِ

and the arrows of the glance guard it against plucking,

And guarded fiercely from plucking by the arrows of glances,

and the mark of a blow to the temple appears on whoever seeks it,

Leaving the mark of a heavy blow upon whoever seeks it—

فَفِي قَطْفِ وَرْدِ الْمَدْحِ مَدْحِ مُحَمَّدٍ

فَفِي قَطْفِ وَرْدِ الْمَدْحِ مَدْحِ مُحَمَّدٍ

عَلَيْهِ صَلاَةُ اللهِ أَمْنٌ مِنَ الَّلدْغِ

عَلَيْهِ صَلاَةُ اللهِ أَمْنٌ مِنَ الَّلدْغِ

then in plucking the rose of praise, the praise of Muhammad—

Yet in plucking the rose of praise, the praise of Muhammad,

God's blessing be upon him—there is safety from the sting.

Upon whom be the prayers of Allah, lies absolute safety from the sting.

أَدِمْ قَطْفَهُ تَظْهَرْ عَلَى كُلِّ حَاسِدٍ

أَدِمْ قَطْفَهُ تَظْهَرْ عَلَى كُلِّ حَاسِدٍ

وَتَظْفَرْ بِأَسْنَى مَا تُرِيدُ وَمَا تَبْغِي

وَتَظْفَرْ بِأَسْنَى مَا تُرِيدُ وَمَا تَبْغِي

Keep plucking it, and you will prevail over every envier,

Continue to pluck it, and you shall overcome every envier,

and attain the loftiest of what you desire and what you seek.

And triumph with the most radiant of your desires and pursuits.

فَفِي قَطْفِهِ قَطْفُ الْمُنَى دُونَ مَا عَنَا

فَفِي قَطْفِهِ قَطْفُ الْمُنَى دُونَ مَا عَنَا

وَهَصْرُ غُصُونِ الْبِرِّ مِنْ دَوْحَةِ الرَّفْغِ

وَهَصْرُ غُصُونِ الْبِرِّ مِنْ دَوْحَةِ الرَّفْغِ

For plucking it is plucking wishes without hardship,

For in plucking it is the harvesting of hopes without hardship,

and bending down the boughs of goodness from the great tree of plenty.

And the bending of righteous branches from a fertile, spacious orchard.

فَحُكْ فِيهِ مِنْ حَرِّ الثَّنَاءِ مَطَارِفاً

فَحُكْ فِيهِ مِنْ حَرِّ الثَّنَاءِ مَطَارِفاً

مُنَمْنَمَةَ الأَعْلاَمِ بَاهِرَةَ الصَّبْغِ

مُنَمْنَمَةَ الأَعْلاَمِ بَاهِرَةَ الصَّبْغِ

So weave in his honor cloaks from the fervor of praise,

So weave for him, from the purest silk of praise, splendid cloaks,

their borders finely embroidered, their colors dazzling.

With exquisitely patterned borders, dazzling in their colors.

وَقُلْ وَاعْتَرِفْ بِالْعَجْزِ فِيهِ قَصِيدَةً

وَقُلْ وَاعْتَرِفْ بِالْعَجْزِ فِيهِ قَصِيدَةً

وَإِنْ كُنْتَ مِنْ أَهْلِ الإِجَادَةِ وَالنَّبْغِ

وَإِنْ كُنْتَ مِنْ أَهْلِ الإِجَادَةِ وَالنَّبْغِ

And compose a poem about him, acknowledging your inadequacy,

And recite a poem confessing your utter inability to praise him fully,

even if you are a master of excellence and brilliance.

Even if you are among the masters of eloquence and genius.

فَقَدْ أَفْصَحَ الذِّكْرُ الْحَكِيمُ بِمَدْحِهِ

فَقَدْ أَفْصَحَ الذِّكْرُ الْحَكِيمُ بِمَدْحِهِ

وَمَدْحُكَ مِنْهُ فِي الْحَقِيقَةِ كَالنَّشْغِ

وَمَدْحُكَ مِنْهُ فِي الْحَقِيقَةِ كَالنَّشْغِ

For the Wise Reminder has clearly proclaimed his praise,

For the Wise Remembrance has already articulated his praise,

and your praise beside it is, in truth, like a choking gasp.

And your praise, compared to it, is in truth like a fleeting gasp.

وَلَكِنَّهُ صَلَّى الإِلَهُ عَلَيْهِ مَا

وَلَكِنَّهُ صَلَّى الإِلَهُ عَلَيْهِ مَا

حَلاَ ذِكْرُهُ يُولِي الْجَزِيلَ مِنَ الْوَشْغِ

حَلاَ ذِكْرُهُ يُولِي الْجَزِيلَ مِنَ الْوَشْغِ

Yet he—may God bless him for as long as

But he—may God bless him for as long as

his remembrance is sweet—bestows abundance for a trifle.

His memory remains sweet—bestows abundant grace upon a meager effort.

وَكُنْ ذَا خُضُوعٍ فِي خِطَابِ جَلاَلِهِ

وَكُنْ ذَا خُضُوعٍ فِي خِطَابِ جَلاَلِهِ

فَإِنَّهُ لِلْمُثْنِي عَلَى مَجْدِهِ مُصْغِ

فَإِنَّهُ لِلْمُثْنِي عَلَى مَجْدِهِ مُصْغِ

Be humble when addressing his majesty,

And be possessed of deep humility when addressing his majesty,

for he listens to whoever extols his glory.

For he listens closely to the one who exalts his glory.

فَإِنْ كَانَ ذَا ذُلٍّ فَسَمْعٌ مُبْلَّغٌ

فَإِنْ كَانَ ذَا ذُلٍّ فَسَمْعٌ مُبْلَّغٌ

وَإِلاَّ فَسَمْعٌ لاَ يُضَافُ إِلَى بَلْغِ

وَإِلاَّ فَسَمْعٌ لاَ يُضَافُ إِلَى بَلْغِ

If the praiser is humble, his praise is heard and conveyed;

If one is truly humble, the hearing is successfully conveyed,

otherwise, it is heard but does not reach him.

Otherwise, it is a hearing that does not lead to attainment.

بِجَاهِكَ عِنْدَ اللهِ يَا أَصْلَ أَصْلِهِ

بِجَاهِكَ عِنْدَ اللهِ يَا أَصْلَ أَصْلِهِ

فَآدَمُ لَوْلاَكَ مَا فَازَ بِالنَّبْغِ

فَآدَمُ لَوْلاَكَ مَا فَازَ بِالنَّبْغِ

By your standing with God, O source of your own source—

By your high station with Allah, O source of all existence,

for Adam, but for you, would not have attained distinction—

For Adam, were it not for you, would never have achieved his emergence.

وَحَقَّ أَبِي بَكْرٍ لَدَيْكَ وَبِنْتِهِ

وَحَقَّ أَبِي بَكْرٍ لَدَيْكَ وَبِنْتِهِ

وَبِضْعَتِكَ الزَّهْرَا اكْفِنَا كُلَّمَا مِلْغِ

وَبِضْعَتِكَ الزَّهْرَا اكْفِنَا كُلَّمَا مِلْغِ

and by Abu Bakr's right with you, and his daughter's,

And by the right of Abu Bakr with you, and his daughter,

and that of your own flesh, al-Zahra, shield us from every vile fool.

And your flesh and blood, al-Zahra, spare us from every vile soul.

وَحُطْنِي وَأَهْلِي مِنْ عِدَاتِكَ وَاسْقِنَا

وَحُطْنِي وَأَهْلِي مِنْ عِدَاتِكَ وَاسْقِنَا

بِسَجْلٍ مِنَ الإِحْسَانِ مُتَّسِعِ الْفَرْغِ

بِسَجْلٍ مِنَ الإِحْسَانِ مُتَّسِعِ الْفَرْغِ

Protect me and my family from your enemies, and give us drink

And protect me and my family from your enemies, and give us to drink

from a full bucket of bounty with a wide spout.

From a bucket of benevolence with a vast, outpouring mouth.

حَنَانَيْكَ قُدْنَا لِلسَّعَادَةِ وَاهْدِنَا

حَنَانَيْكَ قُدْنَا لِلسَّعَادَةِ وَاهْدِنَا

فَذَاكَ الذِي نَرْجُو وَذَاكَ الذِي نَبْغِي

فَذَاكَ الذِي نَرْجُو وَذَاكَ الذِي نَبْغِي

Have mercy! Lead us to happiness and guide us,

Have mercy upon us, lead us to happiness and guide us,

for that is what we hope for, and that is what we seek.

For that is what we hope for, and that is what we seek.

لَقِينَا مِنَ الدُّنْيَا وَأَنْيَابِ بُؤْسِنَا

لَقِينَا مِنَ الدُّنْيَا وَأَنْيَابِ بُؤْسِنَا

نَظِيرَ الذِي يَلْقَى الْهَشِيشُ مِنَ الْمَضْغِ

نَظِيرَ الذِي يَلْقَى الْهَشِيشُ مِنَ الْمَضْغِ

From the world and the fangs of our misery we have suffered

We have suffered from the world and the fangs of our misery

the like of what brittle grass suffers from chewing.

The likes of what dry, brittle stalks endure from being chewed.

وَغَيَّرَنَا فِيهَا قَبِيحُ ذُنُوبِنَا

وَغَيَّرَنَا فِيهَا قَبِيحُ ذُنُوبِنَا

كَمَا غَيَّرَتْ بِيضَ الثِّيَابِ حُلَى الصَّبْغِ

كَمَا غَيَّرَتْ بِيضَ الثِّيَابِ حُلَى الصَّبْغِ

And there the ugliness of our sins has changed us,

And the ugliness of our sins has deformed us within it,

as dyed patterns change white garments.

Just as colorful dyes alter the whiteness of pristine garments.

فَأَنْقِذْ نُهَانَا مِنْ هَوَانَا فَإِنَّهُ

فَأَنْقِذْ نُهَانَا مِنْ هَوَانَا فَإِنَّهُ

شَجَاهَا كَمَا يَشْجُو الْفَتَى وَرَمُ الرَّفْغِ

شَجَاهَا كَمَا يَشْجُو الْفَتَى وَرَمُ الرَّفْغِ

So rescue our minds from our desire, for it

So rescue our intellects from our desires, for indeed,

has afflicted them as a swelling in the groin afflicts a youth.

It has distressed them, just as a swelling in the groin agonizes a young man.

عَلَيْكَ صَلاَةُ اللهِ يَا مُرْسِلاً إِلَى

عَلَيْكَ صَلاَةُ اللهِ يَا مُرْسِلاً إِلَى

جَمِيعِ الْوَرَى مَا اسْتُؤْصِلَتْ شَأْفَةُ النَّزْغِ

جَمِيعِ الْوَرَى مَا اسْتُؤْصِلَتْ شَأْفَةُ النَّزْغِ

God's blessing be upon you, O messenger to

Upon you be the prayers of Allah, O you who were sent to

all creation, as long as the root of discord is uprooted,

All of creation, as long as the roots of discord are uprooted,

وَمَا مَحَقَ الْبُهْتَانَ نُورُ رَشَادِكُمْ

وَمَا مَحَقَ الْبُهْتَانَ نُورُ رَشَادِكُمْ

وَأَرْدَى الْهُدَى رَأْسَ الضَّلاَلَةِ بِالْفَدْغِ

وَأَرْدَى الْهُدَى رَأْسَ الضَّلاَلَةِ بِالْفَدْغِ

and as long as the light of your guidance wipes out falsehood,

And as long as the light of your guidance obliterates falsehood,

and guidance strikes down error's head with a crushing blow,

And guidance crushes the head of misguidance with a shattering blow,

وَمَا نَوَّهَ الذِّكْرُ الْحَكِِيمُ بِمَدْحِكُمْ

وَمَا نَوَّهَ الذِّكْرُ الْحَكِِيمُ بِمَدْحِكُمْ

وَمَا رَاقَ تَدْبِيجُ الْقَرَاطِيسِ بِالصَّمْغِ

وَمَا رَاقَ تَدْبِيجُ الْقَرَاطِيسِ بِالصَّمْغِ

and as long as the Wise Reminder proclaims your praise,

And as long as the Wise Remembrance exalts your praise,

and as long as adorning pages with gum gives delight,

And as long as the embellishment of scrolls with ink remains beautiful,

وَمَا نِيلَ مِنْ جَرَّاكُمُ فَضْلُ رَبِّنَا

وَمَا نِيلَ مِنْ جَرَّاكُمُ فَضْلُ رَبِّنَا

وَمَا عَرَّجَ الْبَدْرُ الْمُنِيرُ عَلَى فَرْغِ

وَمَا عَرَّجَ الْبَدْرُ الْمُنِيرُ عَلَى فَرْغِ

and as long as our Lord's bounty is attained through you,

And as long as the grace of our Lord is attained for your sake,

and as long as the radiant full moon turns toward Fargh.

And as long as the luminous full moon ascends towards its celestial stations.

كَذَا الآلُ أَقْمَارُ الْهُدَى وَالصِّحَابُ

كَذَا الآلُ أَقْمَارُ الْهُدَى وَالصِّحَابُ

مِنْ أَبَارُوا عُدَاةَ الدِّينِ بِالضَّرْبِ وَالنَّدْغِ

مِنْ أَبَارُوا عُدَاةَ الدِّينِ بِالضَّرْبِ وَالنَّدْغِ

Likewise upon the family, moons of guidance, and the Companions,

And likewise upon the family, the moons of guidance, and the companions,

who annihilated the foes of the faith with blows and thrusts.

Who decimated the enemies of religion with heavy strikes and piercing thrusts,

كَسَوْهُمْ جَلاَبِيبَ الدِّمَا بَعْدَ بَزِّهِمْ

كَسَوْهُمْ جَلاَبِيبَ الدِّمَا بَعْدَ بَزِّهِمْ

فَحَاكُوا جُلوُدَ الشَّاءِ عُلَّتْ مِنَ الدَّبْغِ

فَحَاكُوا جُلوُدَ الشَّاءِ عُلَّتْ مِنَ الدَّبْغِ

They clothed them in cloaks of blood after stripping them,

They clothed them in cloaks of blood after stripping them of their armor,

so they resembled sheepskins soaked again in tanning liquor.

Until they resembled the skins of sheep intensely tanned.

وَحَابُوا بِهِمْ كُلَّ الْوُحُوشِ تَكَرٍّماً

وَحَابُوا بِهِمْ كُلَّ الْوُحُوشِ تَكَرٍّماً

فَأَفْنَوْا وَمَا كَادُوا الُّلحُومَ مِنَ الْمَشْغِ

فَأَفْنَوْا وَمَا كَادُوا الُّلحُومَ مِنَ الْمَشْغِ

And generously they offered them to all the wild beasts,

And generously they offered them up as gifts to all the wild beasts,

so they gnawed the flesh away, though they could scarcely finish it.

Who devoured them entirely, barely leaving any flesh behind from their tearing.

وَخَضَّبَ تَحْجْيلَ الْجِيَادِ نَجِيعُهُمْ

وَخَضَّبَ تَحْجْيلَ الْجِيَادِ نَجِيعُهُمْ

فَتَحْسِبُ يَاقُوتاً تَنَاسَقَ فِي الرُّسْغِ

فَتَحْسِبُ يَاقُوتاً تَنَاسَقَ فِي الرُّسْغِ

And their gore dyed the steeds' white leg-markings,

And their lifeblood dyed the white markings on the legs of the warhorses,

so you would think rubies were arrayed along the pastern.

So that you would think them rubies harmoniously arranged upon the pasterns.