دع الفكر واصبر فالزمان صعائبه

دع الفكر واصبر فالزمان صعائبه

تزول وكم قلت بمحو عصائبه

تزول وكم قلت بمحو عصائبه

Lay thought aside and be patient, for time's hardships

Leave thoughts aside, and have patience, for time has its calamities

will pass; how often I have spoken of effacing its bands.

Which pass away, and how often have I said they would disappear

إذا أزمة زادت وكرب تكاثرت

إذا أزمة زادت وكرب تكاثرت

مصائبه والخطب عمت نوائبه

مصائبه والخطب عمت نوائبه

When a crisis deepens, and distress multiplies

If crisis grows more and hardship multiplies

its calamities, and disaster's misfortunes spread everywhere,

Its misfortunes spread, and disasters become widespread

وضاق الفضا من صدم نازلة القضا

وضاق الفضا من صدم نازلة القضا

وضاقت على العبد الضعيف مذاهبه

وضاقت على العبد الضعيف مذاهبه

and open space narrows under the shock of a calamity decreed by fate,

Space grows tight with the shock of destiny’s blow

and the weak servant's paths grow narrow before him,

And for the weak slave its ways grow narrow

فأبواب أولاد الرسول بها الرجا

فأبواب أولاد الرسول بها الرجا

لحامل هم باعدته أقاربه

لحامل هم باعدته أقاربه

then at the doors of the Messenger's descendants lies hope

In the doors of the Prophet's children there is hope

for one bearing worry, whom his relatives have kept at a distance.

For one burdened with care though his kin be far

هم النعمة العظمى هم الغوث للورى

هم النعمة العظمى هم الغوث للورى

هم الغيث لكن لا تغب سحائبه

هم الغيث لكن لا تغب سحائبه

They are the greatest blessing; they are succor for humankind.

They are the greatest blessing, the aid for humanity

They are the rain, yet its clouds never vanish.

They are the rain, though its clouds are absent

هم المدد العالي هم المشرب الذي

هم المدد العالي هم المشرب الذي

تعطر بالمسك الإلهي شاربه

تعطر بالمسك الإلهي شاربه

They are exalted aid; they are the draught whose

They are the lofty aid, they are the sweet water

drinker is perfumed with divine musk.

That is scented by divine musk for its drinker

هم الكعبة الغراء والخيف والصفا

هم الكعبة الغراء والخيف والصفا

هم الحرم السامي الذي عز جانبه

هم الحرم السامي الذي عز جانبه

They are the radiant Kaaba, al-Khayf, and al-Safa.

They are the noble Kaaba, the veil and purity

They are the exalted sanctuary, whose bounds are unassailable.

They are the sublime sanctuary made mighty by its side

هم الحبل للطلاب في كل وجهةٍ

هم الحبل للطلاب في كل وجهةٍ

هم البحر لكن لا تعد عجائبه

هم البحر لكن لا تعد عجائبه

They are the rope for seekers in every direction.

They are the rope for seekers in every destination

They are the sea, yet its wonders cannot be counted.

They are the sea, though its wonders cannot be counted

هم العضب لكن ليس يغمد نصله

هم العضب لكن ليس يغمد نصله

هم الكنز لكن ليس يحرم طالبه

هم الكنز لكن ليس يحرم طالبه

They are the keen sword, yet its blade is never sheathed.

They are the bare blade, though its edge is not sheathed

They are the treasure, yet its seeker is never denied.

They are treasure, though none are deprived of it

هم الكوكب المحمود في الأرض والسما

هم الكوكب المحمود في الأرض والسما

هم الأفق لكن لا تغيب كواكبه

هم الأفق لكن لا تغيب كواكبه

They are the praiseworthy star on earth and in heaven.

They are the praised star, in earth and sky

They are the horizon, yet its stars never disappear.

They are the horizon though its planets are not dimmed

هم البيت بيت الأمن والمجد والتقى

هم البيت بيت الأمن والمجد والتقى

وبالعسكر الغيبي حفت جوانبه

وبالعسكر الغيبي حفت جوانبه

They are the House—the house of safety, glory, and piety—

They are the house, home of security, glory and piety

and its sides are surrounded by the unseen host.

And the unseen soldiers have encircled its sides

هم الأوصياء العارفون بربهم

هم الأوصياء العارفون بربهم

وبالغيب قد سحت عليهم مواهبه

وبالغيب قد سحت عليهم مواهبه

They are the trustees, who know their Lord,

They are the trustees, knowers of their Lord

and in the unseen His gifts have poured down upon them.

And His gifts have spread over them

هم الأولياء الملحقون بجدهم

هم الأولياء الملحقون بجدهم

وفي بيتهم تطوى وتبدو مناقبه

وفي بيتهم تطوى وتبدو مناقبه

They are the saints joined to their grandfather,

They are the intimates, annexed to their grandfather

and in their house his virtues are enfolded and revealed.

And in their home glories and virtues unfold

هم الهيكل العلوي في كل حضرةٍ

هم الهيكل العلوي في كل حضرةٍ

أساليبه تحكي وتروي غرائبه

أساليبه تحكي وتروي غرائبه

They are the celestial temple in every presence;

They are the supernal temple in every assembly

its ways tell and recount its wonders.

Its curiosities recount and narrate its wonders

هم قاف قرب اللَه سينا الهدى الذي

هم قاف قرب اللَه سينا الهدى الذي

تغشت بأنوار النبي كتائبه

تغشت بأنوار النبي كتائبه

They are the Qaf of nearness to God, the Sinai of guidance, whose

They are the Qaf of nearing God, the Sin of the guidance by which

battalions have been enveloped in the Prophet's lights.

The battalions of the Prophet were covered in light

هم الحزب حزب اللَه حزب مؤيد

هم الحزب حزب اللَه حزب مؤيد

به الدين دهراً والذليل محاربه

به الدين دهراً والذليل محاربه

They are the company—God's company—a company upholding

They are the party, God's party, the party helped

the faith for all time; its adversary is abased.

Through which religion lasts, though the weak assail it

هم علم جفن طرزته يد الخفا

هم علم جفن طرزته يد الخفا

بخط إلهي تقدس كاتبه

بخط إلهي تقدس كاتبه

They are an eyelid's emblem, embroidered by the hand of the unseen,

They are the standard embellished by the hand of the unseen

in divine script—holy is its writer.

In a divine scripture sanctified by its writer

هم العلم السامي على هامة العلا

هم العلم السامي على هامة العلا

وفي قعر بحر الأرض حطت ذوائبه

وفي قعر بحر الأرض حطت ذوائبه

They are the lofty banner upon the crown of exaltation,

They are the lofty standard on the forehead of elevation

and its streamers have settled at the bottom of the earth's sea.

And in the depth of the earth its cords took root

هم ركب برهان خفي مطلسم

هم ركب برهان خفي مطلسم

إلى الملك والملكوت سارت نجائبه

إلى الملك والملكوت سارت نجائبه

They are the caravan of a hidden, talismanic proof;

They are a hidden, mysterious argument's mount

to the earthly and heavenly realms its noble camels have journeyed.

To the King and Kingdom its results marched

هم القمر الوضاح والشمس والضحى

هم القمر الوضاح والشمس والضحى

هم الفجر لكن عنه زيحت غياهبه

هم الفجر لكن عنه زيحت غياهبه

They are the radiant moon, the sun, and the morning brightness.

They are the brilliant moon, the sun and morning glow

They are the dawn, yet its dark shadows have been swept away.

They are the dawn, though its darkness was dispelled

هم روح جسم الكون بل نور عينه

هم روح جسم الكون بل نور عينه

تشرف فيهم شرقه ومغاربه

تشرف فيهم شرقه ومغاربه

They are the spirit of the universe's body—nay, the light of its eye.

They are the soul of the universe, rather the light of its eye

Its east and western reaches are ennobled in them.

Through them its east and west are ennobled

ألوذ بهم والقلب أودى به الضنى

ألوذ بهم والقلب أودى به الضنى

من الهم والغم المقرح غالبه

من الهم والغم المقرح غالبه

I seek refuge in them, while wasting sickness has undone my heart,

I take refuge in them, though woe has wasted my heart

from worry and grief that has ulcerated most of it.

With sadness and burning grief overwhelming it

وظهري قد أوهاه ذنبي وزلتي

وظهري قد أوهاه ذنبي وزلتي

وعزمي ملت من كروبي مراكبه

وعزمي ملت من كروبي مراكبه

And my sin and my lapse have weakened my back,

My back is bent by my sin and stumbling

and the mounts of my resolve have wearied of my afflictions.

And my strength is twisted by my anguish's ships

ودفتر أعمالي تطرز بالخطا

ودفتر أعمالي تطرز بالخطا

وزادت عن التعداد حصراً شوائبه

وزادت عن التعداد حصراً شوائبه

And the register of my deeds is embroidered with errors,

The book of my deeds is adorned with mistakes

and its blemishes have increased beyond all counting.

And its faults have increased beyond counting

وأصبحت في عصر عجيب همومه

وأصبحت في عصر عجيب همومه

كبار ووقت لا يصاحب صاحبه

كبار ووقت لا يصاحب صاحبه

And I have come to live in a strange age, whose troubles

I have reached an age whose cares are immense

are great—a time that will not befriend its companion.

And whose time accompanies no companion

زمان كأني فيه من غير أهله

زمان كأني فيه من غير أهله

ومين لم يقنع بذلك راغبه

ومين لم يقنع بذلك راغبه

An age in which I seem not to belong among its people,

A time in which I am like a stranger to its people

and falsehood whose seeker is not content with that.

And whoever is not content with it, desiring more

تجردت قلباً منه لكن متاعبي

تجردت قلباً منه لكن متاعبي

وهت من بنيه حين سعد قالبه

وهت من بنيه حين سعد قالبه

I have detached my heart from it, yet my hardships

My heart is stripped of it, though my troubles

have grown feeble through its sons, while its outward form has prospered.

Have confused me since its mold was prosperous

فوا ألمي من هم منتن جيفة

فوا ألمي من هم منتن جيفة

ووأتعبي من مذهب أنا ذاهبه

ووأتعبي من مذهب أنا ذاهبه

Oh, my pain from worry over a putrid carcass!

Oh my pain from a putrid corpse's care

And oh, my weariness from a path I am traveling!

And my weariness from a doctrine I'm departing

ألاعب دهراً لا انقضاء لحاله

ألاعب دهراً لا انقضاء لحاله

بلا طائل زين فكم ذا ألاعبه

بلا طائل زين فكم ذا ألاعبه

I toy with an age whose condition has no end,

Playing with a time that does not end

without any good gain—so how long shall I toy with it like this?

Futilely, so what game is this?

ويحسب فعلي كاتبي وامصيبتي

ويحسب فعلي كاتبي وامصيبتي

وعيبي من فعل به حار حاسبه

وعيبي من فعل به حار حاسبه

And my scribe reckons my deeds—alas, my calamity!

My writer deems my deeds and my misfortune

And my disgrace at a deed that has bewildered its reckoner!

And my shame before my Maker when I address Him

ويا خجلي من بارئي يوم محشري

ويا خجلي من بارئي يوم محشري

وعرضي على مولاي كيف أخاطبه

وعرضي على مولاي كيف أخاطبه

And oh, my shame before my Creator on the day I am gathered!

Oh children of Zahra, by the sanctity of your grandfather

And when I am presented before my Master, how shall I address Him?

Aid a slave restricted by his misfortunes

ألا يا بني الزهرا بحرمة جدكم

ألا يا بني الزهرا بحرمة جدكم

أغيثوا عبيداً عوقته مصائبه

أغيثوا عبيداً عوقته مصائبه

O sons of al-Zahra, by your grandfather's sanctity,

Be generous with compassion and grant him with a breath

rescue a humble servant whom his calamities have hindered.

Thereby you protect what is best of his faults

وجودوا بعطف وامنحوه بنفحةٍ

وجودوا بعطف وامنحوه بنفحةٍ

فتلك بها تحمي بخير معائبه

فتلك بها تحمي بخير معائبه

And be generous with compassion, and grant him a breath of grace,

Say to him, "You are one of us, so do not fear"

for through that his faults are shielded with goodness.

For his fears have multiplied from what has shocked him

وقولوا له ها أنت منا فلا تخف

وقولوا له ها أنت منا فلا تخف

فقد كثرت مما دهاه رهائبه

فقد كثرت مما دهاه رهائبه

And say to him, "Behold, you are one of us, so do not fear,"

You are the firm fortress, and your support is ample

for his terrors have multiplied from what has befallen him.

And how many poor have your desires encompassed?

وأنتم هو الحصن الحصين وجاهكم

وأنتم هو الحصن الحصين وجاهكم

عريض وكم عمت فقيراً رغائبه

عريض وكم عمت فقيراً رغائبه

And you are the impregnable fortress, and your standing

From the unseen for you is a caller. Are you not your Lord's

is vast; how often its bounties have encompassed a poor man!

Light from God that does not fade in its cords?

لكم من خفا داعي ألست بربكم

لكم من خفا داعي ألست بربكم

من اللَه نور ليس تمحى ثواقبه

من اللَه نور ليس تمحى ثواقبه

From the mystery of the One who calls, "Am I not your Lord?", you have

So stand for a weak, humble pauper

a light from God whose piercing rays are never effaced.

Whose loved ones and friends have grown distant

فقوموا بمسكين ضعيف مشت

فقوموا بمسكين ضعيف مشت

تباعد عنه أهله وحبائبه

تباعد عنه أهله وحبائبه

So stand up for a poor, weak, distraught man,

Upon you is God's peace. How good is your remembrance

whose family and loved ones have withdrawn from him.

To a loving mind. In you the absent is present

عليكم سلام اللَه ما طاب ذكركم

عليكم سلام اللَه ما طاب ذكركم

لعقل محب فيكم غاب غائبه

لعقل محب فيكم غاب غائبه

God's peace be upon you as long as your remembrance is sweet

And your attributes are not confined in my heart's tablet

to a lover's mind, whose hidden self is lost in you;

So my heart and its drink have been sweetened through it

وما اندرجت في لوح قلبي صفاتكم

وما اندرجت في لوح قلبي صفاتكم

فطاب بها قلبي وطابت مشاربه

فطاب بها قلبي وطابت مشاربه

and as long as your attributes are inscribed on the tablet of my heart,

so my heart grows sweet through them, and its draughts grow sweet.