مَظِنَّةُ إتِْلافِ الْمُحِبِّ الْعَواذِلُ

أَلاَ لاَ رَعَى الرَّحْمَانُ مَنْ هُوَ عَاذِلُ

The blamers of lovers are prone to harm them

Alas, the Merciful does not tend a blamer

يَرِيشُونَ لِلْمُضْنَى نِبَالَ مَلامِهِمْ

فَيَقْضِي أَسىً وَاللَّوْمُ فيِ الْحُبِّ قَاتِلُ

They shoot the arrows of blame at the anguished

So he is pained while blame in love is deadly

يَظُنُّونَ أَنَّ اللَّوْمَ يُجْدِي وَمَا دَرَوْا

بِأَنَّ مَلاَمَ الصَّبِّ لِلْحَيْنِ آيِلُ

They think blame is effective while they do not know

That the blame of passion lasts only briefly

عَلَى أَنَّ قَوَْ العَذْلِ لَيْسَ بِبَاطِلِ

بَلَى كُلُّ مَا يُعْزَى بِهِ الصَّبُّ بَاطِلُ

Though the argument of blame is not invalid

Yet whatever consoles the lover is futile

أَعَاذِلَتِي وَالْعَذْلُ لَيْسَ يَهُولُنِي

وَأَنَّى يَهُولُ الْعَذْلُ مَنْ هُوَ هَائِلُ

My blamers and blame do not frighten me

How can blame frighten one who is frightened?

دَعِينِي وَتَهْيَامِي فَلَسْتُ بِبَارِحٍ

أُطَاوِلُ فِي مِظْمَارِهِ وَأُسَاجِلُ

Leave me to my infatuation, I won’t depart

I prolong in its battle and argue

تَوَقَّلْتُ أَنْجَادَ الصَّبَابَةِ في الصِّبَا

وَخُضْتُ بِحَارَ الْحُبِّ وَهْيَ حَوَافِلُ

I crossed the terrains of youth in my prime

And sailed the seas of love while they were turbulent

وَجِِئْتُ فَتَاةَ الْحَيِّ وَالْحَيُّ آهِلٌ

وَلاَ حَاجِزٌ إِلاَّ الظَّبَى وَالذَّوَابِلُ

I came upon the beauty of the neighborhood while it

Was populated with only gazelles and sand grouses as barriers

فَأَحْرَزْتُ خَصْلَ السَّبْقِ وَحْدِي وَلَمْ أَدَعْ

لِرَاكِبِ أَفْرَاسِ الْهَوَى مَا يُحَاوِلُ

So I attained the merit of solo pursuit, leaving

No chance for riders of passion to compete

بِروحِي مِنْ رُوحِي لَدَيْهِمْ مُقِيمَةٌ

وَإِنْ بَعُدَتْ مِنِّي الذُّرَى وَالْمَنَازِلُ

Part of my soul remains with them though distances

And miles have come between me and the dwellings

أُولَئِكَ أَحْبَابِي الأُلَى صَحَّ وُدُّهُمْ

سَقَى عَهْدَهُمْ عَهْدٌ مِنَ الْمُزْنِ هَاطِلُ

They are my intimate beloved ones whose affection

An affection from heavy rain clouds pouring validated

لَقَدْ حَالَ مَا بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَ ذُرَاهُمُ

سَبَاسِبُ تَعْيَى فِي مَدَاهَا الرَّوَاحِلُ

What came between me and my loved ones are

Wild deserts too vast for travelers and caravans

إِكَامٌ وَأَنْهَارٌ طَغَتْ وَمَهَامِهٌ

قَفَارٌ وَأَنْجَادٌ عَلَتْ وَمَجَاهِلُ

Plains, rivers overflowed, terrains and wastelands

Alas, I wonder if my passion settled with them

أَلاَ لَيْتَ شِعْرِي هَلْ تَقَرَّرَ عِنْدَهُمْ

هُيَامِي وَأَنِّي مِنْ لَظَى الشَّوْقِ ذَاهِلُ

While I suffer the misery of ardent longing

Oh you who intends to travel, convey my greeting

فَيَا مُزْمِعَ التِّرْحَالِ بَلِّغْ تَحِيَّتِي

إِلَيْهِمْ وَحَدِّثْهُمْ بِمَا أَنَا فَاعِلُ

To them and tell them what I am doing

Oh breeze of dawn, blow upon them

وَيَا نَفَسَ الأَسْحَارِ هُبَّ عَلَيْهِمُ

وَطَارِحْهُمْ شَوْقِي الذِي أَنَا حَامِلُ

And overwhelm them with the longing I bear

Oh gentle western wind, greet their dwellings

وَيَا دِيمَةَ الْوَسْمِيِّ حَيِّي ثَرَاهُمُ

وَبُثِّي لَهُمْ أَنِّي مِنَ الْبَثِّ قَاحِلُ

And tell them I am exhausted from pining

Oh eastern breeze, pass by their homes

وَيَا نَفْحَةَ الْخِيرِيِّ عُوجِي بِدُورِهِمْ

وَنُثِّي لَهُمْ أَنِّي بَرَتْنِي الْبَلاَبِلُ

And let them know that I have been abandoned by the birds

Perhaps when my songs overwhelm them

عَسَاهُمْ إِذَا طَارَحْتُهُمْ بَلاَبِلِي

تُطَارِحُهُمْ عَهْدَ الْوِصَالِ بَلاَبِلُ

They will overwhelm the promise of union with songs

If distance came between me and my loved ones

لَئِنْ شَطَّ مَا بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَ أَحِبَّتِي

فَإِنِّي عَلَى عَهْدِ الْوِدَادِ لَخَائِلُ

I remain faithful to the bond of affection

Whether alive, I yearn for them or the grave shrouds me

أَحِنُّ لَهُمْ أَوْ يُغْمِدُ الْقَبْرُ مُرْهَفاً

وَأَصْبُو لَهُمْ أَوْ يَُنْحَِتً الطَّوْدَ صَائِلُ

Or the mountain is carved, I keep loyal

Upon them is God’s peace as long as a lover pines

عَلَيْهِمْ سَلاَمُ اللهِ مَا هَامَ عَاشِقٌ

وَمَا حَنَّ مُشْتَاقٌ وَمَا اهْتَاجَ زَاجِلُ

As long as a longing one grieves and a singer wails

None should denounce but those nursed by calamity

فَلاَ مُدْنِفٌ إِلاَّ الذِي شَفَّهُ النَّوَى

فَقَلْبُهُ خَفَّاقٌ وَجَفْنُهُ هَامِلُ

Whose hearts flutter and eyelids well

No life but the prime of youth and what comes after

وَلاَ عُمُرٌ إِلاَّ الصِّبَا وَعَقِيبُهُ

وَلاَ زَمَنٌ إِلاَّ الضُّحَى وَالأَصَائِلُ

No era but morn and gentle evenings

No lineage but generosity and piety

وَلاَ نَسَبٌ إِلاَّ الْسَّمَاحَةُ وَالتُّقَى

وَلاَ حَسَبٌ إِلاَّ الْحَيَا وَالشَّمَائِلُ

No merit but decency and fine manners

No aspirations unless cultivated by ethics

وَلاَ هِمَمٌ مَا لَمْ تَكُنْ أَدَبِيَّةً

وَلاَ مُنْجِدٌ إِلاَّ الْقَنَا وَالْقَنَابِلُ

No triumph but spears, arrows and brave warriors

People are none but the learned, virtuous elite

وَمَا النَّاسُ إِلاَّ الْعَالِمُونَ ذَوُو الْعُلاَ

نُجُومُ الْهُدَى إِذْ هُمْ سُرَاةٌ أَفَاضِلُ

Guiding stars for they are illuminating nobles

No scholar but the Imam Muhammad

وَلاَ عَالِمٌ إِلَّا الإِمَامُ مُحِمَّدٌ

أَلَمْ تَرَ مَا تَلْقَاهُ مِنْهُ الْمَسَائِلُ

Have you not seen the issues presented to him?

An Imam endowed by God with all merit

إِمَامٌ حَبَاهُ اللهُ كُلَّ فَضِيلَةٍ

تَبَدَّتْ لَهُ فِي الْمَكْرُمَاتِ دَلاَئِلُ

Signs of which appeared through his virtues

Dazzling jewel of the people of the time

سَمَيْذَعُ أَهْلِ الْعَصْرِ أَرْوَعُ مَاجِدٌ

هِلاَلُ الْمَعَالِي أَرْيَحِيٌّ حُلاَحِلُ

Crescent of nobility, palm tree with ripening dates

He captured stations in the hearts of the wise

حَوَى فِي قُلُوبِ الأَذْكِيَاءِ مَنَازِلاُ

عَلَى أَنَّهُ فَوْقَ السِّمَاكَيْنِ نَازِلُ

Although he is above the celestial spheres

He surmounted the milestones of time, surpassing them

وَطَاوَلَ أَعْلاَمَ الزَّمَانِ فَفََاقَهُمْ

وَلاَ يَبْلُغُ الْعَلْيَاءَ مَنْ لاَ يُطَاوِلُ

No sublime one attains who does not aspire

He rose to the peak of glories

فَأَصْبَحَ فِي أَوْجِ الْمَفَاخِرِ رَاقِياً

وَأَمْسَتْ صُرُوفُ الدَّهْرِ عَنْهُ تُنَاضِلُ

While the turns of fate contended with him

He made a bosom friend unmatched intimacy

أَتَاحَ خَلِيلاُ خُلَّةً مَا أَتَاحَهَا

خَلِيلاً قُبَيْلَ الآنَ مَنْ هُوَ فَاضِلُ

By one before him who was virtuous

Clarifying from his words all ambiguities

فَبَيَّنَ مِنْ أَلْفَاظِهِ كُلَّ مُبْهَمٍ

وَقَيَّدَ مِنْ آرَائِهِ مَا يُشَاكِلُ

And qualifying what was doubtful of his views

And detailing all that was unqualified of his rulings

وَفَصَّلَ مِنْ أَحْكَامِهِ كُلَّ مُجْمَلٍ

فَأَصْبَحَ يَشْدُو بِالذِي قَالَ قَائِلُ

Thus he began to sing with what was said

Though I am the last of his time

وَإِنِّي وَإِنْ كُنْتُ الأَخِيرَ زَمَانَهُ

لَآتٍ بِمَا لَمْ تَسْتَطِعْهُ الأَوَائِلُ

I came with what the predecessors could not

To me belongs the glorious banner and army

لِيَ الرَّايَةُ الْغَرَّاءُ وَالْجَحْفَلُ الذِي

لَهُ الْفَهْمُ رِدْءٌ وَالْمَعَانِي مَنَاصِلُ

To whom perception is a cloak and meanings are swords

Who then can rival me in any pursuit?

فَمَنْ ذَا يُجَارِينِي إِلَى كُلِّ غَايَةٍ

وَمَنْ ذَا يُبَارِينِي وَمَنْ ذَا يُجَادِلُ

Who can contend with me and who can argue?

God has decreed, oh pride of time and its essence

قَضَى اللهُ يَا حَبْرَ الزَّمَانِ وَعِلْقَهُ

بِأَنَّكَ حَلْيُ الدَّهْرِ إِذْ هُوَ عَاطِلُ

That you are the adornment of the era which was fruitless

And that you are the sun of knowledge while others are planets

وَأَنَّكَ شَمْسُ الْعِلْمِ وَالْغَيْرُ كَوْكَبٌ

وَأَنَّكَ وَقَّادٌ وَغَيْرُكَ آفِلُ

And that you are a leader while others have declined

And that in rhetoric you are unmatched

وَأَنَّكَ فِي أَهْلِ الْبَلاغَةِ مِصْقَعٌ

وَأَنَّكَ سَحْبَانٌوَغَيْرُكَ بَاقِلُ

And you are Suhban while others are withering

I have with determination cut off all tribulations

قَطَعْتُ بِطَرْفِ الْعَزْمِ كُلَّ تَنُوفَةٍ

تَكِلُّ بِأَدْنَاهَا الْجِيَادُ الصَّوَاهِلُ

At the least of which thoroughbred steeds stumble

And I have crossed with the wind of resolve a turbulent sea

وَجُزْتَ بِرِيحِ الْحَزْمِ بَحْراً غَطَمْطَماً

فَحُزْتَ بِحَاراً مَا لَهُنَّ سَوَاحِلُ

Thus I crossed seas that have no coasts

Crossing the seas of contention and polemic

وَعَابِرُ بَحْرَيْ لُجَّةٍ وَمَحَجَّةٍ

جَدِيرٌ بِأَنْ تُحْدَى إِلَيْهِ الْفَضَائِلُ

Is worthy of provoking virtues to compete

Thus the world became radiant through you

فَأَصْبَحَتِ الدُّنْيَا وَأَنْتَ سِرَاجُهَا

وَأَضْحَتْ بِكَ الآمَالُ وَهْيَ مَنَاهِلُ

And hopes became springs through you

You learnt the unknowns of sciences and grasped them

فَأَعْلَمْتَ أَغْفَالَ الْعُلُومِ وَحُزْتَهَا

وَأَنْعَشْتَ بِالإِقْرَاءِ مَا هُوَ خَامِلُ

And revived through teaching what was dormant

You remained the fresh face of leadership

فَلاَزِلْتَ فيِ وَجْهِ السِّيَادَةِ غُرَّةً

وَلاَ بَرِحَتْ تُطْوَى إِلَيْكَ الْمَرَاحِلُ

And phases continued to turn towards you

You endured eternally without taint

وَدُمْتَ دَوَامَ الدَّهْرِ غَيْرَ مُكَدَّرٍ

وَنُورُكَ وَضَّاحٌ وَحَدُّكَ فَاصِلُ

Your light brilliant and your reasoning decisive

There has come to you despite the vile

أَتَتْكَ عَلَى رَغْمِ اللِّئَامِ خَرِيدَةٌ

لَهَا النَّظْمُ دُرٌّ وَالْقَوَافِي خَلاَخِلُ

A wonderful poem whose rhyme and meter are like pearls

Refreshing, delicate, tasty to taste

بَرَهْرَةً رَقْرَاقَةً عَذْبَةَ اللَّمَى

ثَوَتْ بِقُصُورِ الْغَرْبِ وَالأَصْلُ بَابِلُ

Settling in Western palaces though originating from Babylon

Containing all composed words

حَوَتْ مِنْ سُدُولِ الْقَوْلِ كُلَّ مُنَظَّمٍ

لَهَا مِنْ قُلُوبِ الأَذْكِيَاءِ سَدَائِلُ

To it chains of hearts of the wise

By it the brash grows old before his youth

يَشِيبُ بِهَا ذُو الْغِلِّ قَبْلَ شَبَابِهِ

وَيَصْبُو لَهَا إِنْ شَابَ مَنْ هُوَ عَاقِلُ

And the wise pines for it even when young

A gift from one who redeems you from every calamity

هَدِيَةُ مَنْ يَفْدِيكَ مِنْ كُلِّ حَادِثٍ

وَفِيهَا عَلَى صِدْقِ الْوِدَادِ دَلاَئِلُ

In it signs of true affection

Upon you is God’s peace forever

عَلَيْكَ سَلاَمُ اللهِ مَا لَاحَ بَارِقٌ

وَمَا صَابَ هَطَّالٌ وَمَا سَحَّ وَابِلُ

As the lightning flashes, clouds downpour and rain pours

A bright star polished by life

أَنَمُّ مِنَ النُّوَّارِ يَصْقُلُهُ الْحَيَا

يُبَارِي شَذَا الْغِيطَانِ وَاللَّيْلُ رَاحِلُ

Competing with the aroma of wet soil in the darkness of the dissolving night.