أَضرَّ بِمُقلَتي السَهَر الطَويلُ

أَضرَّ بِمُقلَتي السَهَر الطَويلُ

وَقَرح جِفنَها الدَمع الهَمول

وَقَرح جِفنَها الدَمع الهَمول

Long wakefulness has harmed my eye,

My eyelids were wounded by prolonged sleeplessness,

and streaming tears have wounded its lid.

And my tears caused them relentless sores.

تَقيكَ السوءَ نَفسي قَد رَثى لي ال

تَقيكَ السوءَ نَفسي قَد رَثى لي ال

عَدوُّ وَقَد تَوجَع لي العَذول

عَدوُّ وَقَد تَوجَع لي العَذول

May my soul shield you from harm! I have been pitied by the—

To spare you evil, my soul did mourn for me;

enemy, and even the reproacher has felt my pain.

Even the enemy felt compassion for me.

وَرقَّ لِيَ السِقام فَكادَ يَبقى

وَرقَّ لِيَ السِقام فَكادَ يَبقى

عَلَيَّ وَكادَ يَرحَمُني النُحول

عَلَيَّ وَكادَ يَرحَمُني النُحول

Even sickness grew tender toward me, almost sparing

Illness made me frail; I was nearly

me; and emaciation almost showed me mercy.

Claimed by the wasting disease.

وَقَد أَصبَحَت تَأمُرُني بِصَبر

وَقَد أَصبَحَت تَأمُرُني بِصَبر

وَصَبري عَنكَ أَمرٌ مُستَحيل

وَصَبري عَنكَ أَمرٌ مُستَحيل

And now you bid me be patient,

Now you command me to be patient,

but patience away from you is impossible.

But patience from you is impossible.

يُطالِبُني بِكَ القَلب العَليل

يُطالِبُني بِكَ القَلب العَليل

كَأَني بِالشِفاءِ لَهُ كَفيل

كَأَني بِالشِفاءِ لَهُ كَفيل

My ailing heart demands you of me,

My ailing heart implores me for you,

as though I guaranteed its cure.

As if healing it were my duty.

وَيُحسن عِندَهُ فيكَ اِفتِضاحي

وَيُحسن عِندَهُ فيكَ اِفتِضاحي

وَيَقج عِندَهُ الصَبر الجَميلُ

وَيَقج عِندَهُ الصَبر الجَميلُ

To it, my disgrace for loving you seems fair,

To it, my disgrace because of you seems good,

and graceful patience seems ugly.

And fine patience seems contemptible to it.

تَمَنى أَن يَراكَ بِلا رَقيب

تَمَنى أَن يَراكَ بِلا رَقيب

وَلَيسَ إِلى أَمانيهِ وُصول

وَلَيسَ إِلى أَمانيهِ وُصول

It wished to see you without a watcher,

It yearns to see you without a chaperone,

yet its wishes cannot be attained.

But its wishes cannot come true.

فَقُلتُ لَهُ وَقَد ذابَ التِياعاً

فَقُلتُ لَهُ وَقَد ذابَ التِياعاً

وَلَيسَ إِلى تَسليهِ سَبيل

وَلَيسَ إِلى تَسليهِ سَبيل

So I said to it, when it had melted in anguish,

I said, as it melted in languor –

and there was no way to console it,

There’s no way to console it.

وَقَد مَلَّ الحَياة وَمَلَّ مِني

وَقَد مَلَّ الحَياة وَمَلَّ مِني

عَدمتك أَيُّها القَلب المَلول

عَدمتك أَيُّها القَلب المَلول

and it had tired of life and tired of me:

Life wearied me, as did your absence,

May I be rid of you, O ever-weary heart!

O sorrowful heart!

أَيابأ بي أَيُحسِنُ مِنكَ هَجري

أَيابأ بي أَيُحسِنُ مِنكَ هَجري

وَلي قَلبٌ لِغَيرِكَ لا يَميلُ

وَلي قَلبٌ لِغَيرِكَ لا يَميلُ

O you for whom my father is ransom, does it befit you to forsake me,

Does it become me to abandon you,

when my heart inclines to none but you?

When I've a heart that won't incline to another?

لِأَن حالَت بِكَ الأَيّام عَني

لِأَن حالَت بِكَ الأَيّام عَني

فَإِني عَن وِدادَك لا أَحولُ

فَإِني عَن وِدادَك لا أَحولُ

Even if the days have turned you away from me,

For time has turned you away from me,

I shall not turn away from loving you.

Yet I'll never abandon affection for you.

وَإِن زالَ اللِقاءُ فَلا لِقاءٌ

وَإِن زالَ اللِقاءُ فَلا لِقاءٌ

فَإِنَ الشَوق باقٍ لا يَزولُ

فَإِنَ الشَوق باقٍ لا يَزولُ

And though reunion has ceased and no meeting remains,

Though we may cease to meet, desire remains,

longing remains and does not fade.

Enduring, not vanishing.

لَقَد طالَ البُعاد فَلَيتَ شِعري

لَقَد طالَ البُعاد فَلَيتَ شِعري

أَيقصر بَعدَ هَذا أَم يَطولُ

أَيقصر بَعدَ هَذا أَم يَطولُ

Separation has lasted long—would that I knew:

Indeed, separation has dragged on. I wonder -

will it shorten after this, or grow longer?

Will it shorten after this, or grow longer?

وَأَضيع مَن أَضاعَ الدَهر صَب

وَأَضيع مَن أَضاعَ الدَهر صَب

شَجيٌّ الفُهُ أَلف مُطَوَل

شَجيٌّ الفُهُ أَلف مُطَوَل

And the most forlorn of those time has forsaken is a lovesick man,

And I lose whoever time ruins with grief -

sorrowful, whose beloved forever keeps him waiting.

A passionate man with a thousand loves.

وَدَهرٌ لا يَجود عَلى مُحب

وَدَهرٌ لا يَجود عَلى مُحب

عَفيف بِاللُقا دَهر بَخيل

عَفيف بِاللُقا دَهر بَخيل

And an age that shows no generosity to a lover,

An ungenerous time is no friend to a pure lover -

chaste, by granting reunion, is a miserly age.

A miserly time, tightfisted.

أَيست مِن اللُقا فَاِرتحت لَكن

أَيست مِن اللُقا فَاِرتحت لَكن

بِقَلبي مِن تذكرهِ نَصول

بِقَلبي مِن تذكرهِ نَصول

I despaired of reunion and found relief, yet

I may have given up meeting you, but

its memory leaves arrowheads in my heart.

In my heart, remembering you kindles passions.

سَأَصبر لِلزَمان وَإِن تَجافى

سَأَصبر لِلزَمان وَإِن تَجافى

فَإِن الحُر لِلبَلوى حَمول

فَإِن الحُر لِلبَلوى حَمول

I shall endure time, even if it shuns me,

I'll be patient with fate, though it spurns me,

for a noble man bears affliction well.

For the noble spirit bears tribulation.

يُطيل مفندي عَذلي وَلَومي

يُطيل مفندي عَذلي وَلَومي

وَقَلبي لَيسَ يَعقل ما يَقول

وَقَلبي لَيسَ يَعقل ما يَقول

My faultfinder prolongs his reproaches and blame,

You blame and rebuke me at length,

but my heart does not grasp what he says.

While my heart cannot grasp what you say.

وَقَد صَدع الهَوى مِرآة قَلبي

وَقَد صَدع الهَوى مِرآة قَلبي

وَأَصدأ وَجهَها الهَم الدَخيل

وَأَصدأ وَجهَها الهَم الدَخيل

Love has cracked the mirror of my heart,

Passion has cracked the mirror of my heart,

and intruding care has rusted its face.

And sorrow, the intruder, has tarnished its face.

وَلَكن قَد جَلا عَنها صَداها

وَلَكن قَد جَلا عَنها صَداها

بِصيقل لُطفِهِ المَولى الجَليل

بِصيقل لُطفِهِ المَولى الجَليل

But its rust has been polished away

But its sheen was restored by the burnishing

by the noble master, with the burnisher of his kindness,

Of the grace of the Majestic Patron.

بِشعر فيهِ لِلروح اِرتِياح

بِشعر فيهِ لِلروح اِرتِياح

أَجادَ فُنونَهُ فِكرٌ صَقيل

أَجادَ فُنونَهُ فِكرٌ صَقيل

through verse in which the soul finds ease,

With poetry that delights the soul -

its arts perfected by a polished mind.

Skilled artistry honed its genres -

كَما حَملت إِلى صَب عَليل

كَما حَملت إِلى صَب عَليل

سَلاماً مِن أَحبتِهِ قُبول

سَلاماً مِن أَحبتِهِ قُبول

as to a lovesick, ailing man is borne

Like the greetings it conveyed to a sick lover

a greeting from his loved ones by an east wind.

Were graciously accepted -

كَأَن بِلَفظِهِ راحاً شَمولاً

كَأَن بِلَفظِهِ راحاً شَمولاً

يَحث كُؤوسَها ساق عَجول

يَحث كُؤوسَها ساق عَجول

His words seem to hold a potent wine,

As if its words were a healing draft

whose cups a hasty cupbearer hurries along.

That racing couriers hurried along -

حَكى أَدب الإِمام لَنا فَكادَت

حَكى أَدب الإِمام لَنا فَكادَت

مَعانيهِ لِرقَتِها تَسيل

مَعانيهِ لِرقَتِها تَسيل

It reflected the imam's learning to us, and almost

It described the Imam's manners to us, till

its meanings flowed, so delicate were they.

His meanings almost overflowed from tenderness.

إِمام في العُلوم بِلا نَديد

إِمام في العُلوم بِلا نَديد

وَفي الأَفضال لَيسَ لَهُ مَثيل

وَفي الأَفضال لَيسَ لَهُ مَثيل

A master of the sciences, without a peer,

A peerless Imam in the sciences,

and in gracious favors he has no equal.

Unique in merit.

جَواد بِاللهى وَالفَضل يَهدي

جَواد بِاللهى وَالفَضل يَهدي

جَواهر نَظمِهِ فيما يُنيل

جَواهر نَظمِهِ فيما يُنيل

Generous with gifts and bounty, he offers

Openhanded in divine law and virtue,

the jewels of his verse among what he bestows.

His gems of verse grant what we seek.

يَسيل عَلى الوَرى فَضلاً وَجوداً

يَسيل عَلى الوَرى فَضلاً وَجوداً

فَتَمسك أَن تجاريهُ السُيول

فَتَمسك أَن تجاريهُ السُيول

He pours bounty and generosity upon mankind,

He pours on people bounty and generosity,

until torrents refrain from rivaling him.

Gushing like flash floods.

يَحل بِكُل علم مُشكِلات

يَحل بِكُل علم مُشكِلات

تَحامَت أَن تحاولها الفُحول

تَحامَت أَن تحاولها الفُحول

He solves, in every science, difficulties

He tackles the perplexities besetting every branch of knowledge,

that even the masters shied from attempting.

Too profound for seasoned experts.

شَأى أَقرانُهُ في كُل علم

شَأى أَقرانُهُ في كُل علم

هَمام باعُهُ فيهِ طَويل

هَمام باعُهُ فيهِ طَويل

He outstripped his peers in every science,

His peers in each discipline

a high-minded man whose reach in each is long.

Sold it their lifelong dedication.

يُخفف عَلى قُلوب الناس ظَرفاً

يُخفف عَلى قُلوب الناس ظَرفاً

وَلَكن حُلمُهُ أَبَداً ثَقيل

وَلَكن حُلمُهُ أَبَداً ثَقيل

He lightens people's hearts with wit,

Though grave, his patience always tempers

yet his forbearance is ever weighty.

The joke he plays on people.

تَرى في وَجهِهِ نوراً وَبَشراً

تَرى في وَجهِهِ نوراً وَبَشراً

عَلى ما فيهِ مِن كَرَم دَليل

عَلى ما فيهِ مِن كَرَم دَليل

You see light and cheerfulness in his face,

You see in his face a radiance, a glad tiding

a sign of the generosity within him.

Of the generosity his manner displays.

وَإِن أَحمى هَجير الهَم خَطب

وَإِن أَحمى هَجير الهَم خَطب

فَجانَبهُ لَنا ظلٌّ ظَليل

فَجانَبهُ لَنا ظلٌّ ظَليل

And if a calamity intensifies care's midday heat,

When cares kindle the blaze of concern,

then at his side we find deep, sheltering shade.

His company is for us a shady shelter.

وَرَأفتهُ لَنا غَوث مُغيث

وَرَأفتهُ لَنا غَوث مُغيث

وَيُمناهُ لَنا غَيث هَطول

وَيُمناهُ لَنا غَيث هَطول

His compassion is rescuing help for us,

and his right hand is for us a downpour of rain.

His compassion is saving help for us,

أَيا ابن السابِقين إِلى المَعالي

أَيا ابن السابِقين إِلى المَعالي

فَهُم في ذُروة العليا حُلول

فَهُم في ذُروة العليا حُلول

O son of those who raced toward lofty honors,

His support, a pouring rain.

for they dwell on the summit of eminence,

O scion of forebears who raced to the heights Where the noble dwell, lofty and sublime!

وَمِن لَهمُ السَخاء توارثوهُ

وَمِن لَهمُ السَخاء توارثوهُ

وَلِلعافين ساحتهم مقيل

وَلِلعافين ساحتهم مقيل

and of those whose generosity is inherited among them,

Munificence was their legacy to inherit;

whose courtyard gives seekers of bounty a midday rest,

Their domain was asylum for the secure.

وَمَن شَهِدَت لَهُم بِالفَضل لَما

وَمَن شَهِدَت لَهُم بِالفَضل لَما

أَقاموها الدَلائل وَالنُقول

أَقاموها الدَلائل وَالنُقول

and of those whose merit was attested, when

When evidence attested their merit,

they set them forth, by proofs and transmitted accounts.

Proofs and accounts confirmed it.

أَرى أَوصاف قَدرك فَوقَ وَصفي

أَرى أَوصاف قَدرك فَوقَ وَصفي

فَأَمسى واجِماً ماذا أَقول

فَأَمسى واجِماً ماذا أَقول

I see the qualities of your stature beyond my description,

I see your qualities above my power to describe,

and am left speechless—what can I say?

And so I fall silent, lost for words.

أَجيبك عَن قَواف رائِعات

أَجيبك عَن قَواف رائِعات

وَما بِالآل عَن ماءٍ بَديل

وَما بِالآل عَن ماءٍ بَديل

I answer you in return for splendid rhymes,

How can I match towering edifices?

and a mirage is no substitute for water.

For from water, what alternative springs?

عَسى مَدحي وَإِن قصرت فيهِ

عَسى مَدحي وَإِن قصرت فيهِ

يُصادِفهُ التَجاوز وَالقُبول

يُصادِفهُ التَجاوز وَالقُبول

May my praise, though I fall short in it,

Maybe my stunted praise, though inadequate,

meet with indulgence and acceptance.

Will meet with acceptance and approval,

لِأَن مَع المَحبة كُل شَيء

لِأَن مَع المَحبة كُل شَيء

حَقير إِن فَكرت لَهُ جَزيل

حَقير إِن فَكرت لَهُ جَزيل

For, where affection is, anything,

For love makes everything, however paltry,

however slight, is ample to him, if you reflect.

Seem abundant, if pondered well.

وَصدق محبَتي لَكَ لَيسَ يَخفى

وَصدق محبَتي لَكَ لَيسَ يَخفى

إِذ ما شَكَ في ودي جَهول

إِذ ما شَكَ في ودي جَهول

The sincerity of my love for you is not hidden,

My truthful love for you is not hidden,

for not even an ignorant man has doubted my affection.

Since no doubter conceals his doubts.

فَدُم ما دامَت الأَفلاك شَمساً

فَدُم ما دامَت الأَفلاك شَمساً

لِأُفق المَجد لَيسَ لَها أَفول

لِأُفق المَجد لَيسَ لَها أَفول

So remain, as long as the spheres endure, a sun

So - the sun long as celestial spheres endure -

on glory's horizon, never to set.

May glory's horizon know no setting!