حَيَّتhail to رُسومَكَyour traces جِدَّةٌJeddah مِنas دارِa dwelling
حَيَّت رُسومَكَ جِدَّةٌ مِن دارِ
وَسَرَتand traveled by night عَلَيكَover you مِنَfrom الغَمامِthe clouds سَوارِnight-rains
وَسَرَت عَلَيكَ مِنَ الغَمامِ سَوارِ
Hail to your traces, Jeddah, dwelling that you are;
Your features have become old from the house,
and may night-rains from the clouds pass over you.
And the bracelets of clouds have flowed over you.
فَصُبابَتيso my ardent longing بِمُحَصَّبٍat Muhassab مِنfrom خَبئِهاits hidden store
فَصُبابَتي بِمُحَصَّبٍ مِن خَبئِها
نَثَرَتscattered جِمارَpebbles of الدَمعِtears مِنfrom أَشفارِeyelashes
نَثَرَت جِمارَ الدَمعِ مِن أَشفارِ
So my longing at Muhassab, from its hidden store,
So my youthfulness with curled locks
scattered tear-pebbles from my eyelashes.
Sheds the tears' embers from the eyelids.
رَسمٌa trace يُساوِرُهُassails it البِلىdecay فَكَأَنَّهُso it is as though
رَسمٌ يُساوِرُهُ البِلى فَكَأَنَّهُ
فيهِin it وَشيكُimminent المَحوِerasure فيin الأَسطارِthe written lines
فيهِ وَشيكُ المَحوِ في الأَسطارِ
A trace assailed by decay, so that it seems
A drawing, worn by oblivion, as if
in its grip like writing in lines about to be erased.
It is about to fade soon in the lines.
تَرَكَleft المتيَّمَthe love-stricken one لاnot يُفيقُrecovers وَماand did not اِحتَسىdrink
تَرَكَ المتيَّمَ لا يُفيقُ وَما اِحتَسى
إلّاexcept مُثارَthe stirrings of الشَوقِlonging غَيرَnot مُدارِpassed around
إلّا مُثارَ الشَوقِ غَيرَ مُدارِ
It left the love-stricken man unable to recover, though he drank
It left the lover sleepless, and he gained
only the stirrings of longing, no wine passed round.
Nothing but the arousal of longing and turning.
فَيخالُso he imagines نفحَthe waft of التُربِdust مِسكاًmusk أَذفَراًstrongly fragrant
فَيخالُ نفحَ التُربِ مِسكاً أَذفَراً
وَيَخالُand he imagines عِطفَthe curve of النُؤيthe encircling ditch شَطرَhalf of سِوارِa bracelet
وَيَخالُ عِطفَ النُؤي شَطرَ سِوارِ
So he imagines the dust's waft to be pungent musk,
So he imagines the scent of dust to be fragrant musk,
and the curve of the encircling ditch half a bracelet.
And imagines the bending of the twigs to be a bracelet.
وَمُنازِعيand sharing with me كَأسَthe cup of السُهادِsleeplessness زَواهرٌradiant stars
وَمُنازِعي كَأسَ السُهادِ زَواهرٌ
أمَّheaded toward الذَميلُthe gentle trot بِهاwith them بَعيدَa distant مَغارِsetting-place
أمَّ الذَميلُ بِها بَعيدَ مَغارِ
And sharing my cup of sleeplessness are radiant stars,
My drinking companions of the goblet of wine
a gentle trot bearing them toward a distant setting;
Are flowers, through which the predawn gently blows.
أَوor بارِقٌa lightning flash طَيَّwithin الغَياهِبِdeep darkness مِثلَlike ماwhat
أَو بارِقٌ طَيَّ الغَياهِبِ مِثلَ ما
خَطَّتtraced عَلىupon سَبَجٍjet سُطورُlines of نُضارِgold
خَطَّت عَلى سَبَجٍ سُطورُ نُضارِ
or a lightning flash folded in deep darkness, like
Or it is a lightning that illuminated the dark,
lines of gold traced upon jet.
As lines of splendor described the horizon.
قَدَحَتهُstruck it alight أيديthe hands of الغَيمِthe clouds فيin فَحَمِthe charcoal of الدُجىnight's darkness
قَدَحَتهُ أيدي الغَيمِ في فَحَمِ الدُجى
فَكَأَنَّماso it is as though هُوَit مِنfrom أُوارِيَmy blaze وارِis kindled
فَكَأَنَّما هُوَ مِن أُوارِيَ وارِ
The clouds' hands struck it alight in night's charcoal,
The hands of the clouds sparked it in the gloom of night,
as though it had caught fire from my own blaze.
As if it were the flash of lightning and thunder.
وَرَعَيتُهاand I watched them حتّىuntil إذاwhen صَدَحَتsang out عَلىupon
وَرَعَيتُها حتّى إذا صَدَحَت عَلى
أَيكِthe thickets of الدُجُنَّةِdarkness للصَباحِfor dawn قُماريturtledoves
أَيكِ الدُجُنَّةِ للصَباحِ قُماري
And I watched them until there sang upon
I herded it until it bellowed
the thickets of darkness turtledoves greeting dawn.
At the time your sand dunes bellow for dawn.
وَلَقَدand indeed قَدَحتُI struck fire زِنادَthe flints of شَوقٍlonging يَهتَديfinds its way
وَلَقَد قَدَحتُ زِنادَ شَوقٍ يَهتَدي
بِلَهيبِهِby its blaze طَيفُthe apparition of الخَيالِfancy الساريtraveling by night
بِلَهيبِهِ طَيفُ الخَيالِ الساري
And indeed I struck longing's flints, to guide
And I have sparked a flint of longing that
by its blaze the night-roaming apparition of fancy.
Guides the specter of imagination astray.
لَكِنَّهُمbut they مَنَعواdenied الخَيالَthe apparition مَعَalong with الكَرىsleep
لَكِنَّهُم مَنَعوا الخَيالَ مَعَ الكَرى
وَكَفىand suffices بِصَدٍّwith rejection بَعدَafter شَحطِthe remoteness of مَزارِa meeting-place
وَكَفى بِصَدٍّ بَعدَ شَحطِ مَزارِ
But they denied me the apparition along with sleep;
But they prevented imagination along with worries,
and rejection is enough, added to the remoteness of the meeting-place.
And enough rejection after glory of tombs.
إنif بانَdeparted أُنسيmy comfort كانَbecame أُنسِيَmy comfort لَوعَتيmy anguish
إن بانَ أُنسي كانَ أُنسِيَ لَوعَتي
أوor بانَdeparted جاريmy neighbor كانَbecame دَمعيmy tears جاريflowing
أو بانَ جاري كانَ دَمعي جاري
If my comfort departs, my anguish is my comfort;
If my intimacy had lasted, my intimacy would have pained me,
or if my neighbor departs, my tears flow.
Or if my neighbor had lasted, my tears would have lasted.
أوor أنتَشِقI inhale أرَجَthe fragrance of الحَياةِlife فَذاكَthen that ماwhat
أو أنتَشِق أرَجَ الحَياةِ فَذاكَ ما
يُهديهِbrings it نَفحُthe waft of بَشامَةٍa balsam tree وَعَرارِand oxeye blossoms
يُهديهِ نَفحُ بَشامَةٍ وَعَرارِ
Or if I breathe life's fragrance, that is what
Or if I smell the scent of life, that is what
the waft of balsam and oxeye blossoms brings.
Is brought by a scent of youthfulness and commotion.
فاجعَلso make شِعارَكَyour watchword عَزمَةًa resolve مِنfrom هِمَّةٍaspiration
فاجعَل شِعارَكَ عَزمَةً مِن هِمَّةٍ
أَمضىsharper وَأقضىand more decisive مِنthan شَباةthe keen edge of غِرارِa blade
أَمضى وَأقضى مِن شَباة غِرارِ
So make your watchword a resolve born of aspiration,
So take as your motto a determination of ambition,
sharper and more decisive than a sword's keen edge.
Stronger and more fulfilling than the delusions of youth.
وَاحمِand forbid الذَميلَthe gentle trot علىto المَطِيِّthe riding camels سِوىexcept إذاwhen
وَاحمِ الذَميلَ على المَطِيِّ سِوى إذا
أمَّتthey headed toward بِوَخدٍwith swift strides مَطلِعَthe rising-place of الأَنوارِthe lights
أمَّت بِوَخدٍ مَطلِعَ الأَنوارِ
And withhold the trot from the riding camels, except when
And goad your riding camel beyond, unless
they head with swift strides for the rising-place of lights.
The possessor of a cheek has beckoned at daybreak.
وَالثَمand kiss هُنالِكthere تُربَةَthe soil of العِزِّglory الَّتيwhich
وَالثَم هُنالِك تُربَةَ العِزِّ الَّتي
أَزرىput to shame حَصاهاits pebbles رِفعَةًin eminence بِدَرارِcompared with shining stars
أَزرى حَصاها رِفعَةً بِدَرارِ
And kiss there the soil of glory, whose
And the price there is the soil of honor,
pebbles, in eminence, put shining stars to shame.
Which I have planted its pebbles with elevation.
الأَمجَدُthe most glorious الشَرِفthe noble الَّذيwhich قَدindeed جادَهُshowered it
الأَمجَدُ الشَرِف الَّذي قَد جادَهُ
مِنfrom نَفحِthe breath of روحِthe spirit of اللَهِGod صَوبُa downpour of قِطارِrain showers
مِن نَفحِ روحِ اللَهِ صَوبُ قِطارِ
The most glorious, noble ground, which has received
The greatest glory is the honor that
a downpour from the breath of God's spirit.
Flowed to people from the breath of God.
حَرَمُthe sanctuary of الهدايَةِguidance وَالرِسالَةِand the prophetic message خَيرُthe best ماplace where
حَرَمُ الهدايَةِ وَالرِسالَةِ خَيرُ ما
يُلقيlays down النَزيلُthe guest بِهِthere عَصىthe staff of التَسيارِtravel
يُلقي النَزيلُ بِهِ عَصى التَسيارِ
The sanctuary of guidance and the prophetic message, the best place
The sanctuary of guidance and message is the best
where a guest may lay down the staff of travel.
That the guest throws his walking stick at.
وَطَنُthe home of النَبِيُّthe Prophet الطاهِرِthe pure المُختارِthe chosen مَنwho
وَطَنُ النَبِيُّ الطاهِرِ المُختارِ مَن
أَعلىraised high ذَوائِبَthe forelocks of يَعرُبٍYa'rub وَنِزارِand Nizar
أَعلى ذَوائِبَ يَعرُبٍ وَنِزارِ
The home of the pure, chosen Prophet, who
It is the homeland of the purest, chosen Prophet,
raised high the forelocks of Ya'rub and Nizar;
From the highest Arab genealogies.
هادٍa guide إِلىto السَنَنِthe path القَويمِthe upright وَآخِذٍand one who grasps
هادٍ إِلى السَنَنِ القَويمِ وَآخِذٍ
حِجزَthe waistbands of الخَلائِقِhumankind عَنaway from شَفيرِthe brink of النارِthe Fire
حِجزَ الخَلائِقِ عَن شَفيرِ النارِ
a guide to the upright path, and one who grasps
Guiding to the straight path, adhering
people's waistbands to draw them from the brink of the Fire;
To people's reins from the edge of Hellfire.
وَمُؤَيَّدٍand supported بِالمُعجِزاتِby the miracles المُحكَماthe conclusive (continued)
وَمُؤَيَّدٍ بِالمُعجِزاتِ المُحكَما
تِplural-ending fragment الساطِعاتِthe radiant الواضِحاتِthe clear مَنارِin their beacons
تِ الساطِعاتِ الواضِحاتِ مَنارِ
and upheld by conclusive miracles,
Confirmed by evident, shining miracles
radiant, with clear beacons.
That illuminate as lighthouses.
وَتَباشَرَand rejoiced الهُدىguidance المُنيفُthe exalted بِهِin him كَماas
وَتَباشَرَ الهُدى المُنيفُ بِهِ كَما
يَتَباشَرُrejoice الأَمحالُdrought-stricken lands بِالأَمطارِin the rains
يَتَباشَرُ الأَمحالُ بِالأَمطارِ
And exalted guidance rejoiced in him, as
And the gentle guidance flowed through it,
drought-stricken lands rejoice in rain.
As showers flow through afflictions.
وَتَزَيَّنَتand adorned itself بِشِعارِهwith his emblem الدُنياthe world كَماas
وَتَزَيَّنَت بِشِعارِه الدُنيا كَما
تَتَزَيَّنُadorn themselves الأَغصانُthe branches بِالأَزهارِwith flowers
تَتَزَيَّنُ الأَغصانُ بِالأَزهارِ
And the world adorned itself with his emblem, as
And it has adorned itself with his emblem
branches adorn themselves with flowers.
As branches adorn themselves with flowers.
وَانجابَand lifted غَيمُthe cloud of الشَكِّdoubt عَنfrom وَجهِthe face of الهُدىguidance
وَانجابَ غَيمُ الشَكِّ عَن وَجهِ الهُدى
وَأَنارَand shone بَدرُthe full moon of الحَقِّtruth بَعدَafter سِرارِthe moon's dark phase
وَأَنارَ بَدرُ الحَقِّ بَعدَ سِرارِ
And the cloud of doubt lifted from guidance's face,
The cloud of doubt went away from the face of guidance,
and truth's full moon shone after the dark of the moon.
And the moon of truth shone after concealment.
ياO خَيرَbest of مَنthose who يَجريhastens الرَجاءُhope لِبابِهto his door
يا خَيرَ مَن يَجري الرَجاءُ لِبابِه
حَذَرَfor fear of البَوارِperdition وَموبِقَand the ruin of الأَوزارِsins
حَذَرَ البَوارِ وَموبِقَ الأَوزارِ
O best of those to whose door hope hastens,
O best one, to whose door hopes flow,
for fear of perdition and the ruin brought by sins.
Cautious of destruction and burdensome sins.
فَصِفاتُكَfor your qualities الغُرُّthe radiant الَّتيwhich لاnot تَنقَضيare exhausted
فَصِفاتُكَ الغُرُّ الَّتي لا تَنقَضي
أَوunless تَنقَضيare exhausted بِالعَدِّby counting قَطرُthe drops of بِحارِseas
أَو تَنقَضي بِالعَدِّ قَطرُ بِحارِ
For your radiant qualities, which cannot be exhausted
Your sublime characteristics that do not end
unless the seas' drops are exhausted by counting,
Or end by counting are drops of seas.
أَخرَسنَhave silenced كُلَّevery أخيpossessor of بَيانٍeloquence مُسهِبٍexpansive in speech
أَخرَسنَ كُلَّ أخي بَيانٍ مُسهِبٍ
وَجَلَبنَand have brought عَيَّspeechlessness المِصقَعِto the eloquent orator المِكثارِthe prolific speaker
وَجَلَبنَ عَيَّ المِصقَعِ المِكثارِ
have silenced every eloquent, expansive speaker,
It silenced every eloquent brother
and brought speechlessness to the eloquent, prolific orator.
And amazed the constant chatterer.
صَلّىmay bless عَلَيكَyou اللَهُGod ماas long as نَمَّreveals الصَباthe east wind
صَلّى عَلَيكَ اللَهُ ما نَمَّ الصَبا
بِشَذىthe fragrance of رِياضِgardens of الزَهرِflowers فيin الأَسحارِthe predawn hours
بِشَذى رِياضِ الزَهرِ في الأَسحارِ
May God bless you as long as the east wind tells
May God send blessings upon you as long as
of the fragrance of flower gardens in the hours before dawn.
Dawn breathes the scent of meadows at daybreak.
وَأَدامَand may sustain وارِثَthe heir to دَستِthe throne of هَديِكَyour guidance سِبطَكَyour descendant الزthe (word continued)
وَأَدامَ وارِثَ دَستِ هَديِكَ سِبطَكَ الز
زاكيpure الأَرومَةِin lineage فيin أَصيلِdeep-rooted فَخارِglory
زاكي الأَرومَةِ في أَصيلِ فَخارِ
And sustain the heir to your throne of guidance, your descendant,
And may He keep your heir, your pure grandson,
pure in lineage, rooted in ancient glory.
The fertile palm tree on original ground.
سَبّاقُforemost racer شَأوِin the course of المَجدِglory أَدنىthe slightest خَطوُهُhis step
سَبّاقُ شَأوِ المَجدِ أَدنى خَطوُهُ
أَمَدَthe farthest goal of المُباريthe rival أَوor طُموحَthe aspiration of مُجارِa competitor
أَمَدَ المُباري أَو طُموحَ مُجارِ
Foremost in glory's race, his slightest step is
His first step in the race of glory
a rival's farthest goal, or a competitor's highest aspiration.
Reaches further than the outstretched or the ambitious.
فَإِذاand when السَوابِقُthe frontrunners عارَضَتcontested مِضمارَهُhis racecourse
فَإِذا السَوابِقُ عارَضَت مِضمارَهُ
رَجَعَتthey returned وَلَمand did not تَعلَقcatch لَهُof his بِغُبارِany dust
رَجَعَت وَلَم تَعلَق لَهُ بِغُبارِ
And when the frontrunners compete on his course,
When the predecessors race with his track,
they return without even catching his dust.
They return without even a speck of his dust on them.
أَقلامُهُhis pens إنif خطَّتinscribed تَوقيعَthe signature of العُلىeminence
أَقلامُهُ إن خطَّت تَوقيعَ العُلى
يَومَthe day of الوَغىbattle قَصَدَfragments of القَناthe spears الخَطّارِthe brandished
يَومَ الوَغى قَصَدَ القَنا الخَطّارِ
His pens, when they inscribe glory's signature,
If his pens wrote the signature of exaltation
on battle's day, are fragments of brandished spears.
On the day of battle, it heads to the dangerous spearhead.
وَلَهُand he has نَدىthe bounty of كَفٍّa hand يُساجِلُهُrivals it الحَياthe rain
وَلَهُ نَدى كَفٍّ يُساجِلُهُ الحَيا
فَيَغُضُّthen curbs جامِحَهُits headlong rush يَدُthe hand of الإِقصارِfailure
فَيَغُضُّ جامِحَهُ يَدُ الإِقصارِ
And his hand has a bounty the rain tries to rival,
He has such splendor in his palm that life
yet the hand of failure checks its headlong rush.
Withdraws its deficient hand from competing with it.
ماnever أَقسَمَswore العافيthe supplicant بِهاby it إِلّاexcept اِنثَنىdeparted
ما أَقسَمَ العافي بِها إِلّا اِنثَنى
وَيَمينُهُand his oath مَقرونَةٌjoined بِيَسارِto prosperity
وَيَمينُهُ مَقرونَةٌ بِيَسارِ
No supplicant ever swore by it without departing
Whenever he swears an oath, he fulfills it,
with his oath joined to prosperity.
As his right hand is linked to the left.
فَهُوَfor he is الَّذيthe one who سَلَبَstripped المُلوكَthe kings نُفوسَهاof their lives
فَهُوَ الَّذي سَلَبَ المُلوكَ نُفوسَها
وَلَبوسَهاand their armor وَمُمهِّدُand pacifier of الأَقطارِthe lands
وَلَبوسَها وَمُمهِّدُ الأَقطارِ
For he is the one who stripped kings of their lives
He is the one who captured kings’ souls,
and their armor, and who pacifies the lands.
As well as their attire, and the preparer of lands.
ماnot عاصِمٌa protector مِنfrom دونِهِapart from him لُجَجٌdeep seas وَلاnor
ما عاصِمٌ مِن دونِهِ لُجَجٌ وَلا
يَحميprotects شَقِيّاًa wretched person مِنهُfrom him بيدُdesert expanses قِفارِdesolate
يَحمي شَقِيّاً مِنهُ بيدُ قِفارِ
Deep seas are no shelter from him, nor
No protector can protect the wicked from him,
do desolate deserts protect the wretched from him.
Nor can the hand of wastelands shelter the miserable.
وَمَتىand whenever يُجَهِّزhe dispatches للعُداةِto the enemies رِسالَةًa message
وَمَتى يُجَهِّز للعُداةِ رِسالَةً
كانَتit was لَهُمfor them بِالجَحفَلِby the army الجَرّارِthe vast
كانَت لَهُم بِالجَحفَلِ الجَرّارِ
And whenever he dispatches a message to his enemies,
And whenever he prepares a message for the enemies,
it is delivered by a vast, marching army.
It comes to them as a formidable army.
قَدّاحُstriker of زَندِthe flint of المكرُماتِnoble deeds وَمُعتَليand climber to
قَدّاحُ زَندِ المكرُماتِ وَمُعتَلي
أَوجَthe summit of الفَخارِglory وَمُدرِكُand avenger of الأَوتارِwrongs
أَوجَ الفَخارِ وَمُدرِكُ الأَوتارِ
He strikes the flint of noble deeds and ascends
The igniter of the flints of honors, the climber
glory's summit, and avenges wrongs.
To the peaks of pride, and the obtainer of goals.
وَجَميلُand the beauty of ذِكرِكyour renown صارَhas become أسرىfarther-ranging by night مِنthan صَباthe east wind
وَجَميلُ ذِكرِك صارَ أسرى مِن صَبا
فيin حَيثُwhere لاnot يَبدوappears دَليلُa sign of نَهارِdaylight
في حَيثُ لا يَبدو دَليلُ نَهارِ
And your fair renown has journeyed farther by night than the east wind,
The good mention of you has become a prisoner since childhood
where no sign of daylight can be seen.
Where no sign of daylight appears.
وَكَفىand suffices بِلَثمِwith kissing التُربِthe dust مِنfrom آثارِهِhis footsteps
وَكَفى بِلَثمِ التُربِ مِن آثارِهِ
شَرَفَthe ennobling of الرِقابِnecks وَرِفعَةَand elevation of المِقدارِrank
شَرَفَ الرِقابِ وَرِفعَةَ المِقدارِ
And kissing the dust from his footsteps is enough
And tasting the dust of your relics is enough
to ennoble necks and exalt one's rank.
For the honor of necks and the elevation of ranks.
لاmay not زالَcease وَهوَwhile he is مُؤيَّدٌsupported وَمُسَدَّدٌand rightly guided
لا زالَ وَهوَ مُؤيَّدٌ وَمُسَدَّدٌ
حاميdefender of الذِمارَhonor مُظَفَّرُvictorious الأَنصارِin his supporters
حامي الذِمارَ مُظَفَّرُ الأَنصارِ
May he ever remain, supported and rightly guided,
He still remains supported and guided,
defender of honor, his supporters victorious.
The protector of pillars and victorious supporter.
Sol 6.1