تطاول لَيلي بعد لَيلى بثهمد

تطاول لَيلي بعد لَيلى بثهمد

واحرق طول الهجر قَلبي وا كبدي

واحرق طول الهجر قَلبي وا كبدي

My night at Thahmad has grown long after Layla.

My night prolonged after Layla out of grief,

Long estrangement scorched my heart—alas, my liver!

And the length of separation burnt my heart and liver.

وَلما اِنتَهى صَبري وَعز تجلدي

وَلما اِنتَهى صَبري وَعز تجلدي

سرى طيف لَيلى واطمأن بمرقدي

سرى طيف لَيلى واطمأن بمرقدي

And when my patience ran out and endurance became hard,

When my patience ended and the strength of my composure,

Layla's phantom traveled by night and settled at my resting place,

The specter of Layla came and calmed in my bed.

لتجديد عَهدٍ لَم يَكُن بِمُجَدَدِ

لتجديد عَهدٍ لَم يَكُن بِمُجَدَدِ

فَما بك يا طيف الخيال لك الهنا

فَما بك يا طيف الخيال لك الهنا

To renew a pledge that had not been renewed.

To renew a covenant that was not to be renewed,

What brings you, phantom of fancy—may joy be yours—

So why, O specter of fantasy, happiness to you.

واسرك وَهنا من هناك إِلى هنا

واسرك وَهنا من هناك إِلى هنا

يذكرني عهدا تقادم بيننا

يذكرني عهدا تقادم بيننا

And bears you late at night from there to here,

Keep your secret and tenderness from there to here,

Reminding me of a pledge grown old between us?

Reminding me of a covenant that passed between us.

فبت بليل طيب مثمر الجنى

فبت بليل طيب مثمر الجنى

وَأَصبَحَت في يَوم نَغيص منكد

وَأَصبَحَت في يَوم نَغيص منكد

I passed a pleasant night, rich in ripened fruit,

So I spent a night of good clustered fruits,

And awoke to a joyless, troubled day.

And morning came on a day of bitterness and sorrow.

لَقَد فرق الهجران شملا تجمعا

لَقَد فرق الهجران شملا تجمعا

وَهيج اشجان النفوس واوجعا

وَهيج اشجان النفوس واوجعا

Estrangement broke up a company once united,

Indeed separation dispersed a group that gathered,

And stirred the souls' sorrows and caused them pain,

And awakened passions of souls and pained them.

وَفتت اكباد القلوب وَقطعا

وَفتت اكباد القلوب وَقطعا

رعى اللَه أَيامالوصال وَلا رعى

رعى اللَه أَيامالوصال وَلا رعى

And shattered the hearts' inner cores, tearing them apart.

And fragmented livers of hearts and severed them.

May God guard the days of union, but not guard

May God protect the days of union and no protected

زَماناً عَلى الأَحباب بِالهَجر مُعتدى

زَماناً عَلى الأَحباب بِالهَجر مُعتدى

أَما وَالهَوى العذرى ان بعدوا فَما

أَما وَالهَوى العذرى ان بعدوا فَما

A time that wronged lovers with estrangement.

A time for lovers with separation transgressing.

Indeed, by chaste love, though they are far away, I have not

But passionately loving, if they are far I have not

تغيرت عَن حفظ الواداد وانما

تغيرت عَن حفظ الواداد وانما

بليت بمن انجدت فيه واتهما

بليت بمن انجدت فيه واتهما

Changed in preserving affection; rather,

Changed from keeping the ties of affection, but

I am tried by one for whose sake I traveled Najd and Tihamah.

I have been tested by those I complained to and accused.

يَقولون لي سلوا وَصَبرا عن الحمى

يَقولون لي سلوا وَصَبرا عن الحمى

وَما كانَ صَبري عَن أَولاك بِمسعدي

وَما كانَ صَبري عَن أَولاك بِمسعدي

They tell me: forget, and bear distance from the preserve;

They tell me, ask and be patient over passion,

Yet patience apart from those would not bring me happiness.

While my patience for those was not blissful.

لعمري ضاقت بي الجهات واظلمت

لعمري ضاقت بي الجهات واظلمت

وَلَم أَدرِ عَن ذات اللمى اين يممت

وَلَم أَدرِ عَن ذات اللمى اين يممت

By my life, every direction closed around me and grew dark.

By my life, directions narrowed and darkened for me,

And I did not know where the dark-lipped woman had turned.

And I did not know where to direct this longing.

واني اذا ورق الحمام ترنمت

واني اذا ورق الحمام ترنمت

ذكرت خياه بالاباطح قسمت

ذكرت خياه بالاباطح قسمت

And whenever the gray doves sang,

And if doves cooed I reminisced

I recalled tents in the gravelly valleys that divided

And divided my heart over the distant encampments.

فُؤادي عَلى أَهل الطراف المُمَدَدِ

فُؤادي عَلى أَهل الطراف المُمَدَدِ

تَرى تجمع الايام بعد شتاتها

تَرى تجمع الايام بعد شتاتها

My heart among the people of the outspread leather tent.

You see days gathering after their dispersion,

Will the days, I wonder, gather after their dispersal

Young gazelles of passion and their keepers.

مطافل غزلان الحمى وَحماتها

مطافل غزلان الحمى وَحماتها

وَتضرب خدر الحسن في عرصاتها

وَتضرب خدر الحسن في عرصاتها

The preserve's gazelles with their fawns, and their guardians,

And striking the cheeks of beauty in their meadows,

And pitch beauty's curtained pavilion in their grounds?

And in the meadows a girl of ten in her glances,

وَفي الخدر بنت العشر في لحظاتها

وَفي الخدر بنت العشر في لحظاتها

مَلامح تَرمي الصَب في كُل معمد

مَلامح تَرمي الصَب في كُل معمد

And within the pavilion is a girl of ten, in whose glances

Features that cast the admirers into every deep place.

Are looks that strike the lovesick lover at every vulnerable point.

A girl whom separation made inaccessible,

بِنَفسي فَتاة اغلق البين رهنا

بِنَفسي فَتاة اغلق البين رهنا

يذكرني غصن الشَبيبة غصنها

يذكرني غصن الشَبيبة غصنها

I would give my life for a girl whom separation holds as a pledge;

Reminding me of the branch of youth, its branch.

Her bough-like figure reminds me of youth's bough.

And I did not know what to attribute to her, because she

وَلَم ادر ما اثنىعليها لانها

وَلَم ادر ما اثنىعليها لانها

كلؤلؤة الغوّاص يجمع حسنها

كلؤلؤة الغوّاص يجمع حسنها

And I do not know how to praise her, for she is

Is like the diver’s pearl gathering her beauty,

Like a diver's pearl; her beauty unites

Precious jewels under the resting canal.

زرود النَقى تَحتَ القَنا المُتَأوّد

زرود النَقى تَحتَ القَنا المُتَأوّد

خَليلي دَع نَفسي تَموت بحزنها

خَليلي دَع نَفسي تَموت بحزنها

The dunes of Zarud beneath a swaying spear-shaft.

My friend, let my soul die in its sadness,

My friend, let my soul die of its sorrow.

And repeat the conversations of separation and chant them.

وَردد احاديث الفَريق وَثنها

وَردد احاديث الفَريق وَثنها

وان خطرت في الشعب لَيلى فغنها

وان خطرت في الشعب لَيلى فغنها

And repeat the company's tales, and tell them again.

And if Layla occurred in the valleys, then sing her,

And if Layla passes through the ravine, sing to her.

For she excelled all the beautiful with her beauty,

لَقَد فضلت كل الحسان بحسنها

لَقَد فضلت كل الحسان بحسنها

كَما فَضل السادات يحيى بِن أَحمَدِ

كَما فَضل السادات يحيى بِن أَحمَدِ

She has surpassed all beauties in her beauty,

As the masters excelled, Yahya ibn Ahmad.

As Yahya ibn Ahmad has surpassed the lords.

Generous, good mannered, excellent praise,

كَريم السَجايا ما جد طيب الثَنا

كَريم السَجايا ما جد طيب الثَنا

اذا سئل الاحسان جاد فأحسنا

اذا سئل الاحسان جاد فأحسنا

Noble in character, illustrious, sweetly praised,

If asked for kindness, he gives generously.

When asked for kindness, he gives freely and does good.

And if he did not find abundance from the clouds, our land

وان لم تجد مزن الغَمامة ارضنا

وان لم تجد مزن الغَمامة ارضنا

يَيَحيى غمام الخير يمطر بالغنى

يَيَحيى غمام الخير يمطر بالغنى

Even if the rain-bearing cloud does not favor our land,

Yahya, cloud of good, rains with wealth

Yahya is goodness's cloud, raining prosperity

And green blessings on each seeking youth.

وَبِالنعمة الخَضرا عَلى كُل مجتدى

وَبِالنعمة الخَضرا عَلى كُل مجتدى

حسا الراح من خمر المكارم واِنتَشى

حسا الراح من خمر المكارم واِنتَشى

And green bounty upon every seeker of gifts.

He felt joy from the wine of virtues and cheered up,

He sipped wine from the vintage of noble deeds and grew intoxicated,

And built a house for the gnostics when he grew up

وَشيد بيتا للعَوارِف مذ نشا

وَشيد بيتا للعَوارِف مذ نشا

يصرفه فعل المروأة حيث شا

يصرفه فعل المروأة حيث شا

And built a house for benefactions from his youth.

That his manly deeds lead wherever he wished.

The practice of chivalry guides him wherever it wills.

And who is like Yahya while he is superior to whoever

وَمن مثل يحيى وَهو افضل من مشى

وَمن مثل يحيى وَهو افضل من مشى

عَلى الأَرض قَطعا مِن مغير وَمُمَجَدِ

عَلى الأَرض قَطعا مِن مغير وَمُمَجَدِ

And who is like Yahya, the finest ever to walk

Walked the earth, portions from Mughira and Mujaddid.

The earth—surely, among raiders and men of renown?

A youth whose affections encompassed the world

فَتى عمت الدنيا عواطف عطفه

فَتى عمت الدنيا عواطف عطفه

وامطر من فيها غَمائم لطفه

وامطر من فيها غَمائم لطفه

A youth whose tender kindness has embraced the world,

And rained upon those in it clouds of his kindness,

And showered all within it with clouds of his gentleness,

And perfumed the horizon of earth where his fragrance is known,

وَعطر افق الارض من عرف عرفه

وَعطر افق الارض من عرف عرفه

وان عماد الدين في بطن كفه

وان عماد الدين في بطن كفه

And perfumed earth's horizon with the fragrance of his beneficence.

And the pillar of religion is in the palm of his hand,

And indeed, the pillar of the faith holds in the hollow of his palm

Endless benefits like a sea frothing with virtues.

فَوائد بَحر بِالمَكارم مزبَدِ

فَوائد بَحر بِالمَكارم مزبَدِ

فَلِلَّه من دين السَماحَة دين

فَلِلَّه من دين السَماحَة دين

The bounties of a sea foaming with noble gifts.

What a faith is this faith of generosity,

God be praised for one whose creed is generosity's creed,

Giving when the rain is miserly in its pouring.

يَجود اذا ما القطر ضن ضَنينه

يَجود اذا ما القطر ضن ضَنينه

وَيَلقاك ملء العين طلقا جبينه

وَيَلقاك ملء العين طلقا جبينه

He gives when the rain's miser withholds it,

And meets you with bright, unworried eyes,

And meets you, a sight to fill the eye, with a cheerful brow.

You know the livelihood of the poor is in his hand,

تدر بارزاق العفاة يمينه

تدر بارزاق العفاة يمينه

يَفيض الأَيادي البيض وَالكَرم النَدي

يَفيض الأَيادي البيض وَالكَرم النَدي

His right hand pours forth provisions for supplicants,

Overflowing white hands and flattering generosity.

He pours out shining favors and dewy generosity.

So O thirsty of hopes, your night and traveling,

فَيا ظامىء الآمال ليلك وَالسرى

فَيا ظامىء الآمال ليلك وَالسرى

وَزر بحر جود مخصب السوح مخضرا

وَزر بحر جود مخصب السوح مخضرا

O you thirsty for hopes, spend your night in journeying,

And visit the sea of his generosity, lush and green.

And visit a sea of generosity, its grounds fertile and green.

Shelter, as Yahya ibn Ahmad is in the earth,

أتظما وَذا يحيى بن أَحمد في الذرى

أتظما وَذا يحيى بن أَحمد في الذرى

شَريف منيف طال مجدا وَمفخرا

شَريف منيف طال مجدا وَمفخرا

Can you thirst, when here is Yahya ibn Ahmad upon the heights?

Noble, eminent, his glory is long, and proud,

Noble and exalted, towering in glory and honor,

With Ahmad and the two grandsons from the best of Muhammad.

بِأَحمَد وَالسَبطين مِن خَير مُحَمَدِ

بِأَحمَد وَالسَبطين مِن خَير مُحَمَدِ

يسرك ان اوما لي لخط كاتِبا

يسرك ان اوما لي لخط كاتِبا

Through Ahmad and the two grandsons of Muhammad, the best.

Would you allow that I sometimes compose poetry

He delights you when, as a writer, he gestures to me toward the script,

And read the Quran innovating wonders,

وان قرأ القرآن ابداعجائبا

وان قرأ القرآن ابداعجائبا

يغادر أَكباد القلوب ذوائبا

يغادر أَكباد القلوب ذوائبا

And when he recites the Quran, he reveals wonders,

Leaving the livers of hearts fascinated,

Leaving the hearts' inner cores melting away.

And astonishing with powerful voice standing as an orator,

وَيصدع بالنبر يزان قام خاطِبا

وَيصدع بالنبر يزان قام خاطِبا

وَيُنسيك تَطريب الحَمامِ المُغَرِدِ

وَيُنسيك تَطريب الحَمامِ المُغَرِدِ

And he declaims in ringing tones, graced as he rises to speak,

And making you forget the warbling of singing doves.

And makes you forget the melodies of the singing doves.

A youth whose grandfather is the trusted, pure moon,

فَتى جده البدر الامين المطهر

فَتى جده البدر الامين المطهر

وأَعلى مَعاليه البتول وَحيدر

وأَعلى مَعاليه البتول وَحيدر

A youth whose forefather is the full moon, trustworthy and purified,

And the highest of his glories are Fatima and Haydar,

And whose loftiest honors are al-Batul and Haydar.

And he is only mentioned with praise,

وَما هو الا بالمحامد يذكر

وَما هو الا بالمحامد يذكر

أديب أَريب فيصل متبحر

أديب أَريب فيصل متبحر

And he is mentioned only with words of praise:

A literate, eloquent, sailing intellectual,

Cultured and astute, a discerning judge of profound learning,

Articulate, lucid - his tongue is not sluggish.

فَصيحٌ صَبيح زَندَهُ غَير مُصلَدِ

فَصيحٌ صَبيح زَندَهُ غَير مُصلَدِ

قطعت حبال الفقر حين وصلته

قطعت حبال الفقر حين وصلته

Eloquent and fair-faced, his fire-stick never fails to spark.

I have cut the ropes of poverty when I reached him,

I severed poverty's cords when I came to him,

And from him attained all I wished.

وأَدركت منه كل شيء أملته

وأَدركت منه كل شيء أملته

فَلِلَّه من يعلو عَلى الشعر نعته

فَلِلَّه من يعلو عَلى الشعر نعته

And obtained from him everything I had hoped for.

What virtues rise above his poetic description!

God be praised for one whose description surpasses poetry!

My praise in him is delightful however I praise him,

يلذ مَديحي فيه مَهما مدحته

يلذ مَديحي فيه مَهما مدحته

وَيَسكَر مِن غَير السَلافَةِ مُفتَدي

وَيَسكَر مِن غَير السَلافَةِ مُفتَدي

My praise of him is sweet whenever I praise him,

And intoxicates without drinking alcohol.

And my redeemer grows drunk without choice wine.

I gathered the meanings of praise permitted for him

جمعت مَعاني المدح تاح لاجله

جمعت مَعاني المدح تاح لاجله

وَنظمته عقدا يَليق بمثله

وَنظمته عقدا يَليق بمثله

I gathered the meanings of praise into a crown for him,

And stringed them into a necklace befitting of him,

And strung it into a necklace befitting one like him,

And housed it in his abode and dwellings.

وأنزلته في داره وَمحله

وأنزلته في داره وَمحله

وَما من يقول الشعر في غير أَهله

وَما من يقول الشعر في غير أَهله

And lodged it in its proper home and place.

And none who says poetry undeservedly

And one who speaks poetry of those unworthy of it is not

Is like one praising a people ennobled by Muhammad.

كَمادِح قَوم شُرِفوا بِمُحَمَدِ

كَمادِح قَوم شُرِفوا بِمُحَمَدِ

أَمَولايَ صنى عَن زَمان تبدلا

أَمَولايَ صنى عَن زَمان تبدلا

Like a praiser of people ennobled by Muhammad.

My Master, protector from a time of changing

O my lord, shield me from a time grown fickle;

And the burden of sins weighed me down and burdened me,

وَضعضعني حمل الذنوب وأثقلا

وَضعضعني حمل الذنوب وأثقلا

وَلَم أَلق غوثا أَستَغيث به بَلى

وَلَم أَلق غوثا أَستَغيث به بَلى

And the burden of sins has shaken me and weighed me down.

And I did not find a savior I cried out to, but

And I found no rescuer to call on—yet, yes:

Your connection, O unique of virtues and most high,

وَصلتك يا فرد المَكارم وَالعلى

وَصلتك يا فرد المَكارم وَالعلى

لَعَلَ يَداً بَيضاءَ تَمُدُ بِها يَدي

لَعَلَ يَداً بَيضاءَ تَمُدُ بِها يَدي

I have come to you, O peerless one in noble deeds and glory,

Perhaps a white hand extends with which you aid me.

Perhaps you will strengthen my hand with a generous white hand.

I made rhymes inclining toward your generosity,

جعلت القَوافي نحو جودك منهجا

جعلت القَوافي نحو جودك منهجا

لعلي أَلقى من أَذى الدهر مخرجا

لعلي أَلقى من أَذى الدهر مخرجا

I made my rhymes a path toward your generosity,

Perhaps I find relief from the harms of time.

Hoping to find an escape from the harm of time.

And I have the best hopes in you, O full moon of night,

وَلي فيك يا بدر الدجى أحسن الرجا

وَلي فيك يا بدر الدجى أحسن الرجا

فأَنتَ ثمال الخير وَالخَير يرتَجى

فأَنتَ ثمال الخير وَالخَير يرتَجى

And in you, O full moon of darkness, I have the fairest hope.

For you are the essence of good, and good is hoped for

For you are goodness's refuge, and goodness is sought

With you, and the face of good is your face, my Master.

لَدَيكَ وَوَجهُ الخَير وَجهُكَ سَيدي

لَدَيكَ وَوَجهُ الخَير وَجهُكَ سَيدي

مدحتك يا ذا الفضل وَالمفخر السني

مدحتك يا ذا الفضل وَالمفخر السني

With you; and the face of goodness is your face, my lord.

I praise you, O possessor of virtue and pride,

I praised you, O possessor of merit and lofty glory.

With whom other than you do I seek refuge if harm touched me?

بمن غيركم أَلجا اذا الضرّ مسني

بمن غيركم أَلجا اذا الضرّ مسني

وَهَل يطلب الاحسان من غير محسن

وَهَل يطلب الاحسان من غير محسن

To whom but you can I turn when harm touches me?

And does one ask for kindness from other than the benevolent?

And can kindness be sought from anyone but a benefactor?

I laid out my good assumptions of the excellent, and suffice me,

فرش حسن ظني بالعَوارِق واكنى

فرش حسن ظني بالعَوارِق واكنى

وَقَضَّ لَباناتِي وَوَدَّع وَزَوَّدِ

وَقَضَّ لَباناتِي وَوَدَّع وَزَوَّدِ

Then furnish my good hopes with favors, and shelter me,

And fulfilled my needs, bade farewell, and equipped me.

And fulfill my needs, bid farewell, and provision me.

For your right, O my Master Ali - may God protect him -

بحقك يا مَولى عليّ له الولا

بحقك يا مَولى عليّ له الولا

أَجرني وَزدني رحمة وَتَفضيلا

أَجرني وَزدني رحمة وَتَفضيلا

By your rightful claim, O lord to whom I owe allegiance,

Save me and increase me in mercy and preference.

Protect me, and grant me more mercy and favor.

Your affection, O you whose generosity filled the world,

حَنانيك يا من جوده ملأ المَلا

حَنانيك يا من جوده ملأ المَلا

بقيت لاهل الارض قصدا وَموئلا

بقيت لاهل الارض قصدا وَموئلا

Have mercy, O you whose generosity has filled the multitudes.

Remained for the people of earth a purpose and refuge.

May you remain a destination and refuge for earth's people,

And your door, O unique of the lofty, is not barred.

وَبابُكَ يا فَرد العُلى غَيرُ مُؤصَدِ

وَبابُكَ يا فَرد العُلى غَيرُ مُؤصَدِ

وَمدت بك النَعما غمائم جودها

وَمدت بك النَعما غمائم جودها

And may your door, O peerless one in glory, remain unbarred.

Through you blessings, clouds of generosity, spread out,

And may bounty spread through you the clouds of its generosity,

Shading in their depths and munificence.

مظللة في غورها وَنجودها

مظللة في غورها وَنجودها

وَمدت لاهل الفضل شمس سعودها

وَمدت لاهل الفضل شمس سعودها

Casting shade over its lowlands and uplands,

And they extended for the people of virtue the sun of their fortune,

And may its sun of good fortune spread over people of merit.

And you remain in the world an abundant torrent.

وَلا زلت في الدنيا مناغ وَفودها

وَلا زلت في الدنيا مناغ وَفودها

وَغَيمُ غِناها المُستَفيض بِعَسجَدِ

وَغَيمُ غِناها المُستَفيض بِعَسجَدِ

And may you always be this world's resting place for its delegations,

And the cloud of its wealth pours forth abundantly.

And the cloud of its wealth, overflowing with gold.