بُشْرَىglad tidings لِفَاسٍfor Fez وَقَدْand already طَمَتْsurged دَيَاجِيهَاits deep darkness
بُشْرَى لِفَاسٍ وَقَدْ طَمَتْ دَيَاجِيهَا
لَوْلاَwere it not for مَصَابِيحُهَاits lamps مِنْfrom آلِthe family of فَاسِيهَاits Fasi
لَوْلاَ مَصَابِيحُهَا مِنْ آلِ فَاسِيهَا
Glad tidings to Fez—its deep darkness would have engulfed it,
Good tidings to Fes, whose shadows had swelled in gloom,
Were it not for its lamps from its Fasi family.
were it not for its lanterns lit by the lineage of al-Fasi.
إِنْif عَمَّرَrestored اللهُGod رَبْعاًa dwelling لِلْعُلُومِfor the sciences وَقَدْand already
إِنْ عَمَّرَ اللهُ رَبْعاً لِلْعُلُومِ وَقَدْ
ظَلَّتْremained مَحَاسِنُهُits beauties لِلرِّيحِfor the wind تَسْقِيهَاto water them
ظَلَّتْ مَحَاسِنُهُ لِلرِّيحِ تَسْقِيهَا
If God has restored a home for the sciences, though
If God has restored an abode for the sciences,
Its beauties had been left for the wind to water,
after its beauties had been left for the wind to scatter,
بِعَالِمٍwith a scholar مَاnot سَخَىbestowed generously قَطُّever الزَّمَانُTime بِهِwith him
بِعَالِمٍ مَا سَخَى قَطُّ الزَّمَانُ بِهِ
أَضْحَىhas come to be بِصَرْفِwith the pure essence of الْعُلاَeminence وَالْعِلْمِand learning يَسْقِيهَاwaters them
أَضْحَى بِصَرْفِ الْعُلاَ وَالْعِلْمِ يَسْقِيهَا
Through a scholar whose like Time has never bestowed,
It is with a scholar the likes of whom Time has never generously bestowed,
Who now waters them with pure eminence and learning,
who now waters it with the pure essence of eminence and knowledge.
فَاخْضَرَّso grew green رَوْضُthe garden of الْمُنَىhopes مِنْهَاfrom it بِصَيِّبِهِwith his downpour
فَاخْضَرَّ رَوْضُ الْمُنَى مِنْهَا بِصَيِّبِهِ
وَغَرَّدَتْand warbled طَرَباًin delight وُرْقُthe gray ones among قُمَارِيهَاits turtledoves
وَغَرَّدَتْ طَرَباً وُرْقُ قُمَارِيهَا
So its garden of hopes grew green beneath his downpour,
So the garden of hopes turned green from his pouring rain,
And its gray turtledoves warbled for joy.
and its collared doves sang out in joyous rapture.
لَيْسَhe is not كَمَاas حَدَّثُواthey related عَنْabout أَهْلِthe people of مِصْرَEgypt وَلاَnor
لَيْسَ كَمَا حَدَّثُوا عَنْ أَهْلِ مِصْرَ وَلاَ
عَنْabout أَهْلِthe people of أَنْدَلُسٍal-Andalus عُجْباًin wonder وَتَنْوِيهَاand praise
عَنْ أَهْلِ أَنْدَلُسٍ عُجْباً وَتَنْوِيهَا
He is not as they have told of the people of Egypt, nor
He is not merely like what they boastfully tell of the people of Egypt,
Of the people of al-Andalus, in wonder and praise.
nor of the people of Andalusia, in wonder and praise.
هَذَاthis is الزُّلاَلُthe clear, sweet water الذِيwhich صَفَتْbecame pure مَوَارِدُهُits sources
هَذَا الزُّلاَلُ الذِي صَفَتْ مَوَارِدُهُ
فَاكْرَعْso drink directly بِهَاat them يَاO حَلِيفَally of الْجَهْلِignorance وَاْتِيهَاand come to them
فَاكْرَعْ بِهَا يَا حَلِيفَ الْجَهْلِ وَاْتِيهَا
This is the clear, sweet water whose sources are pure;
This is the pure, sweet water whose sources have cleared,
So drink at them, O ally of ignorance, and come to them.
so drink deep from it, O ally of ignorance, and draw near.
بَحْرُan ocean of الْعُلُومِthe sciences مَلاَذُthe refuge of الدِّينِreligion عَاضِدُهُits supporter
بَحْرُ الْعُلُومِ مَلاَذُ الدِّينِ عَاضِدُهُ
وَكَعْبَةُand the Kaaba of الْمَجْدِglory لاَmay not هُدَّتْbe demolished مَبَانِيهَاits structures
وَكَعْبَةُ الْمَجْدِ لاَ هُدَّتْ مَبَانِيهَا
An ocean of learning, religion's refuge and supporter,
An ocean of knowledge, the refuge of religion and its defender,
And the Kaaba of glory—may its structures never be razed!
and the Kaaba of glory—may its foundations never be brought down!
أَحْيَىrevived جَمِيعَall الْفُنُونِthe disciplines بَعْدَafter مَاthe fact that دَرَسَتْfaded away
أَحْيَى جَمِيعَ الْفُنُونِ بَعْدَ مَا دَرَسَتْ
وَقَرَّرَand expounded الْكُتْبَthe books مِنْfrom بَعْدِafter تَلاَشِيهَاtheir fading away
وَقَرَّرَ الْكُتْبَ مِنْ بَعْدِ تَلاَشِيهَا
He revived all disciplines after they had faded away,
He revived all the arts after they had been erased,
And expounded the books after they had faded into oblivion.
and firmly established the books after they had faded away.
سَلِask الْمَهَارِقَthe parchments إِنْif تَجْهَلْyou do not know مَآثِرَهُhis noble deeds
سَلِ الْمَهَارِقَ إِنْ تَجْهَلْ مَآثِرَهُ
فَهِيَّfor they تُنْبِيكَtell you مَاwhat الأَقْلاَمُthe pens تُولِيهَاentrust to them
فَهِيَّ تُنْبِيكَ مَا الأَقْلاَمُ تُولِيهَا
Ask the parchments, if you do not know his noble deeds;
Ask the scrolls if you are ignorant of his exploits,
For they tell you what the pens entrust to them.
for they will tell you what the pens have entrusted to them.
تَبَارَكَblessed be اللهُGod مَاhow أَجْلَىmanifest مَحَاسِنَهُhis virtues
تَبَارَكَ اللهُ مَا أَجْلَى مَحَاسِنَهُ
كَأَنَّas though عَرْفَthe fragrance of الْصَّبَاthe east wind لِلنَّاسِto people يُبْدِيهَاreveals them
كَأَنَّ عَرْفَ الْصَّبَا لِلنَّاسِ يُبْدِيهَا
Blessed be God! How manifest his virtues are!
Blessed be God! How manifest are his virtues,
As though the east wind's fragrance revealed them to people,
as though the scent of the east wind reveals them to the people.
مُوَضِّحَاتٍilluminating فَلاَso not تَخْفَىare hidden عَلَىfrom أَحَدٍanyone
مُوَضِّحَاتٍ فَلاَ تَخْفَى عَلَى أَحَدٍ
إِلاَّexcept عَلَىfrom جَاهِلٍan ignorant man قَدْalready رَاحَhas taken to يَنْفِيهَاdenying them
إِلاَّ عَلَى جَاهِلٍ قَدْ رَاحَ يَنْفِيهَا
Illuminating, and thus hidden from no one,
So clearly explained, they remain hidden from no one,
Except an ignorant man who has taken to denying them.
save an ignorant man who goes about stubbornly denying them.
مَاnot ضَرَّharmed شَمْسَthe sun of الضُّحَىthe forenoon فِيin الأُفْقِthe horizon طَالِعَةًrising
مَا ضَرَّ شَمْسَ الضُّحَى فِي الأُفْقِ طَالِعَةً
إِنْif لَمْdid not يَكُنْbe أَرْمَدُsore-eyed الْعَيْنَيْنِthe two eyes رَائِيهَاone who sees it
إِنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ أَرْمَدُ الْعَيْنَيْنِ رَائِيهَا
No harm befalls the morning sun, rising on the horizon,
It does no harm to the morning sun rising in the horizon,
If a man with inflamed eyes does not behold it.
if a man with sore, unseeing eyes cannot perceive it.
يَاO رَوْضَةًgarden أَرِجَتْbecame fragrant أَزْهَارُهَاits blossoms فَغَدَتْso became
يَا رَوْضَةً أَرِجَتْ أَزْهَارُهَا فَغَدَتْ
أَفْكَارُنَاour thoughts تَجْتَنِيgather مِنْfrom غَضِّthe tender blooms of خِيرِيهَاits gillyflowers
أَفْكَارُنَا تَجْتَنِي مِنْ غَضِّ خِيرِيهَا
O garden whose blossoms have grown fragrant, so that
O garden whose blossoms exhaled sweet fragrances,
Our thoughts now gather from its tender gillyflowers.
so that our minds now gather from its fresh wallflowers.
كَمْhow many مِنَّةٍa favor لَكَare yours لاَnot يُحْصَىcan be counted تَعَدُّدُهَاtheir number
كَمْ مِنَّةٍ لَكَ لاَ يُحْصَى تَعَدُّدُهَا
عَظِيمَةٍgreat لَيْسَnone إِلاَّbut اللهُGod يُحْصِيهَاcounts them
عَظِيمَةٍ لَيْسَ إِلاَّ اللهُ يُحْصِيهَا
How many favors you have bestowed, their number beyond counting—
How many a favor you possess, whose myriad cannot be counted,
Great favors that none but God can number!
so immense that none but God can number them.
أَحْيَيْتَyou revived ذِكْرَthe memory of أُنَاسٍpeople بَعْدَafter مَوْتِهِمُtheir death
أَحْيَيْتَ ذِكْرَ أُنَاسٍ بَعْدَ مَوْتِهِمُ
أَكْرِمْhow noble بِهَاit is مِنَّةًa favor أَعْظِمْhow great بِمُسْدِيهَاits bestower is
أَكْرِمْ بِهَا مِنَّةً أَعْظِمْ بِمُسْدِيهَا
You revived the memory of people after their death;
You have revived the memory of people after their passing;
How noble a favor it is! How great its bestower!
how noble the favor, how great the one who grants it!
هَذَاthis وَصُغْرَىand the lesser of الْعَقَائِدِthe creeds التيِwhich بَهَرَتْdazzled
هَذَا وَصُغْرَى الْعَقَائِدِ التيِ بَهَرَتْ
أَلْبَسْتَهَاyou clothed it حُلَلاًin robes مَاnot الدَّهْرُTime يُبْلِيهَاwears them out
أَلْبَسْتَهَا حُلَلاً مَا الدَّهْرُ يُبْلِيهَا
Besides this, the Lesser Creed, which dazzled—
And this "Minor Creed" which has dazzled minds,
You clothed it in robes that Time cannot wear out.
you have clothed in garments that Time can never wear out.
فَضَضْتَyou deflowered أَبْكَارَهَاits virgins الْغِيدَthe graceful التِيwho عَنَسَتْremained long unwed
فَضَضْتَ أَبْكَارَهَا الْغِيدَ التِي عَنَسَتْ
إِنْif لَمْdid not تَجِدْfind فِيamong الْوَرَىhumankind كُفْءاًa worthy match يُضَاهِيهَاequal them
إِنْ لَمْ تَجِدْ فِي الْوَرَى كُفْءاً يُضَاهِيهَا
You deflowered its graceful virgins, who had long remained unwed,
You unsealed its untouched beauties that would have remained unwed,
When they found no worthy match among humankind to equal them.
had they not found in this world an equal to match them.
عَقِيدَةٌa creed قَدْindeed خَلَتْwas free مِنْof كُلِّevery شَائِبَةٍblemish
عَقِيدَةٌ قَدْ خَلَتْ مِنْ كُلِّ شَائِبَةٍ
هِيَit الْجَوَاهِرُthe jewels وَالأَسْرَارُand the mysteries مَاwhat فِيهَاis in it
هِيَ الْجَوَاهِرُ وَالأَسْرَارُ مَا فِيهَا
A creed indeed free of every blemish;
A creed entirely free from every blemish;
It is jewels, and mysteries are what it holds.
jewels and secrets are what lie within it.
أَزْرَتْput to shame بِكُتْبِthe books of إِمَامِthe Imam of الْحَرَمَيْنِthe Two Sanctuaries كَمَاjust as
أَزْرَتْ بِكُتْبِ إِمَامِ الْحَرَمَيْنِ كَمَا
مُحَصَّلَMuhassal (Compendium) الْفَخْرِal-Fakhr's فَاقَتْit surpassed بِمَغَانِيهَاwith its abodes
مُحَصَّلَ الْفَخْرِ فَاقَتْ بِمَغَانِيهَا
It put the books of the Imam of the Two Sanctuaries to shame, just as
It outshone the books of the Imam of the Two Sanctuaries,
It surpassed al-Fakhr's Muhassal with its abodes.
just as it surpassed the "Muhassal" of Fakhr in its rich depths.
يَاO غَادِيَmorning bearer of الْوَابِلِheavy rain الْهَطَّالِpouring down فَامْضِso pass عَلَىover
يَا غَادِيَ الْوَابِلِ الْهَطَّالِ فَامْضِ عَلَى
أَرْضِthe land of تِلِمْسَانَTlemcen وَاسْكُبْand pour down فيِin نَوَاحِيهَاits regions
أَرْضِ تِلِمْسَانَ وَاسْكُبْ فيِ نَوَاحِيهَا
O morning bearer of heavy, streaming rain, pass over
O morning cloud of pouring rain, proceed to
The land of Tlemcen, and pour down throughout its regions.
the land of Tlemcen and pour forth upon its environs.
وَاسْقِand water ضَرِيحَthe tomb of السَّنُوسِيal-Sanusi وَلْتُؤَدِّand convey لَهُto him
وَاسْقِ ضَرِيحَ السَّنُوسِي وَلْتُؤَدِّ لَهُ
بِشَارَةًgood news مَاnot نَسِيمُthe breeze of الرَّوْضِthe garden يَحْكِيهَاmatches it
بِشَارَةً مَا نَسِيمُ الرَّوْضِ يَحْكِيهَا
And water al-Sanusi's tomb, and convey to him
And water the tomb of al-Sanusi, and convey to him
Good news that the garden's breeze cannot match:
glad tidings that the breeze of the garden cannot fully recount:
أَنَّthat عَقَائِدَهُhis creeds لاَno بَلْrather فَرَائِدَهُhis peerless jewels
أَنَّ عَقَائِدَهُ لاَ بَلْ فَرَائِدَهُ
أَمْسَىhas come to إِمَامُthe imam of الْوَرَىhumankind الْكَمَّادُal-Kammad يُقْرِيهَاteaches them
أَمْسَى إِمَامُ الْوَرَى الْكَمَّادُ يُقْرِيهَا
That his creeds—no, rather, his peerless jewels—
That his creeds—no, his peerless pearls—
Are now taught by al-Kammad, the imam of humankind.
the Imam of the world, al-Kammad, now teaches them,
وَفِيand in حِمَىthe sanctuary of سِبْطِthe descendant of خَيْرِthe best of الْخَلْقِcreation قَاطِبًَةall without exception
وَفِي حِمَى سِبْطِ خَيْرِ الْخَلْقِ قَاطِبًَة
إِدْرِيسَIdris غَيْثِrain for الْوَرَىhumankind طُرّاًall وَحَامِيهَاand its protector
إِدْرِيسَ غَيْثِ الْوَرَى طُرّاً وَحَامِيهَا
And within the sanctuary of the descendant of the best of all creation,
In the sanctuary of the grandson of the best of all creation,
Idris, rain for all humankind and its protector,
Idris, the abundant rain of all mankind and its protector.
مِنِّيfrom me عَلَىupon جَدِّهِhis forefather الْمُخْتَارِthe Chosen One مِنْof مُضَرٍMudar
مِنِّي عَلَى جَدِّهِ الْمُخْتَارِ مِنْ مُضَرٍ
أَزْكَىthe purest صَلاَةٍblessing يَوَدُّwishes الْمِسْكُmusk يَفْدِيهَاto ransom it
أَزْكَى صَلاَةٍ يَوَدُّ الْمِسْكُ يَفْدِيهَا
From me upon his forefather, the Chosen One of Mudar,
From me, upon his grandfather, the Chosen One of Mudar,
Be the purest blessing, which musk longs to ransom,
the purest blessings, for which musk would gladly give itself as ransom,
وَالْآلِand the family وَالصَّحْبِand the companions مَاas long as غَنَّتْsings مُطَوَّقَةٌa ring-necked dove
وَالْآلِ وَالصَّحْبِ مَا غَنَّتْ مُطَوَّقَةٌ
وَأَطْرَبَand delights الْعِيسَthe white camels بِالأَلْحَانِwith melodies حَادِيهَاtheir camel-driver
وَأَطْرَبَ الْعِيسَ بِالأَلْحَانِ حَادِيهَا
And upon his family and companions, as long as a ring-dove sings,
And upon his family and companions, as long as a ringdove sings,
And their driver delights the white camels with melodies.
and the camel-driver delights the white camels with his melodies.
Sol 6.1