1. أَتحب مسئلة بغير جَواب

    فاذا دَعَوت دعوت غير جاب

    Do you love a plea without an answer?

    For when you call, you call one who gives no answer.

  2. قضت الصَبابَة أَن تَكون متيما

    فاصبر تنل بالصبر اجر مصاب

    Longing has decreed that you be enslaved by love.

    So be patient; through patience you gain a sufferer's reward.

  3. فدع الاقامة دون مطلبك الَّذي

    تَرجوه وارحل قعدة التجواب

    So abandon staying short of your goal, which

    you hope for, and saddle a mount for far-ranging journeys.

  4. دَعها من النيابَتين تحثها

    نغمات حادى العيس بالاطراب

    Let her go from the two deputyships, urged onward by

    the rapturous melodies of the driver of pale camels.

  5. غلبا اذا رحلت تخال كانها

    فلك تَرامى في خضم سراب

    Thick-necked, when saddled, you imagine her to be

    a ship drifting across a vast sea of mirage.

  6. وَجناء لم يَبقَ السرى منها سوى

    رمق يَسير بجيئة وذهاب

    A high-cheeked she-camel, of whom night travel has left only

    a scant breath of life, coming and going,

  7. وَبقية من أَعظم مَهزولة

    طفقت تغلغل فيأرق اهاب

    and a remnant of emaciated bones

    that began to press through the thinnest hide.

  8. أَفلا تحن إِلى الاراك وَقَد رأت

    حلل الرَبيع كست جسوم روابى

    Will she not yearn for the arak trees, having seen

    spring's robes clothe the bodies of the hills?

  9. وأذابها عبق النَسيم وانما

    كَيفَ الهَوى وَالجسم غير مذاب

    The fragrance of the breeze has melted her; indeed,

    how can there be love while the body remains unmelted?

  10. يا نازلين بذي الاراكة أَو بذا

    ت الجزع رسمى عزةوَرَباب

    O you dwelling at Dhū al-Arākah, or at

    Dhāt al-Jizʿ, the two traces of ʿAzzah and Rabāb,

  11. هَل عندكم علم عَن العلمين أَو

    عَن معهد بالرقمتين خراب

    have you any news of al-ʿAlamayn, or

    of a ruined dwelling at al-Raqmatayn?

  12. أَنى أحن إِلى العذيب وأهله

    والى مياه بالعذيب عذاب

    Indeed, I yearn for al-ʿUdhayb and its people,

    and for sweet waters at al-ʿUdhayb.

  13. وَيشوقني من نحو طيبه نسمة

    تنبي المشوق بطيب الاطياب

    A breeze from the direction of Ṭaybah stirs my longing,

    telling the longing lover of the finest fragrances.

  14. للعب ما أَبقى فراق أَحِبتي

    مني وَما لَم يَبقَ للأحباب

    For play is what parting from my loved ones has left

    of me, and what has not remained for the beloved.

  15. يَخفى الغَرام تجلدى فَتذيعه

    عبرات جفن عَن صبابة صابى

    My endurance conceals my passion, but it is revealed by

    tears from an eyelid, born of a lovesick lover's yearning.

  16. ما زالَت الايام تقرع مروتي

    حَتّى التجأت إِلى اعز جناب

    The days kept striking my flint

    until I sought refuge in the mightiest protection.

  17. وَنزلت من حرم الحجاز بما جد

    من آل غالب قاهر غلاب

    Within the sanctuary of the Hijaz, I lodged with a noble one,

    of the house of Ghālib, a conqueror ever victorious:

  18. العاقِب الماحي الضَلالة بالهدى

    ومدمر الازلام والانصاب

    the Last, the Effacer of error through guidance,

    and the destroyer of divining arrows and idol-altars.

  19. قمر تشعشع من ذوابة هاشم

    في الارض نور هداية وَصَواب

    A moon shining forth from the crest of Hāshim,

    a light of guidance and right judgment upon the earth.

  20. وَغدا نَبيا حيث كانَ وآدم

    سَيَكون من ماء وطن تراب

    He was already a prophet, while Adam

    was yet to be formed from water and earthen clay [text uncertain].

  21. فَمَضى الزَمان وَنعته وَصِفاته

    من قبل مبعثه بكل كتاب

    Time passed, while his description and his qualities

    were in every book before his mission.

  22. اخباره مَع سائر الاحبار وَالرُهبان

    وَالكهان وَالحساب

    Accounts of him were with all the rabbis and monks,

    and the soothsayers and reckoners.

  23. عرفوه قبل ظهور بدلائل

    عنوانهن مناصب الانساب

    They recognized him before his appearance, through signs

    whose hallmark was the dignities of lineage.

  24. وَرأوه بدرا ساطِعا متنقلا

    بالنور في الارحام والاصلاب

    They saw him as a radiant full moon, passing

    with light through wombs and loins,

  25. حَتّى نضاه اللَه سَيفا مصلتا

    بالحق يدحض حج المرتاب

    until God drew him forth as an unsheathed sword,

    refuting the doubter's arguments with truth.

  26. كَم عاندته قريش أَول وَهلة

    سفهاء كم نبزوه بالالقاب

    How often Quraysh opposed him from the first moment!

    Fools! How often they taunted him with names!

  27. وَسموه مَع صفة الجنون بكاهِن

    وَبشاعر وَبساحر كذاب

    Besides calling him mad, they called him a soothsayer,

    and a poet, and a lying sorcerer.

  28. فَهُنالِك اِرتَفع الحجاب وأشرقت

    شمس النبوة فوق كل حجاب

    Then the veil was lifted, and there shone

    the sun of prophethood above every veil.

  29. عَبد المُهيمن وحده سبحانه

    بالسَيف بعد تعدد الارباب

    He worshipped the Guardian alone—glory be to Him—

    by the sword, after there had been many lords.

  30. وَغدا منار الدين متضح الهدى

    وَالشرك منتكض عَلى الاعقاب

    The beacon of religion became clear in its guidance,

    while idolatry recoiled upon its heels.

  31. رفعت لك الرايات يا قمر العلا

    وَنهاية التَمكين قرب القاب

    Banners were raised for you, O moon of sublimity,

    and the summit of your station was nearness at a bow's span.

  32. فغدوت بالقدمين أَشرف من مشى

    في الأَرض من عجم ومن اعراب

    Thus, on your two feet, you became the noblest who walked

    upon the earth, among non-Arabs and Bedouin Arabs.

  33. وَلك العلا وَالفخر غير مدافع

    بين الوَرى يا واضح الاحساب

    Sublimity and glory are yours, unchallenged,

    among mankind, O you whose ancestral honors are manifest,

  34. في ملة نكحتك كفأ بعدما

    عدمت وجود الكفء في الخطاب

    within a faith that wed you as its worthy match, after

    finding no worthy match among the suitors.

  35. ولأنت أَسمى المرسلين مكانة

    بجلال قدرا وعلو ركاب

    You are indeed the highest of the messengers in station,

    in majestic worth and loftiness of mounts.

  36. يا سَيدي أَنا من علمت أذابَني

    حمل الذنوب وجور دهر نابى

    O my master, I am the one you know; I have been melted by

    the burden of sins and the tyranny of a harsh age.

  37. لَو لَم يَكن لي اذ حججت وَلَم أزر

    الا غناؤك وحده لكفى بي

    If, when I made pilgrimage but did not visit, I had nothing

    but your aid alone, it would have sufficed me.

  38. ماذا تَقول لآمل متعرض

    لعريض فضلك واقف بالباب

    What will you say to a hopeful seeker presenting himself

    to your vast bounty, standing at the door?

  39. وافاك لا علم وَلا عمل وَلا

    قلب سَليم لائذ بمآب

    He has come to you with no knowledge, no deeds, and no

    sound heart, seeking refuge in a place of return.

  40. فاِعطف عَلى عَبد الرَحيم برحمة

    واشفع له من هول كل عذاب

    So turn in mercy toward ʿAbd al-Raḥīm,

    and intercede for him against the terror of every torment.

  41. وانهض به وَبمن يَليه فانه

    مستعتب في موضع الاعتاب

    Lift him up, and whoever is close to him, for he

    seeks pardon in the place where pardon is granted.

  42. واقمع بحولك باغضيه وكل من

    يؤذيه من متمرد مرتاب

    With your might, subdue those who hate him and everyone

    who harms him, any rebellious doubter.

  43. وَبجامع النيابَتين صو يحب

    واهى القوى متقطع الاسباب

    And with the holder of the two deputyships is a little companion,

    weak in strength, cut off from every means.

  44. ان قمت بي وبه بلغنا كل ما

    نَرجوه من خير وحسن مآب

    If you stand by me and him, we shall attain all

    we hope for: goodness and a fair return.

  45. وَعليك صَلى اللَه يا علم الهُدى

    وَعَلى جَميع الآل والاصحاب

    And may God bless you, O beacon of guidance,

    and all your family and companions.