مَا لِلْأَحِبَّةِ أَسْيَافَ الْجَفَا اخْتَرَطُوا

مَا لِلْأَحِبَّةِ أَسْيَافَ الْجَفَا اخْتَرَطُوا

أَيْنَ الْعُهُودُ وَمَا فِي الْقَلْبِ قَدْ رَبَطُوا

أَيْنَ الْعُهُودُ وَمَا فِي الْقَلْبِ قَدْ رَبَطُوا

What ails the beloveds, that they have unsheathed the swords of estrangement?

Why have the beloved unsheathed the swords of estrangement?

What ails the beloveds, that they have unsheathed the swords of estrangement? Where are the covenants, and the bonds they tied within the heart?

Where are the pledges, and what they bound within the heart?

Where are the covenants and what have they bound in their hearts?

Nor is it like the vow of a close friend whose friendship I thought eternal, for upon its head the gray hairs of age have now appeared.

وَلاَ كَعَهْدِ خَلِيلٍ خِلْتُ خُلَّتَهُ

وَلاَ كَعَهْدِ خَلِيلٍ خِلْتُ خُلَّتَهُ

دَائِمَةً فَبَدَا فِي رَأْسِهَا الشَّمَطُ

دَائِمَةً فَبَدَا فِي رَأْسِهَا الشَّمَطُ

And no pledge is like that of a close friend whose friendship I thought

I kept the covenant of a friend yet he abandoned our intimacy

They set the blade of their abandonment upon my ribs when they banished me, and stripped bare the branches of my hopes.

lasting—then gray hair appeared upon its head.

So treachery appeared atop his head like horns.

And with the staff of longing for them, they struck my vital core; what harm would it have been if they struck with union the one they struck?

أَشْلَوْا عَلَى أَضْلُعِي مِخْرَاطَ هَجْرِهِمُ

أَشْلَوْا عَلَى أَضْلُعِي مِخْرَاطَ هَجْرِهِمُ

إِذْ أَبْعَدُونِي وَأَغْصَانَ الْمُنَى خَرَطُوا

إِذْ أَبْعَدُونِي وَأَغْصَانَ الْمُنَى خَرَطُوا

They unleashed upon my ribs the scraping blade of their desertion,

They wielded on my ribs the chisel of their estrangement

I would ransom them with my life, though my entrails burn from their abandonment, whether they were just in this or tyrannical.

when they drove me away and stripped the branches of hope.

When they distanced me and lopped off the branches of bliss.

In truth, they have acted justly, for they are the paragons of fairness, and justice itself comes seeking them out, stumbling in its haste.

وَخَبَطُوا بِعَصَا أَشْوَاقِهِمْ كَبِدِي

وَخَبَطُوا بِعَصَا أَشْوَاقِهِمْ كَبِدِي

مَا ضَرَّ لَوْ خَبَطُوا بِالْوَصْلِ مَنْ خَبَطُوا

مَا ضَرَّ لَوْ خَبَطُوا بِالْوَصْلِ مَنْ خَبَطُوا

And they battered my liver with the staff of their longings.

They battered my liver with the stick of their passion—

But I was distant, so their affection distanced itself from me, and a sign of its hidden secrets became apparent to my eyes.

What harm if they had struck with reunion those they struck?

How I wish they had battered with union those they battered!

They banished me, even though I had found solace in their nearness; I excused them, for I had violated what they had stipulated.

أَفْدِيهِمْ وَلَظَى الأَحْشَاءِ مُوقَدَةٌ

أَفْدِيهِمْ وَلَظَى الأَحْشَاءِ مُوقَدَةٌ

مِنْ هَجْرِهِمْ عَدَلُوا فِي ذَاكَ أَوْ قَسَطُوا

مِنْ هَجْرِهِمْ عَدَلُوا فِي ذَاكَ أَوْ قَسَطُوا

I would ransom them, while the blaze in my entrails is kindled

I ransom them though the embers of my entrails blaze

Because they are pure, their inner selves are sweet; they exuded fragrance, and my foulness caused them harm.

by their desertion, whether they were just in that or unjust.

With their estrangement. Did they do justice in that or apportion?

Finding me impure, they cast me out, thus drawing me near to a grief whose judgment appeared excessively harsh.

حِلاًّ لَقَدْ أَقْسَطُوا وَالْمُقْسِطُونَ هُمُ

حِلاًّ لَقَدْ أَقْسَطُوا وَالْمُقْسِطُونَ هُمُ

وَالْقِسْطُ نَحْوَهُمْ قَدْ جَاءَ يَخْتَبِطُ

وَالْقِسْطُ نَحْوَهُمْ قَدْ جَاءَ يَخْتَبِطُ

Lawfully so: indeed they acted justly, and the just are they.

Indeed they did justice and the just are they,

If only a fragrant breeze from Al-Yusi would intercede for me to gain their favor, they would be pleased with me despite their wrath.

And justice has come toward them, seeking their bounty.

And justice towards them has come, intending to bind.

Rather, in his approval lies their approval, a truth witnessed by his guidance, his generosity, and his gentle character.

لَكِنْ جَفَوْتُ فَجَافَتْنِي مَوَدَّتُهُمْ

لَكِنْ جَفَوْتُ فَجَافَتْنِي مَوَدَّتُهُمْ

وَقَدْ بَدَا لِي مِنْ أَسْرَارِهَا شَرَطُ

وَقَدْ بَدَا لِي مِنْ أَسْرَارِهَا شَرَطُ

But I was aloof, so their affection shunned me,

But I was unkind so their affection was unkind to me

And by his support for the faith when its landmarks were obliterated, while the tides of affliction were surging to excess.

and a sign from its secrets had already appeared to me.

And their secrets have revealed to me a condition.

And the abodes of knowledge, at whose watering places neither cupbearer nor advance scout from the virtuous could be found.

وَأَبْعَدُونِي وَقَدْ آنَسْتُ قُرْبَتَهُمْ

وَأَبْعَدُونِي وَقَدْ آنَسْتُ قُرْبَتَهُمْ

عَذَرْتُهُمْ فَلَقَدْ أَبْعَدْتُ مَا شَرَطُوا

عَذَرْتُهُمْ فَلَقَدْ أَبْعَدْتُ مَا شَرَطُوا

And they drove me away, though I had sensed their nearness;

They distanced me though I felt intimacy with them close—

He who holds the kindled flame of righteous guidance, and provides a tethering ground for the noble steeds of piety and patience.

I excused them, for I had set aside what they stipulated.

I excused them, for I was far from what they stipulated

He who offers a garden to gather the blooming flowers of forbearance, and a place to collect the shining jewels from the necklace of knowledge.

لِأَنَّهُمْ سَلِمُوا طَابَتْ سَرَائِرُهُمْ

لِأَنَّهُمْ سَلِمُوا طَابَتْ سَرَائِرُهُمْ

فَأَرَّجَتْ فَأَذَاهُمْ مِنِّي الثَّعَطُ

فَأَرَّجَتْ فَأَذَاهُمْ مِنِّي الثَّعَطُ

Because they were untainted, their inner selves grew sweet,

Since they were safe, their consciences were purified,

May his shining presence endure for us and for the religion of God, for without you, no pattern for the faith would have been engraved.

so they spread fragrance, and the stench from me offended them.

So it annoyed them that I was offensive to them.

فَاسْتَقْذَرُونِي فَأَقْصَوْنِي فَقَرَّبَنِي

فَاسْتَقْذَرُونِي فَأَقْصَوْنِي فَقَرَّبَنِي

مِنَ الأَسَى مَا بَدَا فِي حُكْمِهِ الشَّطَطُ

مِنَ الأَسَى مَا بَدَا فِي حُكْمِهِ الشَّطَطُ

So they found me foul and banished me; I was drawn

Thus they scorned me and excluded me and brought me near

close to sorrow by what showed excess in its judgment.

The grief whose judgment was so immoderate.

لَوْ نَفْحَةٌ مِنْ شَذَا الْيُوسِيِّ تَشْفَعُ لِي

لَوْ نَفْحَةٌ مِنْ شَذَا الْيُوسِيِّ تَشْفَعُ لِي

إِلَى رِضَاهُمْ رَضُوا عَنِّي وَإِنْ سَخِطُوا

إِلَى رِضَاهُمْ رَضُوا عَنِّي وَإِنْ سَخِطُوا

If a breath of al-Yusi's fragrance were to intercede for me

If only a scent of Yusuf’s shirt would intercede for me

to win their favor, they would be pleased with me, even if angered.

To please them—if they are angry, they would be pleased with me.

بَلْ فِي رِضَاهُ رِضَاهُمْ وَهْوَ مَا شَهِدَتْ

بَلْ فِي رِضَاهُ رِضَاهُمْ وَهْوَ مَا شَهِدَتْ

بِهِ الْهُدَى وَالنَّدَى وَالْخُلُقُ السَّبِطُ

بِهِ الْهُدَى وَالنَّدَى وَالْخُلُقُ السَّبِطُ

Rather, in his favor lies theirs; this is attested

Rather, their pleasure is in His pleasure, and that is what

by guidance, generosity, and gentle character,

Wisdom, dew, noble manners and generosity witnessed.

وَنُصْرَةُ الدِّينِ وَالأَعْلاَمُ طَامِسَةٌ

وَنُصْرَةُ الدِّينِ وَالأَعْلاَمُ طَامِسَةٌ

مِنْهُ وَأَمْرُ الْجَوَى مِنْ أَمْرِهِ فُرُطُ

مِنْهُ وَأَمْرُ الْجَوَى مِنْ أَمْرِهِ فُرُطُ

and by support for the faith, while the landmarks are effaced

It witnessed the triumph of religion and the darkening

from it, and anguish over its plight exceeds all bounds.

Of banners, and the command of passion is under its control.

وَأَرْبُعُ الْعِلْمِ لَمْ يُلْفَ بِمَنْهَلِهَا

وَأَرْبُعُ الْعِلْمِ لَمْ يُلْفَ بِمَنْهَلِهَا

مِنَ الأَفَاضِلِ لاَ سَاقٍ وَلاَ فَرُطُ

مِنَ الأَفَاضِلِ لاَ سَاقٍ وَلاَ فَرُطُ

And learning's abodes—at their watering place none has been found

The four branches of knowledge have not been

among the eminent, neither a water-giver nor a water-scout.

Circled by the eminent, neither elite nor commoner.

مَنْ عِنْدَهُ لِضِيَاءِ الرُّشْدِ مُقْتَبَسٌ

مَنْ عِنْدَهُ لِضِيَاءِ الرُّشْدِ مُقْتَبَسٌ

وَلِجِيَادِ التُّقَى وَالصَّبْرُ مُرْتَبَطُ

وَلِجِيَادِ التُّقَى وَالصَّبْرُ مُرْتَبَطُ

He who has a source for kindling right guidance's light,

He who has lit from its light the lamp of guidance

and a tethering place for the steeds of piety and patience,

And tied to excellence the steeds of piety and patience,

وَلِأَزَاهِرِ نَشْرِ الْحِلْمِ مُقْتَطَفٌ

وَلِأَزَاهِرِ نَشْرِ الْحِلْمِ مُقْتَطَفٌ

وَلِجَوَاهِرِ سِمْطِ الْعِلْمِ مُلْتَقَطُ

وَلِجَوَاهِرِ سِمْطِ الْعِلْمِ مُلْتَقَطُ

and a place to pluck the blossoms of forbearance's fragrance,

And plucked the flowers spreading the wisdom’s growth

and a place to gather the gems of knowledge's necklace.

And picked the jewels containing the essence of knowledge,

دَامَتْ لَنَا وَلِدِينِ اللهِ غُرَّتُهُ

دَامَتْ لَنَا وَلِدِينِ اللهِ غُرَّتُهُ

فَالدِّينُ لَوْلاَكَ لَمْ يُنْقَشْ لَهُ نَمَطُ

فَالدِّينُ لَوْلاَكَ لَمْ يُنْقَشْ لَهُ نَمَطُ

May his radiant brow endure for us and for God's faith.

May his glory for us and Allah’s religion remain

For without you, no carpet would have been adorned for the faith.

For without you, religion would have no composed pattern.