أَراني ما ذكرت لك الفراقا

أَراني ما ذكرت لك الفراقا

وَدمعك واقف الاهراقا

وَدمعك واقف الاهراقا

Whenever I mention parting to you, I find

I find that whenever I mention parting to you,

my tears poised to spill.

your tears stand poised to spill.

بلحظك لا هجرت وأى لحظ

بلحظك لا هجرت وأى لحظ

أَراقَ دمي وأي دم أَراقا

أَراقَ دمي وأي دم أَراقا

By your glance—may it never be forsaken! What a glance

By your glance—may you never be forsaken!—what a glance

that shed my blood—and what precious blood it shed!

has shed my blood, and what blood it shed!

لَقَد طالَ المَطال عَلى لولا

لَقَد طالَ المَطال عَلى لولا

خَيالك زارَ مَضجَعي اِستراقا

خَيالك زارَ مَضجَعي اِستراقا

Long indeed has postponement oppressed me; had not

The delay would indeed have been long for me, had not

your phantom visited my bed by stealth.

your phantom visited my bed by stealth.

وَما شيء بأعظم من جسوم

وَما شيء بأعظم من جسوم

مفرقة وأَرواح تلاقى

مفرقة وأَرواح تلاقى

Nothing is more wondrous than bodies

Nothing is more wondrous than bodies

kept apart while spirits meet.

kept apart while souls meet.

فَكَم سمح الهوى بدمي وَدَمعي

فَكَم سمح الهوى بدمي وَدَمعي

وَكلفني بكم وَلَها وشاقا

وَكلفني بكم وَلَها وشاقا

How freely love has spent my blood and tears,

How freely love has spent my blood and tears,

and burdened me, through you, with passion and hardship!

and made me love you madly, and pine.

وأمرضني وأضرم نار وَجدي

وأمرضني وأضرم نار وَجدي

وَذلك مذهب الحب اِتفاقا

وَذلك مذهب الحب اِتفاقا

It made me ill and kindled the fire of my yearning;

It made me ill and kindled the fire of my passion;

such is the way of love, by common accord.

such, by common accord, is love's way.

وَلَو كانَ الهَوى العذرى عَدلا

وَلَو كانَ الهَوى العذرى عَدلا

لحمل كل قب ماأَطاقا

لحمل كل قب ماأَطاقا

If chaste ʿUdhri love were just,

If chaste love were just,

each heart would bear only what it could.

it would burden each heart only with what it could bear.

اذا هب الصبا النجدى وَهنا

اذا هب الصبا النجدى وَهنا

بريح الرند أَطربني اِنتشاقا

بريح الرند أَطربني اِنتشاقا

When the gentle east wind blows from Najd at night,

When the east wind of Najd blows in the night,

fragrant with laurel, it transports me with longing.

bearing laurel's scent, it delights me as I breathe it in.

وَلَم أَهو الكَثيب وَساكنيه

وَلَم أَهو الكَثيب وَساكنيه

وَلا مصر الخَصيب وَلا العراقا

وَلا مصر الخَصيب وَلا العراقا

I love neither the dune nor those who dwell upon it,

Yet I have not loved the dune and its dwellers,

nor fertile Egypt, nor Iraq.

nor fertile Egypt, nor Iraq.

وَلا شوقي لكاظمة وَلكن

وَلا شوقي لكاظمة وَلكن

الى من ساد أمته وفاقا

الى من ساد أمته وفاقا

Nor is my longing for Kāẓima, but rather

Nor is my longing for Kazimah, but rather

for him who mastered his nation and surpassed all others:

for him who led his community and surpassed it:

محمد المخصص باسم أَحمد

محمد المخصص باسم أَحمد

من المَحمود كانَ له اِشتقاقا

من المَحمود كانَ له اِشتقاقا

Muhammad, specially distinguished by the name Ahmad,

Muhammad, singled out by the name Ahmad,

a name derived for him from “the Praised”;

a name derived for him from the Praiseworthy.

امام المرسلين وَمنتقاهم

امام المرسلين وَمنتقاهم

وأكرمهم وأطهرهم نطاقا

وأكرمهم وأطهرهم نطاقا

leader of the messengers and their chosen one,

The leader of the messengers and their chosen one,

the noblest and purest of them in lineage;

the noblest of them and purest in chastity.

نبيّ أنزل الرحمن فيه

نبيّ أنزل الرحمن فيه

تَبارك وَالضحى والانشقاقا

تَبارك وَالضحى والانشقاقا

a Prophet about whom the All-Merciful revealed

A prophet concerning whom the All-Merciful revealed

“Blessed,” “The Morning Bright,” and “The Sundering,”

Tabarak, al-Duha, and al-Inshiqaq—

كِتابا ذا صراط مُستَقيم

كِتابا ذا صراط مُستَقيم

مبينلا اِفتراء وَلا اختلاقا

مبينلا اِفتراء وَلا اختلاقا

as a Book possessing a straight path,

a Book containing a straight path,

clear, with neither fabrication nor invention.

clear, free of falsehood or fabrication.

فَلا برح الغمام يجود أَرضا

فَلا برح الغمام يجود أَرضا

نَرى لضياء قبتها ائتلاقا

نَرى لضياء قبتها ائتلاقا

May rain clouds never cease their bounty upon a land

May the clouds never cease to shower a land

where we behold the radiance of its dome gleaming.

where we see the light of its dome gleam.

بِها شمس تفوق الشمس نورا

بِها شمس تفوق الشمس نورا

وَبدر يلبس البدر المحاقا

وَبدر يلبس البدر المحاقا

Within it is a sun surpassing the sun in light,

Within it is a sun surpassing the sun in light,

and a full moon that clothes the moon itself in eclipse.

and a full moon that robes the full moon in darkness.

هُوَ الكرم الَّذي مَلأَ البَرايا

هُوَ الكرم الَّذي مَلأَ البَرايا

هوَ العلم الَّذي ركب البراقا

هوَ العلم الَّذي ركب البراقا

He is generosity itself, whose bounty filled all creation;

He is the generosity that has filled all creation;

he is the illustrious one who rode al-Burāq.

he is the beacon who rode al-Buraq.

نبيّ لَم يَزَل يَسمو علوّا

نبيّ لَم يَزَل يَسمو علوّا

الى أَن جاوزَ السبغ الطباقا

الى أَن جاوزَ السبغ الطباقا

A Prophet who never ceased ascending in glory

A prophet who kept ascending ever higher,

until he passed beyond the seven layered heavens.

until he passed beyond the seven layered heavens.

نضاه اللَه للاسلام سَيفا

نضاه اللَه للاسلام سَيفا

أَزال به الضَلالة وَالنِفاقا

أَزال به الضَلالة وَالنِفاقا

God unsheathed him as a sword for Islam,

God drew him as a sword for Islam,

and through him dispelled error and hypocrisy.

through whom He removed error and hypocrisy.

فَكانَ لاهل دين اللَه عزا

فَكانَ لاهل دين اللَه عزا

وَللهيجاء حين تَقوم ساقا

وَللهيجاء حين تَقوم ساقا

Thus he was glory for the people of God’s faith,

He became a source of might to the people of God's faith,

and their support in battle when the fray rose to full height.

and battle's supporting leg when it rose.

أَباد المُشركين بكل ثغر

أَباد المُشركين بكل ثغر

وَقاد الخيل شاذبة وَساقا

وَقاد الخيل شاذبة وَساقا

He annihilated the idolaters at every breach,

He destroyed the polytheists at every frontier,

leading lean, swift horses and driving them onward.

and led the lean steeds and drove them on.

وَفرّق شوكة الفرق الطَواغي

وَفرّق شوكة الفرق الطَواغي

وأروى منهم القَضب الرقاقا

وأروى منهم القَضب الرقاقا

He broke the might of the tyrannical factions

He shattered the might of the tyrannical factions,

and slaked the slender blades with their blood.

and slaked the slender blades with their blood.

وأقدم وَالصوافن صافنات

وأقدم وَالصوافن صافنات

وَقَد ضرب العجاج لها رواقا

وَقَد ضرب العجاج لها رواقا

He advanced while the horses stood poised on three legs,

He advanced while the steeds stood with one hoof raised,

and battle-dust had spread a canopy above them.

and dust had pitched a canopy over them.

وَعادَت شامخات الكفر وهدا

وَعادَت شامخات الكفر وهدا

وَمشى فوقه الخيل العتاقا

وَمشى فوقه الخيل العتاقا

The towering strongholds of unbelief became rubble,

The towering heights of unbelief became low ground,

and noble horses trampled over it.

and noble steeds trod over it.

وَمنعَلى الاساري يوم بدر

وَمنعَلى الاساري يوم بدر

وَفادى بعد ما شد الوثاقا

وَفادى بعد ما شد الوثاقا

He showed grace to the captives on the day of Badr,

He showed mercy to the captives on the day of Badr,

and accepted ransom after their bonds had been drawn tight.

and released them for ransom after tightening their bonds.

وعم الخلق مكرمة وَجودا

وعم الخلق مكرمة وَجودا

فَلما جا فارق ما أَذاقا

فَلما جا فارق ما أَذاقا

His noble generosity encompassed all creation;

He embraced all creation with noble kindness and bounty;

whoever came to him departed having tasted it.

then, when he hungered [reading uncertain], he forwent what he had let others taste.

أَتَقبل يا محمد عذر عبد

أَتَقبل يا محمد عذر عبد

يحن اليك من برع اِشتياقا

يحن اليك من برع اِشتياقا

Will you accept, O Muhammad, the excuse of a servant

Will you accept, O Muhammad, the excuse of a servant

who yearns for you with surpassing longing?

who yearns for you from Buraʿ, consumed with longing?

حججت وَلَم أَزرك لسوء حَظي

حججت وَلَم أَزرك لسوء حَظي

وَعبد السوء يَعتاد الاباقا

وَعبد السوء يَعتاد الاباقا

I made the pilgrimage but did not visit you, through my ill fortune;

I performed the pilgrimage but, through ill fortune, did not visit you;

after adversity, one grows accustomed to flight.

and a bad slave is accustomed to running away.

ومن لي أَن أسلم مِن قَريب

ومن لي أَن أسلم مِن قَريب

وألتَثم التراب وَلَو فواقا

وألتَثم التراب وَلَو فواقا

Who will grant that I soon arrive in safety

Who can grant me the chance to greet you from nearby,

and kiss the dust, if only for a fleeting moment;

and kiss the dust, if only for an instant,

وأنظر قبة ملئت جَمالا

وأنظر قبة ملئت جَمالا

وأشبع من جوانبها عناقا

وأشبع من جوانبها عناقا

that I may behold a dome filled with beauty

and behold a dome filled with beauty,

and sate myself by embracing it from every side?

and sate myself with embracing its sides?

أَتاكَ الزائِرون من النَواحي

أَتاكَ الزائِرون من النَواحي

يحثون السوابق وَالنياقا

يحثون السوابق وَالنياقا

Visitors have come to you from every region,

Visitors have come to you from every quarter,

spurring on swift mares and she-camels.

urging on the swift steeds and she-camels.

وَعاقتني ذنوبي عنك فاِعلَم

وَعاقتني ذنوبي عنك فاِعلَم

بأن الذنب أَوقفني وَعاقا

بأن الذنب أَوقفني وَعاقا

My sins kept me from you, so know

But my sins kept me from you; know

that it was sin that stopped and hindered me.

that sin has halted and hindered me.

فصل عَبد الرَحيم بحبل جود

فصل عَبد الرَحيم بحبل جود

تعمّ به الاحبة وَالرفاقا

تعمّ به الاحبة وَالرفاقا

Bind ʿAbd al-Rahim with a cord of bounty

So bind Abd al-Rahim to you with a cord of bounty,

whose reach encompasses beloveds and companions.

with which you embrace loved ones and companions.

أَتَيتك سَيدي بالعذر فاعطف

أَتَيتك سَيدي بالعذر فاعطف

عَلى اذا الفَضاء عليّ ضاقا

عَلى اذا الفَضاء عليّ ضاقا

I have come to you, my master, bearing my excuse; show me compassion

I have come to you, my master, with my excuse; have compassion

when the wide world closes in upon me.

on me when open space grows tight around me.

قصرت خَطاي عنك من الخَطايا

قصرت خَطاي عنك من الخَطايا

وَذَنبي لَم أطق معه انطلاقا

وَذَنبي لَم أطق معه انطلاقا

My steps fell short of reaching you because of my sins,

My steps have fallen short of you because of sins,

and with my guilt upon me, I could not set out.

and with my sin I could not set forth.

فكن ظلي غَدا وَشَفيع ذَنبي

فكن ظلي غَدا وَشَفيع ذَنبي

وَحوضك فاسقني منه دهاقا

وَحوضك فاسقني منه دهاقا

Be my shade tomorrow, and intercede for my sin,

Be my shade tomorrow and intercede for my sin;

and from your Pool give me a brimming draught.

and from your pool give me a brimming draught.

وآنس بالقبول غَريب لَفظي

وآنس بالقبول غَريب لَفظي

وَنفس عَن مؤلفه الخناقا

وَنفس عَن مؤلفه الخناقا

Welcome with acceptance the strangeness of my phrasing,

Comfort my unfamiliar verse with acceptance,

and relieve its author of choking anguish.

and loosen the noose around its author.

فَقَد ملكتني الاوزار عَبدا

فَقَد ملكتني الاوزار عَبدا

وَلكني رجوت بك العتاقا

وَلكني رجوت بك العتاقا

The burdens of sin have enslaved me,

For burdens of sin have taken me as a slave,

yet through you I hope for emancipation.

yet through you I have hoped for freedom.

وَكَيفَ يَخاف لفح النار مِثلي

وَكَيفَ يَخاف لفح النار مِثلي

وَجار حماك لم يخف اِحتراقا

وَجار حماك لم يخف اِحتراقا

How should one like me fear the Fire’s scorching blast

How could one like me fear the scorching blast of the Fire,

when one sheltered by your sanctuary need not fear burning?

when one sheltered in your sanctuary has no fear of burning?

عَليك صَلاة ربك ما تَبارَت

عَليك صَلاة ربك ما تَبارَت

رياح الجوّ تَستَبِق استباقا

رياح الجوّ تَستَبِق استباقا

May your Lord’s blessings be upon you so long as

Your Lord's blessing be upon you as long as they vie—

the winds of heaven race one another in eager rivalry.

the winds of the sky, racing one another.