1. من لنفس ثَناها

    بعدَها عَن بَناها

    Who will help a soul bowed down

    by its distance from its dwellings?

  2. أَهلها في زرود

    وَهَواها وَراها

    Its people are in Zarud,

    and its love lies beyond it.

  3. كُلَما لاحَ برق

    من جياد شَجاها

    Whenever lightning flashed

    from Jiyad, it stirred its sorrow,

  4. فَبَكَت واِستَفادَت

    راحَة في بكاها

    so it wept and found

    comfort in its weeping.

  5. وَتَراءَت بنجد

    رَوضَة وَمياها

    And it beheld in Najd

    a meadow and waters,

  6. وَديارا لمثلى

    فاحَ مسكا ثَراها

    and dwellings for one like me,

    whose soil exhaled musk,

  7. وَزَمانا يصافى

    رامة وَلَواها

    and a time of friendship with

    Ramah and its sandy bend.

  8. ليت لَيلى رعت في

    بعدها من رَعاها

    Would that Layla cared, in

    her absence, for the one who cared for her,

  9. وَتَدانَت لصب

    لَيسَ يَهوى سواها

    and drew near to a lovesick man

    who loves none but her.

  10. يا خَليلي عوجا

    بي أُشاهِد رباها

    O my two friends, turn aside

    with me, so I may behold her uplands,

  11. وأقبل ترابا

    عطرا من شَذاها

    and kiss the earth

    fragrant with her scent,

  12. واحيي مَغاني

    ربع لَيلى شَفاها

    and greet the dwelling-places

    of Layla's abode—the soul's balm.

  13. وَتَراني أُداني

    مَوضع من خباها

    And you will see me drawing near

    to a spot within her tent;

  14. فَعَساها تَراني

    مَرة وأَراها

    perhaps then she will see me

    once, and I will see her.

  15. ان راحى وَروحي

    حيث يحمى حماها

    Indeed, my wine and my soul

    are where her sanctuary is guarded,

  16. وَأَمانيّ قَلبي

    قبلة من لماها

    and the wishes of my heart

    are a kiss from her dark-hued lips.

  17. بهجة الحسن كَم من

    عاكِف في قباها

    Splendor of beauty—how many

    a devotee abides within her robe!

  18. برّدوا عَن حشائي

    بحواشي رداها

    Cool my heart

    with the hems of her mantle,

  19. وَأمروا الريح تهدى

    نَفحة من صباها

    and bid the wind bring

    a waft of her east wind.

  20. فَسَقَتها الغَوادي

    واهنات عراها

    So may the morning rainclouds water her,

    their bonds grown slack.

  21. ما لِنَفسي معين

    عند خطب عناها

    My soul has no helper

    when an ordeal troubles it,

  22. غير بشرى نَبي

    في المَعالي تَناهى

    save the glad tidings of a Prophet

    who reached the utmost heights:

  23. سيد ساد من في

    أَرضه وَسَماها

    a master supreme over those

    on his earth and in its heaven,

  24. هاشمي نماه

    مِن قريش ذراها

    a Hashimite descended

    from the highest lineages of Quraysh.

  25. فاقَ أَهل المَعالي

    وَعَلا من عُلاها

    He surpassed the people of lofty rank

    and ascended beyond their heights.

  26. من سعى خلفه في

    طلب الفخر تاها

    Whoever strove behind him in

    the pursuit of glory went astray.

  27. تقصر الرسل طرا

    عنه وَجها وَجاها

    All the messengers fall short

    of him in countenance and standing,

  28. وَمنا راوهديا

    وَعلا واِنتباها

    and in radiance and guidance,

    and in loftiness and vigilance.

  29. فَلَه معجزات

    بحرها لا يُضاهي

    For he has miracles

    whose ocean is beyond compare.

  30. ان سبع المثاني

    فيه يا من تَلاها

    Indeed, the seven oft-repeated verses

    are in him, O you who recited them,

  31. وَمَقامات صدق

    لا يداني مداها

    and stations of truth

    whose reach none can approach.

  32. سدرة المُنتَهى في

    مُنتَهى منتهاها

    The Lote Tree of the Utmost Boundary stands at

    the very utmost of their bounds.

  33. وَكَذا القلب حيث

    ما ينادي الالها

    And likewise the heart, wherever

    it calls upon God.

  34. سيدي هاكَ درا

    فيك حال حَلاها

    My master, take these pearls,

    whose adornments are sweet in your praise,

  35. وَمَعاني حروف

    لا تَضَع منوَراها

    and the meanings of letters:

    do not abase the one behind them;

  36. وَتجارات مدح

    رابح من شَراها

    and ventures in praise—

    whoever purchases them profits.

  37. منك عَبد الرَحيم اليَوم

    يَرجو جَزاها

    From you, Abd al-Rahim today

    hopes for their reward.

  38. يا شَفيع البَرايا

    في غد من لظاها

    O intercessor for all creatures

    tomorrow, against its blazing fire,

  39. كُن لِنَفسي معينا

    ان هوت في هَواها

    be a helper to my soul

    if it falls prey to its passion,

  40. وأكفها حرنار

    جرف هارشفاها

    and spare it the heat of a fire

    whose brink is a crumbling bank,

  41. وأرعها في جنان

    دانيات جَناها

    and let it graze in gardens

    whose fruits hang close.

  42. وَصَلاة تحيى

    خاتِم الرسل طه

    And may a blessing salute

    the Seal of the Messengers, Ta-Ha,

  43. وَتَغشى رياضا

    حلها واِرتضاها

    and envelop gardens

    where he dwelt and with which he was pleased.