وافاك بالذنب العظيم المذنب — Al Busayri

وَافاك بالذنبِ العظيمِ المُذْنِبُ

خَجِلاً يُعَنِّفُ نفسَهُ ويُؤَنِّبُ

The sinner has come to you bearing a grievous sin,

ashamed, chastising and reproaching himself.

لم لا يشُوبُ دُمُوعَهُ بِدِمائِه

ذو شيبَةٍ عَوْرَاتُها مَا تُخْضَبُ

Why does he not mingle his tears with his blood—

a gray-haired man whose blemishes are not dyed over?

لَعِبَتْ به الدّنيا ولولا جَهْلُه

ما كان في الدنيا يخوضُ ويَلعبُ

The world has played with him; were it not for his ignorance,

he would not have plunged into worldly pursuits and play.

لَزمَ التَّقَلُّبَ في مَعاصِي رَبِّهِ

إذْ باتَ في نَعْمائِهِ يَتَقَلَّبُ

He persisted in turning amid sins against his Lord,

while spending his nights turning amid His blessings.

يستغفِرُ اللَّهَ الذُّنوبَ وقلبُه

شرِهاً على أمْثالها يَتَوثَّبُ

He asks God to forgive his sins, while his heart

greedily leaps toward more like them.

يُغْرِي جَوَارِحَهُ عَلَى شَهَوَاتِهِ

فكأنَّهُ فيما استَبَاحَ مُكلِّبُ

He incites his limbs toward his desires,

like a huntsman setting hounds upon what he deems lawful.

أضْحَى بِمُعْتَرَكِ المَنايا لاهِياً

فكأنَّ مُعْتَرَك المنايا مَلْعَبُ

He passes his days heedless on the battlefield of death,

as though death's battlefield were a playground.

ضاقَتْ مذاهِبُه عليه فما لَه

إلَّا إلى حَرَمٍ بِطَيْبَةَ مَهْرَبُ

His paths have narrowed around him; he has

no refuge except a sanctuary in Tayba.

مُتَقَطِّعُ الأسبابِ مِنْ أعمالِهِ

لكنه بِرَجَائِه مُتَسَبِّبُ

The means afforded by his deeds are severed,

yet through his hope he seeks a means.

وقَفَتْ بِجاهِ المصطفى آمالُه

فكأَنه بذنوبه يَتَقَرَّبُ

His hopes have come to rest in the Chosen One's standing,

as though through his sins he draws near.

وَبَدا له أنَّ الوُقُوفَ بِبابِهِ

بابٌ لِغُفْرانِ الذُّنوبِ مُجَرَّبُ

And it appeared to him that standing at his door

is a proven doorway to forgiveness of sins.

صلَّى عليه اللَّهُ إنَّ مَطامِعي

في جُودِهِ قد غارَ منها أشعَبُ

May God bless him! Indeed, my hopes

in his bounty have made Ash'ab jealous.

لِم لا يغارُ وقد رآني دونَه

أدركْتُ مِنْ خَيْرِ الوَرَى ما أطلُبُ

Why should he not be jealous, seeing me, though beneath him,

obtain from the best of creation what I seek?

ماذا أخافُ إذا وَقَفْتُ بِبابِهِ

وصَحائِفي سُودٌ ورأْسِيَ أشْيَبُ

What should I fear when I stand at his door,

though my records are black and my head gray?

والمصطَفى الماحي الذي يمحو الذي

يُحْصِي الرقيبُ على المُسيء وَيَكْتُبُ

The Chosen One is the Effacer, who effaces what

the watcher counts against the wrongdoer and records.

بَشَرٌ سَعِيدٌ في النُّفُوسِ مُعَظَّمٌ

مِقْدارُه وإلى القلوبِ مُحَبَّبُ

A blessed man, revered within souls

in his stature, and endeared to hearts.

بجمالِ صُورَتِهِ تَمَدَّحَ آدَمٌ

وبيَانِ مَنْطِقِه تَشَرّفَ يَعْرُبُ

Adam took pride in the beauty of his form,

and through the eloquence of his speech Ya'rub gained honor.

مِصْباحُ كلِّ فضيلةٍ وإمامُها

وَلِفَضْلِهِ فَضْلُ الخَلائِقِ يُنْسَبُ

The lamp of every virtue and its leader,

to his excellence the excellence of creation is attributed.

رِدْ واقْتَبِسْ مِنْ فَضْلِهِ فبِحارُه

ما تَنْتَهِي وشُموسُهُ ما تَغرُبُ

Come to drink, and draw light from his bounty, for his seas

never end, and his suns never set.

فلكلِّ سارِ مِنْ هُداهُ هِدايَةٌ

ولكلِّ عافٍ مِنْ نَداه مَشْرَبُ

For every night traveler, his guidance offers direction,

and for every seeker, his bounty offers a drinking place.

وَلكلِّ عَيْنٍ منه بَدْرٌ طالع

ولكلِّ قلبٍ منه لَيْثٌ أَغْلَبُ

For every eye there is in him a rising full moon,

and for every heart, in him, a mighty lion.

مَلأَ العوالِمَ عِلْمُهُ وثَنَاؤُهُ

فيه الوُجُودُ مُنَوَّرٌ ومُطَيَّبُ

His knowledge and praise have filled the worlds;

in him existence is illumined and perfumed.

وَهَبَ الإِلهُ لهُ الكمالَ وإنَّهُ

في غَيْرِهِ مِنْ جِنْسِ ما لا يُوهَبُ

God bestowed perfection upon him, although it

in anyone else belongs among things not bestowed.

كُشِفَ الغِطاءُ لهُ وقد أُسْرِي به

فعُلُومُهُ لا شيءَ عنها يَعزُبُ

The veil was lifted for him when he was borne on the night journey,

so nothing escapes his knowledge.

وَلِقَابِ قَوْسَيْنِ انْتَهَى فمَحَلُّهُ

مِنْ قابِ قَوْسَيْنِ المَحَلُّ الأقْرَبُ

He reached the measure of two bows; his station

within two bow-lengths is the nearest station.

ودَنَا دُنُوّاً لا يُزَاحِمُ مَنْكِباً

فيه كما زَعَمَ المُكَيِّفُ مَنْكِبُ

He drew near with a nearness where no shoulder jostles

another shoulder, as the ascriber of bodily form claimed.

فاتَ العبارَةَ والإِشارَةَ فضلُهُ

فعليكَ منه بما يُقالُ ويُكْتَبُ

His excellence surpasses expression and allusion,

so content yourself with what is said and written of him.

صَدِّقْ بما حُدِّثْتُ عنه فَفي الوَرَى

بالغيْبِ عنه مُصَدِّقٌ وَمُكَذِّبُ

Believe what I was told of him; among mankind,

without seeing him, some believe and some deny.

واسمَعْ مناقِبَ للحبيبِ فإنّها

فِي الحُسْنِ مِنْ عَنْقَاءَ مُغْرِبَ أغْرَبَ

Hear the Beloved's merits, for they

in beauty are more wondrous than the elusive 'Anqa'.

مُتَمَكِّنُ الأخلاق إلّا أنّه

في الحُكمِ يَرْضَى للإلهِ وَيَغْضبُ

Steadfast in character, yet he

in judgment is pleased and angered for God's sake.

يَشْفِي الصُّدُورَ كلامُه فدواؤُه

طَوراً يَمُرُّ لها وطَوْراً يَعْذُبُ

His words heal hearts; his remedy

is sometimes bitter to them, sometimes sweet.

فاطْرَبْ لتَسْبِيحِ الحَصَى في كَفِّهِ

فَمِنَ السَّماعِ لِذِكْرِهِ ما يُطرِبُ

Rejoice at the pebbles' glorification in his palm,

for some sounds of His remembrance bring delight.

والجِذْعُ حَنَّ لهُ وباتَ كمغْرَمٍ

قَلِقٍ بفَقْدِ حَبيبِه يَتَكَرَّبُ

The tree trunk yearned for him and spent the night like a lover,

restless, anguished at the loss of his beloved.

وَسَعَتْ له الأحجارُ فهْيَ لأَمرِه

تأْتي إليه كما يشاءُ وتَذْهَبُ

The stones hastened to him; at his command they

come to him as he wills, and go.

واهْتَزَّ مِنْ فَرَحٍ ثَبِيرٌ تَحْتَهُ

وَمِنَ الجِبَالِ مُسَبِّحٌ ومُؤَوِّبُ

Thabir shook beneath him with joy,

and among mountains are those that glorify and echo praise.

والنَّخْلُ أثْمَرَ غَرْسُه في عامِه

وَبَدَا مُعَنْدَمُ زَهْوِهِ والمَذْهَبُ

The palms he planted bore fruit in that very year,

and the crimson and gold of their ripening fruit appeared.

وَبَنانُهُ بالماءِ أَرْوَى عَسْكَرا

فكأنّه من دِيمَةٍ يَتَصَبَّبُ

His fingertips quenched an army with water,

as though it poured from a steady raincloud.

والشَّاةُ إذْ عَطشَ الرَّعِيلُ سَقَتْهُمُ

وهمُ ثلاثُ مَئِينَ مما يَحْلُبُ

When the company thirsted, the ewe gave them drink,

three hundred of them, from the milk he drew.

وشفَى جميعَ المُؤْلِمَاتِ بِريقِه

يا طِيبَ ما يَرْقي به ويُطَيِّبُ

He healed every painful ailment with his saliva;

how good is what he uses in healing incantations and cures!

وَمَشَى تُظلِّلُهُ الغَمامُ لِظلِّها

ذَيْلٌ عليه في الهواجر يُسْحَبُ

He walked beneath the shading clouds; their shade had

a train drawn over him in the midday heat.

وَتَكَلَّمَ الأطفالُ والمَوْتَى لَهُ

بِعجائِبٍ فليَعجَب المُتعجِّبُ

Children and the dead spoke to him

of wonders—let the wonderer marvel!

والجَذْلُ مِنْ حَطَبٍ غَدا لِعُكاشَةٍ

سَيْفاً وليس السَّيفُ مما يُحْطَبُ

A log of firewood became for 'Ukasha

a sword—yet swords are not gathered as firewood.

وعَسِيبُ نَخْلٍ صارَ عَضْباً صارِماً

يَوْمَ الوَغَى إذْ كلُّ عَيْنٍ تُقْلَبُ

A palm stalk became a keen, cutting sword

on battle's day, when every eye rolled.

وأضاءَ عُرْجُونٌ وَسَوْطٌ في الدُّجى

عَنْ أمرِهِ فكأنَّ كُلّاً كَوْكَبُ

A date-cluster stalk and a whip shone in the darkness

at his command, as though each were a star.

وكأنَّ دعْوَتَهُ طليعَةُ قَوْلِ كُنْ

ما بَعْدَها إلا الإجابةَ مَوْكِبُ

His prayer was like the vanguard of the word 'Be!'

with no procession behind it but the response.

تَحظَى بها أبناءُ مَنْ يدعو لَهُ

فكأنها وقْفٌ عَلَى مَنْ يُعْقِبُ

The offspring of those for whom he prays enjoy it,

as though it were an endowment for whoever leaves descendants.

للناسِ فيها وابلٌ وصواعقٌ

نَفْسٌ بها تَحْيا ونَفسٌ تَعْطَبُ

Within it people find downpour and thunderbolts:

one soul lives by it, another perishes.

والمَحْلُ إذْ عَمَّ البِلادَ بَلاؤُهُ

والريحُ يُشْمِلُ بالسَّمُومِ ويجنِبُ

When drought spread its affliction throughout the lands,

and the wind blew scorching heat from north and south,

واسْتَسْلَمَ الوَحْشُ المَرُوعُ لِصَيْدِهِ

جُوعاً وصرَّ مِنَ الحَرورِ الجُنْدُبُ

and the frightened wild beast surrendered to capture

from hunger, while the grasshopper shrilled in the burning heat,

والذِّئْبُ مِنْ طولِ الطَّوَى يَبْكي عَلَى

رِمَمِ المَواشي وابنُ دايَة ينعَبُ

and the wolf, from prolonged hunger, wept over

the livestock's remains, while Ibn Daya, the raven, croaked,

والناس قد ظنُّوا الظُّنُونَ كأنَّما

سَلَبَتْ قلوبَهم الرياحُ القُلَّبُ

and the people entertained doubts, as though

the shifting winds had stolen their hearts,

لم تَبْكِ للأَرْضِ السماءُ به ولا

رَقَّتْ لِشائِمِها البروقُ الخلَّبُ

the sky shed no tears for the earth during it, nor

did rainless lightning pity its watcher.

فَدَعَوْكَ مَخْبُوءاً لكلِّ كَرِيهةٍ

جَلَّتْ كما يُخْبا الحُسامُ ويُنْدبُ

Then they called on you, held in reserve for every calamity

that grows grave, as a keen blade is hidden and summoned.

فَرَفَعتَ عَشْرَاً مِنْ أنامِلَ داعياً

فانْهَلَّ أُسبوعاً سَحابٌ صَيبُ

You raised ten fingertips in supplication,

and a rain-laden cloud poured for a week.

فطَغَى عَلَى بُنْيانِ مكّةَ ماؤُهُ

أو كادَ يَنْبُتُ في البُيوتِ الطُّحْلُبُ

Its water overflowed the buildings of Mecca,

and algae almost grew inside the houses.

لَولا سألتَ اللَّهَ سُقيا رَحْمةٍ

ماتَتْ به الأحياءُ مما يَشربوا

Had you not asked God for a merciful watering,

the living would have died from the very water they drank.

فإذا البلادُ وكلُّ دارٍ رَوْضَةٌ

فيما يَرُوقُ وكلُّ وادٍ مُعْشِبُ

Then behold, the lands and every dwelling were gardens

in their delights, and every valley was grassy.

قد جئتُ أَسْتَسْقِي مكارِمَكَ التي

يَحْيا بها القَلْبُ المواتُ ويُخصِبُ

I have come seeking the rain of your generous favors, which

give life and fertility to the dead heart.

يا مَنْ يُرَجَّى فِي القيامةِ حيث لا

أُمٌّ تُرَجَّى للنّجَاةِ ولا أبُ

O you in whom hope is placed at the Resurrection, when no

mother is hoped in for salvation, nor any father!

يا فارِجَ الكُرَبِ العِظامِ وَوَاهِبَ الْ

مِنَنِ الجِسامِ إليكَ منك المهرَبُ

O dispeller of mighty woes, bestower of the

immense favors: to You, from You, is the refuge.

هَبْ لِي مِنَ الغُفْرانِ رَبِّ سعادةً

ما تُسْتَعادُ ونِعمةً ما تُسْلَبُ

Grant me, Lord, through forgiveness, a happiness

never reclaimed, and a blessing never taken away.

أيَضيقُ بِي أمرٌ وبابُ المصطفى

في الأرضِ أوسَعُ للعُفاةِ وَأرْحَبُ

Can any matter hem me in, while the Chosen One's door

is the widest and most spacious on earth for seekers?

لا تَقْنَطِي يا نفْسُ إِنَّ تَوَسُّلِي

بالمصطفى المختارِ ليسَ يُخَيَّبُ

Do not despair, my soul! My seeking intercession

through the Chosen One, the Elect, will not be frustrated.

أنَّى يَخِيبُ وقد تَعَطَّرَ مَشْرِقٌ

بمَدَائحي خيرَ الأنامِ ومَغْرِبُ

How could it fail, when the east has been perfumed

by my praises of the best of mankind, and the west as well?

آلَ النبيِّ وَمن لهم بالمصطفى

مَجْدٌ على السَّبْعِ الطِّباقِ مُطَنِّبُ

O family of the Prophet, and those who through the Chosen One possess

a glory whose tent-ropes stretch above the seven layered heavens!

حُزْتُمْ عظيماً مِنْ تُراثِ نُبُوَّةٍ

ما كان دونكُم لها مَنْ يَحجُبُ

You gained a great share of the heritage of prophethood,

with no one standing between you and it to bar you.

اللَّهُ حَسْبُكُمُ وَحَسْبِي إنني

في كلِّ مُعْضِلَةٍ بِكُمْ أتَحَسَّبُ

God suffices you and me; indeed, I

in every difficulty seek protection through you.

يا سادتي حُبِّي لكم ما تَنْقَضِي

أعمارُهُ وَحِبالُه ما تُقْضَبُ

O my masters, my love for you—never do

its lifetimes end, nor are its cords severed.

مِنْ مَعْشَرٍ نَزَلوا الفَلا فحصونُهُمْ

بِيدٌ بأطرافِ الرِّماحِ تُؤَشّبُ

You belong to a people who settled the wilderness; their fortresses

are deserts densely wooded with spearpoints.

ما فيهمُ لسنانِ عَيْبٍ مَطْعَنٌ

كَلَّا وَلا لحُسامِ رَيْبٍ مَضْرِبُ

Among them the spearpoint of fault finds no place to pierce,

nor, indeed, does the blade of doubt find a place to strike.

وَعَلَى الخَصاصَةِ يُؤْثِرُونَ بزادِهِم

وَيَلَذُّ مِنْ كَرَمٍ لهم أنْ يَسْغَبوا

Even in poverty, they give others preference with their provisions,

and generosity makes hunger sweet to them.

لا تَنْزِعُ اللُّوَّامُ أثْوَابَ النَّدَى

عنهم ويُخْصِبُ جُودُهم أنْ يُجْدِبوا

The reproachers cannot strip the robes of bounty

from them; their generosity thrives when they suffer drought.

جُبِلُوا على سِحْرِ البَيان فجاءهم

حَقُّ البيانِ عَنِ الرِّسالةِ يُعْرِبُ

They were fashioned with the magic of eloquence, then there came to them

true eloquence, declaring the message.

فاستسلَموا للعَجْزِ عنه وذو النُّهَى

تَأْبَى نُهاهُ قِتالَ مَنْ لا يُغْلَبُ

They yielded, unable to match it; a man of understanding

finds his reason refusing to fight one who cannot be defeated.

جاءتْ عجائبُهُم أمامَ عجائِبٍ

أُمُّ الزَّمانِ بِهِنَّ حُبْلَى مُقرِبُ

Their wonders came before wonders

with which mother Time is pregnant and near delivery.

ما بالُ مَنْ غَضِبَ الإلهُ عليهم

حادوا عن الحقِّ المُبِينِ ونَكَّبُوا

What ails those with whom God is angry?

They veered from the clear truth and turned aside.

كفَرَتْ عَلَى عِلمٍ بهم علماؤُهم

جَرِبَ الصَّحِيحُ وَلَمْ يَصِحَّ الأجربُ

Their scholars disbelieved despite their knowledge of them;

the healthy became mangy, but the mangy did not recover.

هلَّا تَمَنَّى المَوْتَ منهمْ معشرٌ

جَحَدُوهُ فامْتَحَنوا الدَّواءَ وَجَرّبُوا

Why did a group among them not wish for death—

those who denied him—and test and try the remedy?

أفيُؤْمِنُون بِهِ وَمِمَّن جاءهم

بالبَيِّنَاتِ مُقَتَّلٌ وَمُصَلَّبُ

Will they believe in him, when among those who came to them

with clear proofs are men slaughtered and crucified?

عَبَدُوا وموسى فيهمُ العجل الذي

ذُبِحوا بهِ ذَبحَ العجولِ وعُذِّبوا

While Moses was among them, they worshipped the calf, for which

they were slaughtered like calves and punished.

وصبَوا إِلى الأَوثانِ بَعدَ وَفاتِهِ

وَالرُّسْلُ مِنْ أسَفٍ عليهم تَنْدُبُ

After his death they inclined toward idols,

while the messengers lamented over them in sorrow.

وَإذا القلوبُ قَسَتْ فليس يُلِينها

خِلُّ يَلُومُ ولا عَدُوٌّ يَعْتِبُ

When hearts grow hard, they are softened neither by

a blaming friend nor a reproaching enemy.

وَأخو الضَّلالَةِ قالَ عيسى ربُّه

وَنَبِيُّهُ فأخو الضَّلالِ مُذَبْذَبُ

The man of error said that Jesus was his Lord

and his prophet—the man of error wavers.

ويقول خالِقُه أبوهُ وإنَّه

رَبٌّ وإنسانٌ أَلا فَتَعجَّبوا

He says that his creator is his father, and that he

is both Lord and human—indeed, be astonished!

أبِهَذِهِ العَوراتِ جَاءَتْ كُتبُهُم

أمْ حَرَّفوا منها الصَّوابَ وَوَرَّبُوا

Did their books bring these shameful flaws,

or did they distort their truth and twist it?

فاعوجَّ منها ما استقامَ طلوعُه

فكأنها بين النُّجُومِ العَقْرَبُ

So what had risen straight from them became crooked,

as though among the stars they were the Scorpion.

عَجَباً لهمْ ما بَاهَلوه ولِم أبَتْ

أحْبارُ نَجرانَ الّذينَ تَرَهَّبُوا

How strange that they did not invoke mutual curses against him! Why did

Najran's learned men, who had become monks, refuse?

ولقد تَحَدَّى بالبيانِ لقَومِهِ

وإليهمُ يُعزَى البيانُ ويُنسَبُ

He indeed challenged his people with eloquence,

though to them eloquence is ascribed and attributed.

فتَهَيَّبُوه وما أتَوْهُ بِسُورَةٍ

مِنْ مِثله وبيانُهُم يُتَهَيَّبُ

They stood in awe of him and brought him no surah

like his, although their eloquence inspires awe.

مَنْ لَمْ يُؤَهِّلْهُ الإلهُ لحَالةٍ

فاتَتْهُ وهْوَ لِنَيْلِها مُتَأَهِّبُ

Whomever God has not fitted for a station,

it eludes him, though he stands ready to attain it.

عَجَباً لهم شَهِدُوا لهُ بأمانةٍ

حتى إذا أدَّى الأَمانة كَذَّبوا

How strange: they testified to his trustworthiness,

then, when he discharged the trust, they called him a liar.

وارتابَ فيه المشركون ولَمْ يَزَلْ

بالصِّدْقِ عند المشركينَ يُلَقَّبُ

The polytheists doubted him, though he had always

been known among the polytheists as truthful.

جَحَدُوا النبيَّ وقد أتاهم بالهُدَى

لَولا القضاءُ سألتَهُمْ ما المُوجِبُ

They denied the Prophet, though he brought them guidance;

were it not for destiny, you would ask them what compelled them.

للَّهِ يومُ خروجِه منْ مكةٍ

كخروجِ موسى خائفاً يَتَرَقَّبُ

To God belongs the day of his departure from Mecca,

like Moses' departure, fearful and watchful.

والجِنُّ تُنْشِدُ وحْشَةً لِفِرَاقِهِ

شِعْراً تَفيضُ به الدُّموعُ وتُسْكَبُ

The jinn recite, lonely at his parting,

verse through which tears overflow and are shed.

والغارُ قد شَنَّتْ عليه غارةً

أعْداؤُه حِرْصاً عليه وأجلبُوا

At the cave a raid had been launched against him

by his enemies, intent on him, rallying with clamor.

أرَأيتَ مَنْ يَجفو عليه قَوْمُه

تَحْنُو عليه العنكبوتُ وتحْدَبُ

Have you seen one whom his own people treat harshly,

while a spider shows him tenderness and care?

إنْ يكفروا بكتابِهِ فكتابُهُ

فَلَكٌ يَدُورُ على الوُجُودِ مُكَوْكَبُ

If they disbelieve in his Book, his Book is

a star-studded sphere revolving over existence.

قامت لنا وعليهمُ حُجَجٌ به

فَبَدا الصَّباحُ وجَنَّ منه الغَيْهَبُ

Through it proofs were established for us and against them;

dawn appeared, and deep darkness was hidden by it.

فتصادمَ الحَقُّ المُبينُ وإفكهُم

فإذا النُّفُوسُ عَلَى الرَّدَى تَتَشَعَّبُ

The clear truth clashed with their falsehood,

and souls scattered along the paths of death.

فدَعوْا نَزال فأَوْقَدَتْ نيرانَها

سُمْرُ القَنا وَالعادِيَاتُ الشُّزَّبُ

They cried, 'Come to battle!' Its fires were kindled

by tawny spears and lean charging steeds.

فإذَا بِدِينِ الكُفْرِ يَنْدُبُ فَقْدَهُ

ذرِّيَّةً تُسْبَى وَمالٌ يُنْهَبُ

Then the creed of unbelief mourned its loss—

offspring taken captive, and wealth plundered.

غالَتْ بُغاثَهُمُ بُزَاةُ كَرِيهَةٍ

أظفارُها في كل صَيْدٍ تَنْشَبُ

The falcons of battle destroyed their weak birds,

their talons sinking into every quarry.

حتى بكى عَمراً هِشامٌ في الثَّرَى

مِنْ ذِلَّةٍ وَنَعَى حُيَيّاً أَخْطَبُ

Until Hisham, in the dust, wept for 'Amr

in humiliation, and Akhtab lamented Huyayy.

لا تُنْكِرُوا بُغْضِي عَدُوَّ المُصطفى

إني بِبُغْضِهِمُ لهُ أَتَحَبَّبُ

Do not disapprove of my hatred for the Chosen One's enemy;

through hatred of them I seek his love.

أقْسَمْتُ لا تَنْفَكُّ نارُ قَرِيحتي

أبداً عَلَى أعدائه تَتَلَهَّبُ

I swore: the fire of my poetic gift shall never cease

to blaze forever against his enemies.

هذا وَنُطْقِي دائماً بِمَدِيحِهِ

أذكَى مِنَ الوَرْدِ الجَنِيِّ وَأطْيَبُ

And yet my speech, always praising him,

is more fragrant and sweeter than a freshly plucked rose.

أُهْدِي له طِيبَ الثَّنَاءِ وإنّه

لَيُحِبُّ أنْ يُهْدَى إليه الطَّيِّبُ

I offer him the fragrance of praise, for he

truly loves to be offered sweet fragrance.

أُثْنِي عليه تَشَوُّقاً وتَعَبُّدَاً

لا أنّني لِصفاتِهِ أسْتَوْعِبُ

I praise him in longing and devotion,

not because I encompass all his attributes.

مُسْتَصْحِباً حُبِّي وإيماني لهُ

وكلاهُما مِنْ خَيْرِ ما يُستَصْحَبُ

Carrying with me my love and faith in him,

both among the best things to take as companions.

أشْتَاقُ للحَرَمِ الشَّرِيفِ بِلَوْعَةٍ

في القلبِ تَحْدُو بي إلَيْهِ وَتَجْذِبُ

I long for the noble sanctuary with a burning ache

in my heart that drives and draws me toward it.

ما لي سِوَى ذِكْرَى لهُ في رِحْلَتِي

زَادٌ وَلا غَيرُ اشْتياقِي مَرْكَبُ

I have nothing but remembrance of him on my journey

as provision, and no mount but my longing.

وَتَحِيَّة مني إليه يَرُدُّهَا

منه عليَّ مُسَلِّمٌ ومُرَحِّبُ

And a greeting from me to him, which is returned

from him to me by one who greets and welcomes.

صلَّى عليه اللَّهُ إنَّ صلاتَهُ

فَرْضٌ عَلَى كلِّ الأنامِ مُرَتَّبُ

May God bless him! Invoking blessing upon him

is a prescribed obligation upon all mankind,

ما حنَّ مُشْتاقٌ إلى أوطانِهِ

مِثْلي ورَاحَ بِوَصْفِها يَتَشَبَّبُ

as long as a yearning soul longs for his homelands,

as I do, and begins to sing lovingly of them.