صبا قلبي إلى نجد وهاما

فحالفت الصبابة والهياما

My heart yearned for Najd and wandered in love.

So I made a pact with longing and love's delirium.

وطار القلب من وجد وشوق

وطرفي في الذم المسفوح عاما

The heart took flight from passion and longing,

And my eye swam in blood poured forth.

فدع يا عاذلى عذلى ولومي

فقلبي عن ملامك قد تعامى

Leave off, O reproacher, rebuking and blaming me;

My heart has turned a blind eye to your reproach.

فلو تدرى الصبابة من فؤادي

لما فوقت في عذلى سهاما

If you knew the longing within my heart,

You would not have aimed arrows in rebuke of me.

وإنك لا ترى للشوق معنى

ولا تدرى المجية والغراما

You see no meaning in longing,

Nor do you know love and ardent passion.

فلا والله ما قلب خلي

كقلب قد سقاه الحب جاما

No, by God: an untroubled heart is not

Like a heart that love has made drink a cup.

ولا عين تنام الليل طرا

كعين في المحبة لن تناما

Nor is an eye that sleeps the whole night

Like an eye that, in love, will never sleep.

أما والله إن الحب بؤس

به العشاق قد لبسوا السقاما

Indeed, by God, love is misery;

Through it, lovers have clothed themselves in sickness.

وأوردهم موارد مهلكات

فذاقوا في مغبته الحماما

It has brought them to deadly places,

And in its aftermath they have tasted death.

ولكنى بأمر الحب راض

قرير العين أرعاه الذماما

Yet I am content with love's decree,

Serene of eye, I honor my pledge to it.

فإن الحب أقام ولكن

أجل الحب ما أعلى المقاما

For love abides; yet

The noblest love is that which raises one's station,

كحبي المصطفى خير البرايا

شفيع المذنبين حمى اليتامى

Like my love for the Chosen One, the best of creation:

The sinners' intercessor, the orphans' refuge,

غياث الكون في خصب ومحل

نديّ الكف كهف للأيامي

The world's succor in plenty and drought,

Generous of hand, a shelter for those without spouses,

رحيم القلب فياض كريم

غزير الغيث ينسجم انسجاما

Tender-hearted, bountiful, and generous,

Abundant in rain, pouring down in streams.

مليح الوجه يعلوه وقارٌ

يضىء الليل إن حسر اللثاما

Fair of face, crowned with dignity,

He lights the night when he lifts the veil.

لهيبته ملوك الأرض خرّت

إلى الأذقان خوفا واحتراما

Before his majesty, the kings of earth fell

Upon their chins, in fear and reverence.

أتى والناس في ظلمات شرك

فبدّد جيشه ومحا الظلاما

He came while people were in the darkness of idolatry;

He scattered its host and erased the darkness.

وبدلهم بداجى الكفر نورا

وأرشدهم إلى دين تسامى

He gave them light in place of unbelief's dark night,

And guided them to an exalted faith.

وبشرهم بأن العز فيهم

إذا عرفوا المحلل والحراما

He gave them glad tidings that honor would be theirs

If they knew the lawful and the forbidden;

وأن السكون يخشاهم جميعا

وأن النصر رائدهم دواما

And that the world would fear them all,

And victory would always be their guide.

وخاطبهم بلين القول حتى

إذا ما أعرضوا شهرَ الحساما

He addressed them with gentle words, until,

When they turned away, he drew the sword.

فبدّد شمل من راموا عنادا

فذاقوا في عنادهم الحماما

He scattered the ranks of those who sought defiance;

In their defiance they tasted death.

وكم أرضى محالفه وأردى

مخالفه جزاء وانتقاما

How often he pleased his ally and laid low

His opponent, in recompense and vengeance.

به عرفوا سبيل الحق لكن

أرادوا الكيد واتبعوا الخصاما

Through him they knew the path of truth, but

They sought deceit and pursued contention.

فما راعوا لحرمته حقوقا

ولا عرفوا التودد والوئاما

They did not observe the rights owed his sanctity,

Nor did they know affection and concord.

فناشدهم قرابته فولوا

فأصلاهم حروبا واغتناما

He appealed to them by his kinship, but they turned away;

He subjected them to wars and plunder.

وفرق جمعهم أسرا وقتلا

ومزق جسمهم قلبا وهاما

He dispersed their host through capture and killing,

And tore their bodies apart, hearts and heads.

وأيقظهم بصوت الحق جهارا

وكانوا قبل بعثته نياما

He woke them with the voice of truth, aloud,

While before his mission they had been asleep.

ولولا أن أجابوه لكانوا

جذاذا أو هشيما أو رغاما

Had they not answered him, they would have been

Broken fragments, dry stubble, or dust.

تحداهم فأعجزهم فخروا

سجودا حينما كانوا قياما

He challenged them, confounded them, and they fell

Prostrate, though they had been standing.

فأعجزهم بقرآن بليغ

فصاروا من بلاغته كهاما

He confounded them with an eloquent Qur'an,

And its eloquence left them blunted.

ولما شاهدوا الأنوار عضوا

من التفريط أيديهم ندامى

When they beheld the lights, they bit

Their hands in regret for their neglect.

وصاروا بعد هديهم جميعا

لأمر الدين والدنيا قواما

After their guidance, they all became

Upholders of the affairs of faith and this world.

وقد نالوا بنصرته المعالى

وبعد الغي قد صاروا كراما

Through his support they attained the heights,

And after error they became noble.

نبى قد أتاه الله علما

وحلما واعتبارا واحتراما

A prophet whom God had granted knowledge,

Forbearance, regard, and respect.

نبى شب في أسمى كمال

وعن وصف الدنايا قد تحامى

A prophet who grew up in the loftiest perfection,

And kept himself from being marked by baseness.

فسموه الأمين وكان طفلا

وبعد الرشد كان لهم إماما

They called him the Trustworthy when he was a child,

And in maturity he was their leader.

ببعثته المكارم قد تجلت

فولى الشرك وانهزم انهزاما

Through his mission, noble virtues shone forth;

Idolatry turned and fled, utterly defeated.

وساد الأمن بعد الخوف حتى

ترقى الكون وانتظم انتظاما

Security reigned after fear, until

The world advanced and fell into order.

وأشرقت العوالم من ضياه

فثغر العز يبتسم ابتساما

The worlds shone with his radiance,

And glory's mouth broke into a smile.

أجل الخلق من إنس وجن

وأعلاهم وأرفعهم مقاما

The most august of creatures, human and jinn,

The highest among them, the loftiest in station.

ملائكة الإله له جنود

إذا ما نام أو للحرب قاما

God's angels are his soldiers,

Whether he sleeps or rises for war.

وراء ركابه جبريل يمشى

وميكائيل قد أخذ الزماما

Gabriel walks behind his mount,

And Michael has taken the reins.

نبى كم له من معجزات

تفوق النجم عدا وانتظاما

A prophet whose many miracles

Surpass the stars in number and array.

كبهمة جابر لما دعاهم

فأشبعهم وما نقصوا الطعاما

Like Jabir's lamb, when he invited them:

He fed them all, yet they did not diminish the food.

سقى الآلاف من ماء قليل

فأرواهم وما نقصوا الجماما

He gave thousands drink from a little water,

And quenched their thirst without diminishing its fullness.

وكال لجابر تمرا فوفّى

وعذق النخل مذ أو ما ترامى

He measured dates for Jabir and gave full measure,

And the palm cluster rushed toward him when he beckoned.

ولم يسكن حنين الجذع حتى

دنا منه وأولاه التزاما

The palm trunk's longing did not subside until

He drew close to it and embraced it.

ونطق الضب والسرحان أضحت

له الأسماع تنفصم افصاما

The lizard and the wolf spoke; ears were

Rent asunder for him.

له القمر المنير انشق جهرا

وعاد لأفقه بدرا تماما

For him the shining moon split openly,

And returned to its horizon, a perfect full moon.

وحين شكا إليه القوم جدبا

فمد الكف واستسقى الغماما

When the people complained to him of drought,

He extended his hand and prayed for rainclouds.

ولما أن طغى أو ما إليه

فسار الغيث يستبق الإكاما

When the rain grew excessive, he gestured toward it,

And the rain raced toward the hills.

كنوز الأرض قد عرضت عليه

فأعرض عن زخارفها اعتصاما

The earth's treasures were offered to him,

But he turned from its adornments in self-restraint.

شفيع المذنبين أجب ندائي

فإني بعض من صلى وصاما

Intercessor for sinners, answer my call;

For I am one of those who have prayed and fasted.

وخذ بيدي ولا تقطع رجائي

فقلبي في محبتك استهاما

Take me by the hand, and do not cut off my hope;

My heart is lost in love for you.

رسول الله إني مستجير

بجاهك أن أهان وأن أضاما

Messenger of God, I seek refuge

In your honor, lest I be humiliated or wronged.

فجاهك للورى جاه عريض

يعز المستجير به دواما

Your standing among humankind is vast,

And whoever seeks refuge in it is always honored.

فمد يديك نحوى واجتذبني

لعلى أن أرى ذاك المقاما

Extend your hands toward me and draw me near,

That I may behold that station.

وألثم ترب أرض أنت فيها

فإن ترابها يشفى السقاما

And kiss the soil of the land where you dwell;

Its dust heals sickness.

فطيبه للورة طيب وطب

وفردوس بها الهادى أقاما

Its fragrance is perfume and medicine for humankind,

And it is a paradise where the Guide has dwelt.

رسول الله روحى في اشتياق

وتطلب أن تراك ولو مناما

Messenger of God, my soul is full of longing,

And asks to see you, even in a dream.

رسول الله صبرى كاد يفنى

وكاد العمر ينصرم انصراما

Messenger of God, my patience is almost spent,

And my life is close to its end.

وقد خط المشيب بفود رأسى

سطورا أنهكت منى العظاما

Gray hair has traced on the side of my head

Lines that have wearied the bones within me.

لبست الشيب تاجا من بياض

فصار بناظرى يحكى الظلاما

I wore gray hair as a crown of white,

Yet to my eye it came to resemble darkness.

فهل لي في التلاقى من سبيل

فعمرى زاد عن خمسين عاما

Is there a path for me to our meeting?

My age has passed fifty years.

أظل أقول من شوق ووجد

علام الدهر يمنعنى علاما

I keep saying, in longing and love's anguish:

Why does time keep me away—why?

فإن تكن المعاصى أقعدتني

وحالت دون أن نلت المراما

If sins have held me back

And stood between me and attaining my wish,

فإن الله غفار رحيم

لمن لله أخلص واستقاما

God is ever-forgiving and merciful

To whoever is sincere to God and upright.

وإنى مخلص سرا وجهرا

ونفسي تكره الأمر الحراما

I am sincere in secret and in public,

And my soul abhors what is forbidden.

وإن أك في الصبا ألممت ذنبا

فعفوك يا إلهى قد تسامى

And if in youth I committed a sin,

Your pardon, my God, is exalted.

ولى نسب بخير الخلق طه

به أرجو السلامة والسلاما

I have kinship with the best of creation, Ta-Ha;

Through him I hope for safety and peace:

محمد سيد الأكوان طرا

وأفضل من بأمر الله قاما

Muhammad, master of all worlds,

The best of those who carried out God's command.

فكف يد العدا عنى وجدلى

بمنحة لمحة تروى الأواما

Stay the enemies' hand from me, and grant me

The gift of a glance that quenches burning thirst,

وأولادي وذو رحمى وأهلى

ومعشر إخوتي واشف السقاما

And my children, my kindred, and my household,

And the company of my brothers; heal our sickness.

ولا تجعل لمخلوق علينا

يدى ضغط ولو كان الإماما

Do not let any creature hold over us

Hands of oppression, even if he is the imam.

ولا تثقل كواهلنا بدين

كثيرا كان أم ساوى الجراما

Do not burden our shoulders with debt,

Whether great or no heavier than a gram.

وأمطرنا الغنى سحا ووبلا

ولا تجعل سحابتنا جهاما

Rain wealth upon us in downpours and torrents,

And do not make our cloud rainless.

رسول الله أرضك خير أرض

فأنى لي أرى فيها الخياما

Messenger of God, your land is the best of lands;

How may I see the tents there?

فؤادي بالحجاز وساكنيه

من الأشواق يضطرم اضطراما

My heart, for the Hijaz and its people,

Blazes with longing.

متى الأقدار تدنيني إليهم

وتبصر مقلتي البيت الحراما

When will fate bring me near them,

And my eye behold the Sacred House?

فأرمل في طواف البيت سبعا

وللأركان التزم التزاما

Then I shall trot seven rounds around the House,

And clasp its corners in embrace.

وأقصد زمزما آنا فآنا

ليطفىء ماؤها منى الأواما

I shall seek Zamzam time after time,

That its water may quench my burning thirst.

وأسعى بالخشوع بكل ركن

وألتزم المصلى والمقاما

And hasten reverently at every corner,

And cling to the prayer-place and the Station.

وفي يوم الوقوف أعد نفسي

سعيد الحظ إذ نلت المراما

On the day of standing, I shall count myself

Fortunate, having attained my wish.

إذا ما الناس قد لبوا جميعا

وهام الكل واختلفوا كلاما

When all the people have recited the pilgrim response,

All enraptured, their utterances varied,

وما جوا إذ أفاضوا في سرور

بنجح القصد واشتدوا زحاما

And surged as they streamed forth in joy,

At their purpose fulfilled, thronging tightly.

وفي رمى الجمار أرى ذنوبى

محطمة وقد كانت جساما

When casting the pebbles, I see my sins

Shattered, though they had been immense.

وبعد وداع بيت الله زدنا

لرية طيبة الهادى غراما

After bidding God's House farewell, we grew

More passionate to behold Taybah of the Guide.

قطعنا البيد من سهل وحزن

فلا والله لم ندرك سآما

We crossed the deserts, level ground and rugged,

And, by God, we felt no weariness.

رأينا القبة الخضرا فهمنا

فسا لالدمع وانسجم انسجاما

We saw the Green Dome and were enraptured;

Tears flowed, pouring freely.

بها السر المصون وكل فضل

بها نور النبوة قد تسامى

There lies the guarded secret and every virtue;

There the light of prophethood has risen high.

بها سر الوجود بها التهامى

بها من علم الكرم الكراما

There lies existence's secret; there is the Tihami,

There is he who taught the generous generosity.

بها من لا يضام له نزيل

ثمال المرملين حمى اليتامى

There is he whose guest suffers no wrong,

The destitute's sustainer, the orphans' refuge.

تخيل لي رسول الله نفسي

بأنى في حماك أرى المقاما

My soul makes me imagine, O Messenger of God,

That I behold the abode within your sanctuary,

وأنى زرت بيت الله لكن

وحقك لم أزره ولو لسماما

And that I have visited God's House; yet,

By your honor, I have not visited it, even fleetingly.

فحقق حسن ظنى يا إلهى

وبلغني وأحبابي المراما

Make good my hopeful trust, O my God,

And bring me and my loved ones to our desire.

وصل مسلما في كل آن

على من كان للعليا ختاما

Send blessings and peace at every moment

Upon him who was the seal of sublimity.