سلام اللَه ما هبّ النسيم

سلام اللَه ما هبّ النسيم

وما جنّ الدجا الليل البهيم

وما جنّ الدجا الليل البهيم

God’s peace, as long as the breeze blows,

God's peace, as long as the breeze blows,

And as long as the darkness of pitch-black night descends—

and as long as darkness shrouds the pitch-black night.

يحاكي الزهر نشرا وابتساما

يحاكي الزهر نشرا وابتساما

إذا ما الروض باكره الرهيم

إذا ما الروض باكره الرهيم

A peace that rivals flowers in fragrance and smiling bloom

It resembles blossoms in fragrance and smiles,

Whenever gentle rain comes early to the garden;

when gentle rain visits the garden at dawn.

يفوق المسك عطرا وانتشاقا

يفوق المسك عطرا وانتشاقا

به يشفي من البلوى السقيم

به يشفي من البلوى السقيم

It surpasses musk in perfume and every breath,

It surpasses musk in fragrance and when breathed in;

And by it the afflicted sick are healed;

through it the sick find healing from affliction.

يضاهي الشهد ذوقاً ثم يحيي

يضاهي الشهد ذوقاً ثم يحيي

نبات الأرض ان رمّ الهشيم

نبات الأرض ان رمّ الهشيم

It rivals honey in taste, then gives life to

It matches honey in taste, then revives

The earth’s vegetation when the dry brush has crumbled.

the earth's plants, if the dry stalks have decayed.

سلام في سلام في سلام

سلام في سلام في سلام

سلاما دائما أبدا يدوم

سلاما دائما أبدا يدوم

Peace upon peace upon peace—

Peace within peace within peace,

A peace enduring always and forever—

a lasting peace, enduring forever,

عدد ذرّ الرمال وقد تناهى

عدد ذرّ الرمال وقد تناهى

فلا يحصى له عددا فهيم

فلا يحصى له عددا فهيم

As many as the grains of sand, however far they stretch,

as many as the grains of sand, to the very last,

A number no discerning mind can count—

so no discerning mind can count its number,

على الندب النجيب الليث بأسا

على الندب النجيب الليث بأسا

وللأعداء ضرغام غشوم

وللأعداء ضرغام غشوم

Upon the gallant nobleman, valiant in battle,

upon the gallant, noble one, a lion in valor,

And, against his enemies, a fierce and crushing lion.

and to his enemies a ruthless lion.

رعاه اللَه من ولد حبيب

رعاه اللَه من ولد حبيب

ودام له المسرّة والنعيم

ودام له المسرّة والنعيم

May God preserve him, the offspring of a beloved one,

May God watch over him, that beloved son,

And may gladness and delight endure for him;

and may gladness and bliss endure for him.

وطال له البقا في خير عيش

وطال له البقا في خير عيش

وسلمه لنا البرّ الرّحيم

وسلمه لنا البرّ الرّحيم

May his life be long and lived in goodness,

May he live long in the best of lives,

And may the Gracious, Merciful One keep him safe for us;

and may the Beneficent, the Merciful, keep him safe for us.

ودام له السرور وكلّ عزّ

ودام له السرور وكلّ عزّ

كريم ماجد شهم حشيم

كريم ماجد شهم حشيم

May joy and every honor endure for him—

May joy and every honor endure for him—

Generous, illustrious, courageous, and dignified.

generous, illustrious, gallant, and modest.

ولولا الضعف مع شوق شديد

ولولا الضعف مع شوق شديد

إلى رؤياه ما اغنتنى العلوم

إلى رؤياه ما اغنتنى العلوم

Were it not for weakness, though my yearning is fierce,

Were it not for weakness, with my intense longing

Learning would not avail me in reaching the sight of him.

to see him, learning would not have sufficed me.

عجبت لعائق قد عاق عنه

عجبت لعائق قد عاق عنه

وفي قلبي له شوق عظيم

وفي قلبي له شوق عظيم

I marvel at a barrier that has kept me from him,

I marvel at an obstacle that has kept me from him,

While immense longing for him fills my heart—

while my heart holds a great longing for him,

كشوق الهيم ان عدمت ورودا

كشوق الهيم ان عدمت ورودا

وشوق الأمّ إن فقد الفطيم

وشوق الأمّ إن فقد الفطيم

Like the yearning of thirst-maddened camels denied their watering place,

like parched camels' longing when they cannot reach water,

And a mother’s yearning when she has lost her weaned child.

and a mother's longing when her weaned child is lost.

ولكن الدعا والسرّ يسرى

ولكن الدعا والسرّ يسرى

له منا إذا انعكر العتيم

له منا إذا انعكر العتيم

Yet prayer—and the secret—travels by night

Yet prayer and the inward secret travel by night

From us to him whenever darkness thickens.

from us to him when deep darkness thickens.

حبيب من حبيب من حبيب

حبيب من حبيب من حبيب

له قد أسس الودّ القديم

له قد أسس الودّ القديم

Beloved from beloved from beloved:

A beloved one, from a beloved one, from a beloved one,

Love for him was founded long ago.

for whom age-old affection has been firmly founded.

فهم فقراؤنا أب وجدّ

فهم فقراؤنا أب وجدّ

كذاك الأم نهج مستقيم

كذاك الأم نهج مستقيم

They are our fuqarāʾ—father and grandfather,

For they are our faqirs—father and grandfather;

And likewise the mother: an upright path.

likewise the mother; theirs is an upright path.

هم منا وفينا بل علينا

هم منا وفينا بل علينا

لهم حقّ وان حسد اللئيم

لهم حقّ وان حسد اللئيم

They are from us and among us—indeed, over us—

They are of us and among us; indeed, we owe them

And they possess a right, though the base-born envy it.

their due, even if the base man envies.

ألا يا ناصر الدين المسمى

ألا يا ناصر الدين المسمى

بنصر الدين أكفيت الهموم

بنصر الدين أكفيت الهموم

Behold this one named Nasir al-Din;

O Nasir al-Din, who is called

Through Nasr al-Din, you have been spared all cares.

Nasr al-Din—may you be spared all cares.

نصرت على الجميع بنصر ربي

نصرت على الجميع بنصر ربي

وأعطاك المهيمن ما تروم

وأعطاك المهيمن ما تروم

You triumphed over all through my Lord’s aid,

May you prevail over all through my Lord's aid,

And the Guardian granted you what you desire.

and may the Guardian grant you what you seek.

ولا زالت لك الأيام سعدا

ولا زالت لك الأيام سعدا

وأيام الذي يشناك شوم

وأيام الذي يشناك شوم

May your days never cease to be fortunate,

May your days ever be fortunate,

While the days of whoever hates you are ill-starred.

and the days of whoever hates you ill-omened.

إذا كانت لك الأقطاب جندا

إذا كانت لك الأقطاب جندا

باذن اللَه من لهم يقوم

باذن اللَه من لهم يقوم

If the spiritual poles are soldiers in your service,

If the spiritual poles are your troops,

Who, by God’s permission, could stand against them?

with God's leave, who can stand against them?

فطب نفساً بما قد قلت حقا

فطب نفساً بما قد قلت حقا

بهذا القول قد حكم الحكيم

بهذا القول قد حكم الحكيم

So take heart in what I have truly said:

So take heart at what I have truly said;

By this pronouncement the All-Wise has judged.

the Wise One has ruled by this saying.

يقابل من جرى من سوء فعل

يقابل من جرى من سوء فعل

من المقدور يغفره الحليم

من المقدور يغفره الحليم

Whoever commits an evil deed is requited

Whatever evil deed has occurred is met—

By what is decreed; the Forbearing One forgives it.

among things decreed—with the Forbearing One's forgiveness.

فثق باللَه ليس له شريك

فثق باللَه ليس له شريك

بما قد قلته علم العليم

بما قد قلته علم العليم

So trust in God, who has no partner;

So trust in God, who has no partner;

The All-Knowing knows what I have said.

the All-Knowing knows what I have said.

اذا كنا جنودك يا بنيّ

اذا كنا جنودك يا بنيّ

فمن لذرّاء علياكم يسوم

فمن لذرّاء علياكم يسوم

If we are your soldiers, my son,

If we are your troops, my dear son,

Who could aspire to the summits of your eminence?

then who could aspire to your lofty summit?

له من حبّ أهل البيت صدقا

له من حبّ أهل البيت صدقا

توفرت العطايا والقسوم

توفرت العطايا والقسوم

Through true love for the Household, he has a rightful claim;

For whoever sincerely loves the Prophet's household,

Gifts and allotted blessings have abounded.

gifts and allotted shares abound.

دعائي سيدي لكم خصوصاً

دعائي سيدي لكم خصوصاً

على الاطلاق أو ذكر العموم

على الاطلاق أو ذكر العموم

My prayer, my master, is especially for you,

My prayer, my master, is for you in particular,

Whether uttered without restriction or included in general prayer.

whether unqualified or expressed in general terms.

أتتك خريدة من نظم درّ

أتتك خريدة من نظم درّ

فما الياقوت ما الدرّ النظيم

فما الياقوت ما الدرّ النظيم

A secluded maiden has come to you, fashioned from strung pearls;

A maiden of strung pearls has come to you;

Beside her, what are rubies, and what are ordered pearls?

what are rubies, what are strung pearls beside her?

زندها الود من قلب سليم

زندها الود من قلب سليم

اذا وافى وفا القلب السليم

اذا وافى وفا القلب السليم

Love kindled her from a sound heart;

Her firestick is love from a sound heart,

When the faithful one arrives, the sound heart proves faithful.

when the fidelity of a sound heart comes forth.

وخصّ لنا شهاب الدين حقا

وخصّ لنا شهاب الدين حقا

فنعم القرم ان ذكر القروم

فنعم القرم ان ذكر القروم

And Shihab al-Din has truly been set apart for us—

And truly single out Shihab al-Din for us—

An excellent chief whenever chiefs are named.

a splendid chief whenever chiefs are named!—

سلاماً دائماً في كلّ حين

سلاماً دائماً في كلّ حين

لعلّ بحقه يوماً نقوم

لعلّ بحقه يوماً نقوم

Peace forever, at every moment;

with lasting peace at every moment,

By my life, through his merit we shall one day rise.

perhaps one day we may fulfill his due.

إمام سيد حبر فريد

إمام سيد حبر فريد

وعند الغيظ ذو عفو كظوم

وعند الغيظ ذو عفو كظوم

An imam, a master, a peerless learned doctor;

An imam, a master, a peerless scholar,

When angered, he pardons and restrains his rage.

and, when angered, forgiving and restraining his wrath.

كريم الأصل من سلفى معد

كريم الأصل من سلفى معد

جزيل الحلم ان ضاعت حلوم

جزيل الحلم ان ضاعت حلوم

Noble in origin, from the forebears of Maʿadd,

Of noble stock, from my forebear Maʿadd,

Abundant in forbearance when all other forbearance is lost.

vast in forbearance when forbearance fails.

له القدح المعلى في المعالي

له القدح المعلى في المعالي

وبحر ماله أحد يعوم

وبحر ماله أحد يعوم

His is the winning arrow in the contest for eminence,

His is the prize-winning arrow in lofty honors,

And he is a sea no one can swim across.

and he is an ocean in which no one can swim.

يجيب دعاءه ذو العرش حقا

يجيب دعاءه ذو العرش حقا

ومن نفثاته تشفى الكلوم

ومن نفثاته تشفى الكلوم

The Lord of the Throne truly answers his prayer,

The Lord of the Throne truly answers his prayer,

And through his breathings wounds are healed.

and wounds are healed by his breathings.

له كفّ تلقف كلّ سقم

له كفّ تلقف كلّ سقم

عصا موسى النبي نعم الكليم

عصا موسى النبي نعم الكليم

He has a hand that swallows every illness—

He has a hand that swallows every illness—

Like the staff of Moses, the prophet who spoke with God.

the staff of Moses the prophet—how excellent is the one God addressed!

رعاه اللَه من ولد برير

رعاه اللَه من ولد برير

كلاه اللَه ما طلعت نجوم

كلاه اللَه ما طلعت نجوم

May God guard him, the offspring of a righteous man;

May God watch over him, that dutiful son,

May God watch over him as long as stars rise.

may God guard him as long as stars rise.

أقرّ اللَه عيني بالتملي

أقرّ اللَه عيني بالتملي

برؤيته وان رغم الخصوم

برؤيته وان رغم الخصوم

May God gladden my eye with gazing its fill

May God gladden my eyes with the full enjoyment

Upon him, though his adversaries be galled.

of seeing him, though the adversaries be humbled,

وأبقانا الجميع بخير عيش

وأبقانا الجميع بخير عيش

فجود إلهنا جزل عميم

فجود إلهنا جزل عميم

May He preserve us all in a life of goodness,

and keep us all alive in a good life,

For our God’s bounty is abundant and all-embracing.

for our God's bounty is abundant and all-embracing.

فدم في نعمة ودوام عزّ

فدم في نعمة ودوام عزّ

فقد تمت بخيرات تدوم

فقد تمت بخيرات تدوم

Remain, then, in blessing and enduring honor,

So remain in blessing and lasting honor,

For the poem is complete with blessings that endure.

for it is complete with blessings that endure.

وصلى اللَه ربي كلّ حين

وصلى اللَه ربي كلّ حين

على المختار ما وكف الرديم

على المختار ما وكف الرديم

And may my Lord bless, at every moment,

May God, my Lord, bless at every moment

The Chosen One, as long as steady rain pours—

the Chosen One, as long as the rain-cloud drips,

غياث الخلق في يوم التنادي

غياث الخلق في يوم التنادي

له الدّين الحنيفيّ القويم

له الدّين الحنيفيّ القويم

The succor of creation on the Day of Calling,

the succor of creation on the Day of Mutual Calling.

Whose is the upright Ḥanīf faith—

His is the monotheistic, upright faith.

عدد كر الجديدين البواقي

عدد كر الجديدين البواقي

وشرحهما هما ليل ويوم

وشرحهما هما ليل ويوم

As many times as the two enduring renewers revolve;

As many as the cycles of the two ever-new, enduring ones—

To explain those two: they are night and day;

and to explain them: they are night and day—

وما غنت على الأغصان ورق

وما غنت على الأغصان ورق

فأشفى صوتها سقم الأليم

فأشفى صوتها سقم الأليم

And whenever gray doves sing upon the branches,

and as long as gray doves sing upon the branches,

Their voices healing the sufferer’s pain;

so their song heals the sufferer's sickness;

وكلّ الآل والأصحاب جمعا

وكلّ الآل والأصحاب جمعا

هم القوم ان ذكر بالفخر قوم

هم القوم ان ذكر بالفخر قوم

And blessings upon all the Family and Companions together—

and upon all his family and companions together.

They are the people worthy of pride whenever any people are praised.

They are the people, whenever a people is named with pride.

فخذه مرقومة الطرفين تحكى

فخذه مرقومة الطرفين تحكى

سلام اللَه ما هبّ النسيم

سلام اللَه ما هبّ النسيم

So take this poem, adorned at both its ends, echoing:

So take it, inscribed at both ends, echoing:

God’s peace, as long as the breeze blows.

God's peace, as long as the breeze blows.