1. أنا عبدك الراجي وأنت المرتجى

    حاشى أصادف باب عفوك مرتجا

    I am your hopeful servant, and you are the one hoped for.

    Far be it that I find the gate of your pardon closed.

  2. ما هبّ من سنة الصبا إلا رأى

    تاج المشيب لراسه قد توّجا

    No sooner did he wake from youth's slumber than he saw

    the crown of gray hair already crowning his head.

  3. فأتاك يرجو العفو منك وإنّه

    من جاء يرجو العفو منك فقد نجا

    So he came to you seeking pardon from you; and indeed,

    whoever comes seeking pardon from you is saved.

  4. خالفت نفسي بعد ما حالفتها

    وتخذت بعد الغيّ رشدك منهجا

    I opposed my soul after having allied myself with it,

    and after error adopted your guidance as my path.

  5. كم أوقعتني في الهوى نفسي وكم

    منها امتطيت جواد لهو مسرجا

    How often my soul cast me into desire, and how often

    through it I mounted a saddled steed of diversion!

  6. وكم ارتديت ثياب زهو إنما

    كانت كليل في الظلام إذا سجا

    And how often I donned robes of vanity—though in truth

    they were like a night in darkness when it grew still.

  7. فمشيت مختالا بحسن روائها

    لكن بها قد صار سيرى أعوجا

    So I strutted, proud of their lovely appearance,

    but through them my course had become crooked.

  8. وظننت شكل الزهو يبقى منتجا

    فإذا بشكلى لم أجده منتجا

    And I thought the form of vanity would remain fruitful,

    but behold, I found my own form unfruitful.

  9. أتقلت ظهري بالذنوب وإنني

    من فرط جهلى صرت مفقود الحجا

    I burdened my back with sins; indeed,

    through my excessive ignorance I became bereft of reason.

  10. كم مهدت نفسي وشيطان الصبا

    طرُقاً وهيّأَ لي لذلك هودجا

    How often my soul and youth's devil paved

    paths, and prepared a howdah for me for that purpose!

  11. وقرعت أبواب الهوى ودخلتها

    فعسى ألاقى بعد ذلك مخرجا

    And I knocked at the doors of desire and entered them;

    may I, after that, find a way out.

  12. إن لم أجد لي في المصايق ملجأ

    فالمصطفى المختار نعم الملتجا

    If I find no refuge for myself in distress,

    then the Chosen One, the Elect, is an excellent refuge.

  13. جاء عريض ليس يدرك شاوه

    للّه ما أبى سناه وأبهجا

    His vast [prestige] lies beyond anyone's reach;

    by God, how [splendid] and delightful his radiance!

  14. من نور وجه المصطفى وجبنه

    ولى ظلام الليل وانهزم الدجا

    From the light of the Chosen One's face and [brow],

    night's darkness fled, and gloom was routed.

  15. وبه اجتلينا العز بدرا مشرقا

    وبه رأينا الحق أبيضَ أبلجا

    And through him we beheld glory as a shining full moon,

    and through him we saw truth, white and radiant.

  16. شهم أباد المشركين بعزمة

    جعلى كميّهم الجبان الأهوجا

    A gallant man who annihilated the polytheists with a resolve

    that [made] their armored champion a reckless coward,

  17. وأذاقه طعم المنون بضربة

    تركته في بحر الدماء مضرّجا

    and made him taste death with a blow

    that left him blood-soaked in a sea of blood.

  18. فأقام برهان الحقيقة ناصعا

    كالصبح وضاح السنا متبلّجا

    Thus he established truth's proof, shining clear,

    like dawn, radiant in splendor, shining forth.

  19. حلو الحديث تخال حسن حديثه

    كالماء للظمآن عذبا مثلجا

    Sweet in speech—you would think his words' beauty

    like water to the thirsty, sweet and ice-cold.

  20. فاق الجواهر بهجة ونضارة

    والروض بالزهر النضير مدبجا

    He surpassed jewels in beauty and freshness,

    and the garden embroidered with fresh flowers.

  21. سحرت فصاحته النهى لما رأوا

    في طيّه سرّ البلاغة مدمجا

    His eloquence enchanted minds when they saw

    the secret of eloquence embedded in its folds.

  22. ولحسنه عنت الوجوه تواضعا

    لما استبانوا النهور فيه مدرّجا

    And faces bowed humbly before his beauty

    when they discerned [light] enfolded within him.

  23. قد أرهق اللسن الفصاح بحجة

    فاقت فصاحتها الصباح تبلجا

    He overwhelmed eloquent, articulate speakers with a proof

    whose eloquence surpassed morning in radiance.

  24. هذا هو الركن الركين فمن يرد

    جاها سواه بات مقطوع الرجا

    This is the steadfast pillar; whoever seeks

    prestige apart from him ends bereft of hope.

  25. ومن استعزّ به ولاذ بجاهه

    نال العناية والرعاية والنجا

    And whoever seeks strength through him and refuge in his standing

    gains favor, care, and salvation.

  26. يا خير من أعيا الفهوم كماله

    وشذاه في كل البقاع تأرّجا

    O best of those whose perfection defies understanding,

    and whose fragrance wafted through every land,

  27. مالي سواك إلى الكريم وسيلة

    من خطب دهر بالحوادث أزعجا

    I have no means of approach to the Generous One but you

    against the affliction of a time whose calamities bring distress.

  28. فانظر أخى من فيض فضلك إنه

    اضناه تجبير العظام وأنصجا

    So look upon my brother with the overflow of your grace; indeed,

    bone-setting has worn him down and [seared him].

  29. وغدا طريح فراشه من بعدما

    قد كان شهما إن سرى أو أدلجا

    And he has become confined to his bed, after

    having been gallant, whether traveling by night or setting out at nightfall.

  30. فامسح بيمناك الكريمة جسمة

    واجعل له حظ الشفاء مروّجا

    So stroke his body with your noble right hand,

    and let his share of healing flourish.

  31. واجبر بحقّ الطهر آلك كسره

    فالكرب إن تعطف عليه فرجا

    And mend his fracture for the sake of your pure family;

    for his distress is dispelled if you show him compassion.

  32. أنت الذي أبرأت عين قتادة

    وشفيت موجوءا وداويت الوجى

    You are the one who healed Qatadah's eye,

    and healed the wounded and treated aching pain.

  33. فامنح أخى منك الرعاية إنه

    أمسى إلى حسن الرعاية أحوجا

    So grant my brother your care; indeed,

    he has become still more in need of kindly care.

  34. وامنح بنيّ وإخوتي وأحبتي

    عطفا يذوق به العدا طعم الشجا

    And grant my sons, my brothers, and my loved ones

    a kindness through which enemies taste choking sorrow.

  35. واجعل جزائي لمحة وعناية

    وامنن على العبد الضعيف بمارجا

    And make my reward a glance and care,

    and bestow upon the weak servant what he hopes for.

  36. يا خيرة المؤلى وصفوة خلقه

    لا زال بحرك بالندى متموجا

    O chosen one of the [Lord], and choicest of His creation,

    may your ocean ever surge with generosity.

  37. حاشا أضام وأنت أنت وسيلتي

    وعليك بعد الله حسن المرتجى

    Far be it that I am wronged, when you—you—are my intermediary;

    and upon you, after God, rests my fair hope.

  38. إني بمدحك يا محمد مغرم

    وعليك مدحى دون غيرك عرّجا

    I am enamored of praising you, O Muhammad,

    and to you, not anyone else, my praise has turned.

  39. لكن صفاتك يا مكمّل قصّرت

    عنها صروف الأبجدية والهجا

    But your attributes, O perfected one, are beyond

    the alphabet's varied forms and spelling.

  40. صلى عليك الله ما نجم زها

    وأزال نور البدر أحلاك الدجا

    May God bless you as long as a star shines

    and the full moon's light dispels night's deepest gloom.