أرى برق الغوير اذا تراءى — Al Burai

أرى بَرق الغوير اذا تراءى

بأقصى الشام زوّدني بكاء

I see the lightning of al-Ghuwayr; whenever it appears

in the farthest reaches of al-Sham, it brings me weeping.

وَما عبر الصبا النجدى الا

ليمطر ناظريّ دما وَماء

The east wind of Najd has passed only

to make my two eyes rain blood and water.

تقسمني الهَوى العذرى هما

وَسقما لا أَرى لهما دواء

Chaste love has divided me between sorrow

and sickness, for which I see no cure.

وامرضني الطَبيب فَيا لِقَومي

طَبيب زادَني بدواه داء

The physician has made me ill—help, my people!

A physician who increased my illness with his medicine.

فما للعاذلين وَطول عذلي

جعلت لمن احبهم فداء

What have the reproachers to do with reproaching me so long?

May I be a ransom for those I love.

اكاتم عنهم عبرات وَجدي

واختلق السلو لهم رداء

I conceal from them the tears of my longing,

and fashion forgetfulness as a cloak before them.

مضت ايام جيرتنا بنجد

فأصبح كل ما وهبت هباء

The days when we were neighbors in Najd have passed;

all they bestowed has become dust.

أمنكري الآخاء بغير جرم

علام وَفيم تنكرني الاخاء

O you who deny me brotherhood without a fault,

why, and for what, do you deny me brotherhood?

فَدَعني وَالَّذين ارى حَياتي

وَمَوتي بعدما رَحَلوا سواء

Leave me, then, with those—I find my life

and death alike, now that they have departed.

بحقك هَل سألت حلول نجد

أَلَم يجدوا لفرقتنا التقاء

By your right, have you asked the dwellers of Najd?

Have they not found a reunion to end our separation?

وَهَل لَك بالخبا المَضروب علم

فتعلمني بمن ضرب الخباء

And do you know about the pitched tent,

so that you can tell me who pitched it?

بَقيت اسائل الركبان عمن

أَقام بذي الاراك ومن تنآى

I kept asking the riders about those who

stayed at Dhu al-Arak, and those who went far away.

وَفي اكناف طيبة هاشمي

تصرفه السَماحَة حيث شاء

In the environs of Taybah is a Hashimite,

whom generosity directs wherever he wills.

امام المرسلين وَمنتقاهم

حوى الخَيرات ختما واِبتداء

The leader of the messengers, their chosen one,

he encompassed all goodness, in ending and beginning.

تناهى فخر كل اخى فخار

وان تَلقى لمفخره انتهاء

The glory of every man of glory reaches its limit,

yet where could you find an end to his glory?

كفته كَرامة المعراج فَضلا

بها في القرب ساد الانبياء

The honor of the Ascension sufficed him as excellence;

through it he surpassed the prophets in nearness.

سَرى من مكة ببراق عز

لا قصى مسجد وَعلا السَماء

He journeyed by night from Mecca on a Buraq of glory

to al-Aqsa Mosque, and ascended to heaven.

مفتحة لَهُ الابواب منها

يجاوزها الى العرش اِرتقاء

Its gates were thrown open for him;

he passed beyond them, ascending to the Throne.

فسر به المَلائكة ابتهاجا

وَصلى خلفه الرسل اقتداء

The angels rejoiced in him with delight,

and the messengers prayed behind him, following his lead.

وَكلم ربه من قاب قوس

وألهم في تحيته الثناء

He spoke with his Lord from a bow's span,

and was inspired to offer praise in his greeting.

فَقالَ اللَه عز وَجل سلني

فلست أَشاء الا أَن تَشاء

God, mighty and majestic, said: 'Ask Me;

I will nothing except what you will.

خَزائن رَحمَتي لك فاقض فيها

بحكمك لست امنعك العَطاء

The treasuries of My mercy are yours; rule over them

by your judgment; I do not withhold bounty from you.'

وَشفعه الاله بكل عاص

وكل مقصر يَخشى الجَزاء

God granted him intercession for every sinner,

and everyone who falls short and fears requital.

وَشرفه عَلى الثقلين قدرا

وحقق في المعاد له الجَزاء

He exalted his rank above humankind and jinn,

and assured his reward at the Resurrection.

نَبي ما رأته الشمس الا

وَكلت من محاسنه حَياء

A prophet whom the sun never looked upon

without faltering, ashamed before his beauty.

عَظيم ان تواضع عَن علو

كَبير ليس يَرضى الكبرياء

Great, even when he humbles himself from his lofty rank;

exalted, yet he does not approve of arrogance.

حَوى جمل الكلام فَقالَ صدقا

واحسن في السؤال وَما اساء

He encompassed the essentials of speech and spoke truthfully,

and asked graciously, never giving offense.

اياد بدينه الاديان حقا

وَكانَت قبل زورا وافتراء

He truly abolished the faiths through his religion,

which before had been falsehood and fabrication.

زمام صوافن شهدت مغاز

وحدّ صوارم قطرت دماء

The rein of poised steeds that witnessed campaigns,

and the edge of sharp swords that dripped blood.

وَسيد سادة في كل ثغر

يروى البيض والاسل الظماء

The master of masters on every frontier,

he slakes the thirst of bright blades and thirsty spears.

فَلا برح الغمام يَصوب ارضا

دفنا الجود فيها والسخاء

May the clouds never cease pouring upon a land

where we buried generosity and munificence.

وَذَلك خير من حملته ام

ومن لبس العمامة وَالرداء

He is the best of all whom a mother bore,

and of all who wore a turban and cloak.

انح بجنابه الانضاء وابذل

لزائره المودة وَالصَفاء

Turn the weary mounts toward his precinct, and offer

his visitor affection and sincerity.

وَقل للركب ان هجَعوا فاني

ارى برق الغوير اذا تَرآى

Tell the caravan, if they sleep: 'Indeed, I

see the lightning of al-Ghuwayr whenever it appears.'

اما جبريل روح اللَه وجدا

بمن تحت الكَسا ورد الكساء

Did not Gabriel, the spirit of God, out of longing

for the one beneath the cloak, come to the cloak?

نحن لذكره طربا وَشَوقا

فتحسبنا تَساقينا الطلاء

We yearn at his remembrance, in rapture and longing,

so you would think we had drunk wine together.

وَمالي لا احن إِلى حَبيب

ثملت براح مدحته اِنتشاء

And why should I not yearn for a beloved?

I grew drunk with rapture on the wine of praising him.

رَسول اللَه اعلى الناس قدرا

واكرمهم وارحمهم فَناء

God's Messenger, highest of people in rank,

the most generous of them, the most merciful in his courtyard.

من اختار الوَسيلَة في المَعالي

ومن اوتى الوَسيلة وَاللواء

He who chose al-Wasilah among the exalted ranks,

and who was granted al-Wasilah and the banner.

شَفيع المذنبين أَقل عثارى

فانك خير من سمع النداء

O intercessor for sinners, pardon my stumbles,

for you are the best of those who hear the call.

دَعوتك بعدَما عظمت ذنوبي

وَضاعَ العمر فاستجب الدعاء

I called upon you after my sins had grown great,

and my life had been squandered; answer my prayer.

ومن لي ان ازورك بعد بعد

صباحا يا محمد أَو مساء

Who will help me visit you after separation,

in the morning, O Muhammad, or in the evening?

والثم تربة نفحت عَبيرا

وانظر قبة ملئت ضياء

And kiss the earth that breathed forth perfume,

and gaze upon a dome filled with light?

وان كنت المصر عَلى المَعاصي

فكن للداء من ذَنبي دواء

Though I persist in sins,

be a cure for the sickness born of my sin.

وَهب لي منك في الدارين فضلا

واوردني من الحوض ارتواء

Grant me bounty from you in both abodes,

and bring me to drink my fill from the Pool.

وَصل عَبد الرَحيم ومن يَليه

بحبل الانس واكفهم البلاء

Join Abd al-Rahim and those close to him

with the cord of intimacy, and spare them affliction.

جَزاكَ اللَه عنا كل خَير

وَزادك يا ابن آمنة سناء

May God reward you with every good on our behalf,

and increase your splendor, O son of Aminah.

عَلَيك صَلاة ربك ما تَبارَت

صبا نجد نَسيما أَو رَخاء

Upon you be your Lord's blessing, as long as they vie—

the east winds of Najd, as breezes or gentle winds.

وَلا برحت تَحياتي تحيى

صحابتك الكِرام الاتقياء

May my greetings never cease to salute

your noble, God-fearing companions.