يا سيد الرسل المكين مكانه — أبو زيد الفازازي

يا سيّد الرُّسل المكينَ مكانُه

ومقدّم وهو الأخيسرُ زمانُهُ

O master of the messengers, whose station is secure,

and foremost, though latest in time,

والمصطفى المختار من هذا الورى

فمحلُّه عالي المحلِّ وشأنهُ

and the chosen one, selected from among these mortals;

thus lofty in rank are his station and his standing.

ومن النُّبُوةِ والطهارة والهدى

شرفٌ حواه فؤادُهُ ولسانُهُ

And from prophethood, purity, and guidance

comes an honor his heart and tongue have embraced.

عنوانُ طِرسِ الأنبياءِ وخَتمُهُ

والطرس يُكمِلُ حُسنَهُ عنوانُهُ

The heading of the prophets’ parchment, and its seal—

and a parchment’s heading completes its beauty.

فالدهرُ أفقٌ أحمد أصباحه

والخلق جَفنٌ أحمد انسانه

So time is a horizon, and Ahmad its dawn;

and creation is an eyelid, and Ahmad its pupil.

نداك عبدٌ أخَّرتهُ ذنوبُهُ

والشوق تلفح قلبه نيرانه

A servant has called to you, held back by his sins,

and longing’s flames scorch his heart.

وَفَدَت عليك ركابُ أربابِ التُّقى

والمذنبُ الخطَّاء كُفَّ عنانه

The mounts of the masters of piety have come to you,

while the oft-erring sinner’s rein was held back.

لمّا تخلف للتخلّف مذنبا

في المذنبين وعزّه أمكانه

When he stayed behind, guilty of staying behind,

among the sinners, and the means eluded him,

كَتَبَ الكتابَ لعلَّه إن لم يَزُر

باللَّحظِ قَبرَكَ ان يزور بنانُه

he wrote the letter, hoping that, if he did not visit

your grave with his gaze, his fingertips might visit it.

ووراء أضلاعي فؤاد قيدُهُ

إلفُ الذنوب وسجنه أشجانه

And behind my ribs is a heart whose fetter

is attachment to sins, and whose prison is its sorrows.

لكن حبّك شافع ومشفع

يغشي محبّك يمنه وأمانه

But love for you is an intercessor whose plea is accepted;

its blessing and protection enfold the one who loves you.

وعليك يا خير الأنام تحية

كالروض صافح روحه ريحانه

And upon you, O best of all creatures, be a greeting,

like a garden whose sweet basil has clasped hands with its breeze,

ممن يزورك خطّه وكلامه

إذ لم يزرك لذنبه جثمانه

from one whose writing and words visit you,

since his body, because of his sin, has not visited you.