فَتَّ بَينُ الرَّبَابِ في العين صَابَا

فَتَّ بَينُ الرَّبَابِ في العين صَابَا

فَجَرَى المَدمع المصونِّ وَصابَا

فَجَرَى المَدمع المصونِّ وَصابَا

Parting from al-Rabāb ground bitter spurge into my eye,

My heart was captivated by the alluring glance of the maid's eyes,

so the guarded tears ran and streamed down.

So tears welled up despite my efforts to restrain them.

وَغَلَت في الحَشَا زَوَافِرُ أنفَا

وَغَلَت في الحَشَا زَوَافِرُ أنفَا

سٍ تَشَكَّى الإِهابُ منها التِهابَا

سٍ تَشَكَّى الإِهابُ منها التِهابَا

Within my breast the sighing breaths boiled,

Her cheeks blushed a deeper red than the anemones in the meadows,

and my skin complained of their burning.

While her brows frowned with coquetry, kindling my passion.

رَابَ بَينُ الربابِ قلبي ولم أَش

رَابَ بَينُ الربابِ قلبي ولم أَش

عُر إِلَى أن حَدَا الحُداةُ الرَّبَابَا

عُر إِلَى أن حَدَا الحُداةُ الرَّبَابَا

Parting from al-Rabāb troubled my heart, yet I did not realize

My heart was spellbound by her glances and I failed to disenchant it

until the camel-drivers sang al-Rabāb onward.

Until the critics rebuked this obsession of mine.

فَتَلافَيتُ أُخرَيَاتِ ركابِ الظَع

فَتَلافَيتُ أُخرَيَاتِ ركابِ الظَع

نِ والظعنُ تَستَحِتُّ الرَّكَابَا

نِ والظعنُ تَستَحِتُّ الرَّكَابَا

So I caught up with the hindmost of the women's mounts,

So I avoided the slander of the critics? tongues,

while the women urged the camels on.

Though slander may make the best of men its target.

فَبَدَت لي الربابُ إِذ صِرنَ في وَع

فَبَدَت لي الربابُ إِذ صِرنَ في وَع

ثِ النَّقى تستميلُ عَنها النِّقَابَا

ثِ النَّقى تستميلُ عَنها النِّقَابَا

Then al-Rabāb appeared to me as they reached

When she demurely peered through her veil,

the dunes' loose sands, drawing her veil aside.

I saw her features give me a secret sign to return.

رَمَقتني فَأومَأت لِىَ إيَمَا

رَمَقتني فَأومَأت لِىَ إيَمَا

ءً خَفِيّاً بَأن اؤوبُ إِيابَا

ءً خَفِيّاً بَأن اؤوبُ إِيابَا

She glanced at me, then made me a gesture,

So when she glanced at me with a question in her eyes,

discreetly bidding me turn back.

I let my eyebrows give the answer.

فَتَلَقيتُ خَاجبي سُؤَالاً

فَتَلَقيتُ خَاجبي سُؤَالاً

فَرَأت مَسَّ حَاجِبَيهَا جَوابا

فَرَأت مَسَّ حَاجِبَيهَا جَوابا

I met her gesture with a questioning brow,

Then I noticed her shyly glancing about,

and she considered a touch of her brows an answer.

Fearing the spies and the envious gaze.

فَتَرَقَّبتُ أنَّها تَختَشِى مِن

فَتَرَقَّبتُ أنَّها تَختَشِى مِن

رُقَبَاها وحاسدِيهَا إرتِقَابَا

رُقَبَاها وحاسدِيهَا إرتِقَابَا

So I watched closely, aware that she feared

So I took refuge behind the dunes?

her watchers and those who envied her.

Indeed, the wilderness harbors both unevenness and dunes.

فَتَوَارَيتُ لاَئِذاً بِهِضَابٍ

فَتَوَارَيتُ لاَئِذاً بِهِضَابٍ

إنَّ في الحِقفِ رَمَّلَةً وهِضَابَا

إنَّ في الحِقفِ رَمَّلَةً وهِضَابَا

I hid, seeking shelter among hills;

She unveiled her face, whose veil

indeed, the curving dune holds sand and hills.

Concealed her cheeks and denied me the vision.

ورَنَت وِجهَتِى فَمَّ عَلَيهَا

ورَنَت وِجهَتِى فَمَّ عَلَيهَا

حَاجِبَاهَا وعَاذِلاىَ الحجابَا

حَاجِبَاهَا وعَاذِلاىَ الحجابَا

She gazed toward me; then over her

So I remained perplexed and bewildered,

her two guards and my two reproachers closed the veil.

Wondering if I pitied or envied the passionate youth.

فَبَقِيتُ المُدَلَّهَ الحائِرَ الصَّبب

فَبَقِيتُ المُدَلَّهَ الحائِرَ الصَّبب

آسُبُّ امرءاً صباً أو تَصَابى

آسُبُّ امرءاً صباً أو تَصَابى

I remained distracted, bewildered, lovesick,

Indeed, passion holds an excruciating pang

cursing anyone who loved or feigned love.

That troubles the calm and brings unrest.

إنَّ للعشقِ لَوعَةً مُختَشَاةً

إنَّ للعشقِ لَوعَةً مُختَشَاةً

تُكسِبُ الرَّاسِىَ المُنِيفَ اضطِرَابَا

تُكسِبُ الرَّاسِىَ المُنِيفَ اضطِرَابَا

Love has a searing pain to be feared,

It excites desire in the devout hermit

setting even the lofty, steadfast mountain trembling.

Until he sees devotion as a stigma.

وتُثيرُ الغرامَ للراهبِ الأش

وتُثيرُ الغرامَ للراهبِ الأش

مَطِ حتى يَرَى التَّرَهُّبَ عَابَا

مَطِ حتى يَرَى التَّرَهُّبَ عَابَا

It stirs passion in the gray-haired monk,

It drives away his sanity and leaves him

until he regards monastic life as a fault.

Weeping with desire in the meadows of youth.

وتَذودُ إرعَوَاءَهُ فتَرَاهُ

وتَذودُ إرعَوَاءَهُ فتَرَاهُ

مُستَهاماً يبكىِ الرُّبُوعَ اليَبَابَا

مُستَهاماً يبكىِ الرُّبُوعَ اليَبَابَا

It drives away his self-restraint, and you see him

He longs to hear the answer from these meadows,

love-crazed, weeping over deserted dwellings,

But the youthful meadows prolong the answer.

ويريدُ الجوابَ منها اتَحجُو

ويريدُ الجوابَ منها اتَحجُو

نَ الربوعَ اليبابَ تُبدِى الجَوابَا

نَ الربوعَ اليبابَ تُبدِى الجَوابَا

seeking an answer from them. Do you suppose

The first glance of passion is sweet, but prolonged

deserted dwellings will give an answer?

Sweetness turns into torture for him who tastes it.

أول العشقِ نَظرةٌ عذبةٌ والعَذ

أول العشقِ نَظرةٌ عذبةٌ والعَذ

بُ مَن مَدَّهُ استحالَ عَذَابَا

بُ مَن مَدَّهُ استحالَ عَذَابَا

Love begins with a sweet glance; yet sweetness,

If the youth?s passion was for someone else,

if prolonged, turns into torment.

He would not be considered violated by the canon of passion.

لَم يَكُ الصَّبُ إِن أُصِيبَ بِغَيرش ال

لَم يَكُ الصَّبُ إِن أُصِيبَ بِغَيرش ال

بَينِ في شِرعةِ الصُّبَاةِ مُصَابَا

بَينِ في شِرعةِ الصُّبَاةِ مُصَابَا

A lover struck by anything other than separation

My friend reproached me when he realized

is not truly stricken in lovers' law.

My confusion, censuring me with contempt.

قَالَ لِى صَاحبي وقد عَلِمَ الحَي

قَالَ لِى صَاحبي وقد عَلِمَ الحَي

رَةَ مِنِّي وَلجَّ عَذلاً وَعَابَا

رَةَ مِنِّي وَلجَّ عَذلاً وَعَابَا

My companion said to me, having seen my

?O perplexed wanderer,? he said,

bewilderment, persisting in reproach and blame:

?Climb the ladder of guidance and good counsel.

أيُّهَا الحَائِرُ المُدَلَّهُ يَمِّم

أيُّهَا الحَائِرُ المُدَلَّهُ يَمِّم

سُلَّمَ الهَدىِ والفَخَارَ اللُّبَابَا

سُلَّمَ الهَدىِ والفَخَارَ اللُّبَابَا

O bewildered, love-distracted one, turn toward

?And examine the sublime, gentle law

the ladder of guidance and the purest glory,

That can never be matched or duplicated.

وَمَحَكَّ الشَّرِيعَةِ المرتضاةَ السَّم

وَمَحَكَّ الشَّرِيعَةِ المرتضاةَ السَّم

حَةَ العذبةَ التي لَن تُشَابَا

حَةَ العذبةَ التي لَن تُشَابَا

the touchstone of the approved law,

And avoid misguidance and innovations? paths

tolerant and sweet, never to be adulterated;

That alter and change the fundamentals.

واجتنابَ الضلال والطرقاتِ ال

واجتنابَ الضلال والطرقاتِ ال

مُحدثاتِ المُغَيَّرَاتِ اجتنابَا

مُحدثاتِ المُغَيَّرَاتِ اجتنابَا

the shunning of error and of those paths

?And attain mastery of the manifest and hidden knowledge

newly invented and altered—shunning them utterly;

That answers questions and responds to queries.

وجلاءَ العوِيصِ في عِلمى الظَّا

وجلاءَ العوِيصِ في عِلمى الظَّا

هِر والباطِن المُجِيبَ المُجَابَا

هِر والباطِن المُجِيبَ المُجَابَا

the unraveler of difficulties in the sciences of the outward

And reach the exalted abode and the firm handhold,

and inward, he who answers and is answered;

And the refuge of widows held in good esteem.

والمَحَلَّ الأجَلَّ والعروة الوُث

والمَحَلَّ الأجَلَّ والعروة الوُث

قَى ومأوى الأرامِل المُستَطابَا

قَى ومأوى الأرامِل المُستَطابَا

the loftiest station, the firmest

?And the abundant oasis with lasting springs

handhold, and widows' welcome refuge;

And the spacious hall of hospitality.

والجفانَ الجوابي المُترَعاتِ ال

والجفانَ الجوابي المُترَعاتِ ال

غُرَّ والمنزلَ الفسيح الرِّحَابَا

غُرَّ والمنزلَ الفسيح الرِّحَابَا

the brimming bowls, great as reservoirs,

And the copious rain that dispels distress

the gleaming bowls, and the home with spacious courts;

And wards off affliction with propitious downpour.

والندىَّ المُفَرِّجَ الكُرَبَ الدَّا

والندىَّ المُفَرِّجَ الكُرَبَ الدَّا

فِعَ ما يُختَشَى المصيبَ الصَّوابَا

فِعَ ما يُختَشَى المصيبَ الصَّوابَا

the bounty that relieves distress and drives

?Imitating in word and deed the followers

away what is feared, attaining what is right;

Who resemble each other like crows resemble crows.

مشبَهَ التابعينَ في القولِ وال

مشبَهَ التابعينَ في القولِ وال

فعلِ كما يُشبِهُ الغُرابُ الغرابا

فعلِ كما يُشبِهُ الغُرابُ الغرابا

one who resembles the Followers in word and

He who ghosts the caravan and contents the bold,

deed, as one crow resembles another;

And facilely accomplishes feats of great difficulty.

مَن أقَامَ الصَّفَا ورَاضَ الحَرونَ الص

مَن أقَامَ الصَّفَا ورَاضَ الحَرونَ الص

صَعبَ وأستسهل الخطوبَ الصِّعابَا

صَعبَ وأستسهل الخطوبَ الصِّعابَا

him who raised the smooth rock and tamed the stubborn,

?A home is but a home, yet when you enter it,

unruly beast, making light of grievous trials.

You will not find a doorman barring its gate.

دَارُ دَارٍ إذَا حَلَلتَ بِهَا لَم

دَارُ دَارٍ إذَا حَلَلتَ بِهَا لَم

تَستَبِن عِندَ بَابِها بَوَّابَا

تَستَبِن عِندَ بَابِها بَوَّابَا

A true home: when you lodge there, you will not

And when you enter it, you enter peace and prosperity

find a gatekeeper at its door.

And fertile land of hidden treasures.

وإذَا ما دخلتَ فيها دخلتَ ال

وإذَا ما دخلتَ فيها دخلتَ ال

أَمن واليُمنَ والخصيبَ الجَنَابَا

أَمن واليُمنَ والخصيبَ الجَنَابَا

And when you enter it, you enter

?Indeed, if you knew the sanctity of that home,

safety, good fortune, and fertile surroundings.

You would wish for no other home but it.

إنَّ للدارِ لو علمتَ حِمًى لَم

إنَّ للدارِ لو علمتَ حِمًى لَم

يَكُ يَرضَى إلى سواها انقلابا

يَكُ يَرضَى إلى سواها انقلابا

The house has, if you only knew, a sanctuary;

It protects a man from snakes? venom,

one would never willingly turn elsewhere.

Wild animals, water, and ravenous wolves.

تَأمَنُ الرِّجلُ منهُ سُمَّ الأَفَاعِى

تَأمَنُ الرِّجلُ منهُ سُمَّ الأَفَاعِى

والجُذَا الماءَ والرَّبيضُ الذئابا

والجُذَا الماءَ والرَّبيضُ الذئابا

Through him the foot is safe from vipers' venom,

?With justice, it makes punishment a relief

firebrands from water, and resting flocks from wolves.

If it gets severe, and relief a punishment,

عَادِلاً يَجعَلُ العُقَابَ بُغَاثاً

عَادِلاً يَجعَلُ العُقَابَ بُغَاثاً

إن عَتَت عنهُ والبُغَاثَ عُقَابَا

إن عَتَت عنهُ والبُغَاثَ عُقَابَا

Justly, he makes the eagle a weakling bird,

And rugged boulders into soft sand dunes,

if it rebels against him, and the weakling birds eagles;

And pure, delicate sand into unbreakable rocks.

والصَّخُورَ الصِّلاَبَ رَملاً كَثِيباً

والصَّخُورَ الصِّلاَبَ رَملاً كَثِيباً

والكثيبَ النَّقَى الصخورَ الصِّلابَا

والكثيبَ النَّقَى الصخورَ الصِّلابَا

and hard rocks into heaped sand,

?Such is a decree and wisdom particular to Him;

and the sandy dune into hard rocks.

With it, one need not fear randomness and severity.

ذَاكَ حُكمٌ وحكمةٌ خَصَّهُ الل

ذَاكَ حُكمٌ وحكمةٌ خَصَّهُ الل

هُ بِها لَن يَهابَ فيها الجِذَابَا

هُ بِها لَن يَهابَ فيها الجِذَابَا

Such are judgment and wisdom that God

?Muhammad had no flaw but that

has bestowed on him; in them he fears no contention.

In obeying God, he was extremely rigorous.

لم يكنَّ في مُحمدٍّ عيبٌ إلاَّ

لم يكنَّ في مُحمدٍّ عيبٌ إلاَّ

أنَّهُ في إطَاعةِ اللهِ شابا

أنَّهُ في إطَاعةِ اللهِ شابا

There was no fault in Muhammad except

?A scholar, practitioner, man of letters and taste,

that he grew gray obeying God:

A poet whose discourse holds all rhetoric spellbound.

عالمٍ عاملٍ أديبٍ ظريفٍ

عالمٍ عاملٍ أديبٍ ظريفٍ

شاعرٍ يمنع الخطبَ الخِطَابا

شاعرٍ يمنع الخطبَ الخِطَابا

a learned man who acts, cultured and refined,

Poetry draws nearby meanings and distant ones

a poet who denies calamity a voice.

Whenever it calls them, they dutifully respond.

يَأخذ الشعرُ مِن معانٍ قَرِيبَا

يَأخذ الشعرُ مِن معانٍ قَرِيبَا

تٍ بَعِيداتٍ إِن دَعَاهُ أَجَابَا

تٍ بَعِيداتٍ إِن دَعَاهُ أَجَابَا

His poetry draws upon meanings near

Would that I attain what I wish,

and far; whenever he calls it, it answers.

And replace old-age that white hair has claimed with youth!

لَيتني نِلتُ مَا أوَدَّ فَأب

لَيتني نِلتُ مَا أوَدَّ فَأب

دَلت مَشِيباً قَد اعتَرَاهُ شَبَابَا

دَلت مَشِيباً قَد اعتَرَاهُ شَبَابَا

Would that I attained my wish and

?If he is a youth, then pride lies prostrate

replaced the gray that overtook him with youth!

At the soles of his feet in submission.

إِن يَكُن شَابَ فالمَفَاخِرُ مَدَّت

إِن يَكُن شَابَ فالمَفَاخِرُ مَدَّت

خَاضِعاتٍ لأَخمُصَيهِ الرِّقَابَا

خَاضِعاتٍ لأَخمُصَيهِ الرِّقَابَا

If he has grown gray, noble honors have stretched

Without him today the gate to all glory is closed;

their necks, submissively, beneath his soles.

Without him we have no access to glorious deeds.

فَهوَبَابُ المكارِمِ اليوم لَولاَ

فَهوَبَابُ المكارِمِ اليوم لَولاَ

هُ عَدِمنَا إلى المكارم بَابَا

هُ عَدِمنَا إلى المكارم بَابَا

Today he is the gateway to noble deeds; without

?He differed from people regarding alms,

him we would find no gateway to them.

But such difference only brought him greater reward.

خَالَفَ الناسَ في الزَّكاةِ ولَكِن

خَالَفَ الناسَ في الزَّكاةِ ولَكِن

زَادَهُ ذَلِكَ الخلاف ثَوَابَا

زَادَهُ ذَلِكَ الخلاف ثَوَابَا

He differed from others in almsgiving, yet

He made every season a year for almsgiving,

that difference increased his reward.

Finding in each amount of wealth a due portion.

جَعلَ الحولَ كُلَّ آنٍ وفي كُل

جَعلَ الحولَ كُلَّ آنٍ وفي كُل

لِ نِصابٍ يرى الزكاةَ نِصَابا

لِ نِصابٍ يرى الزكاةَ نِصَابا

He made each moment a year, and in every

?O people, he was a mother to you all,

taxable holding reckoned the full holding as its alms.

Never did he reproach or rebuke you.

أيُّها الناسُ إنَّهُ كان أُمّاً

أيُّها الناسُ إنَّهُ كان أُمّاً

لكُمُ لم تُثر عليكم عِتَابا

لكُمُ لم تُثر عليكم عِتَابا

People, he has been a mother

He followed the flawless Sunna in upholding

to you, never raising reproach against you.

Your rights, mindful of Scripture and human dignity.

يَقتفي السنةَ القويمةَ في حَق

يَقتفي السنةَ القويمةَ في حَق

قِ مراعاة حقكم والكتابا

قِ مراعاة حقكم والكتابا

He follows the upright Sunnah in the duty

?So pray earnestly for an extended lifetime for him

of safeguarding your rights—and the Book as well.

In serving the Sublime Scripture!

فَانفُضُوا في الدُّعَا له بامتداد ال

فَانفُضُوا في الدُّعَا له بامتداد ال

عُمرِ في خدمة الكتابِ العِيَابا

عُمرِ في خدمة الكتابِ العِيَابا

So shake out, in prayer for the prolonging of his

?O fleeting world, if you reflected on your evanescence,

life in the Book's service, your bags.

You would lament your disappearance.

أيها الدهر لو تفكرتَ في دَه

أيها الدهر لو تفكرتَ في دَه

رٍ بِلاَهُ انتحبَت منهُ انتِحَابا

رٍ بِلاَهُ انتحبَت منهُ انتِحَابا

O Time, if you considered an age

?You would waver, abandon your amusements,

without him, you would sob over it;

Estrange your friends and loved ones.

وَتلَكَّيتَ واجتَويتَ الملاهي

وَتلَكَّيتَ واجتَويتَ الملاهي

وجَفَوتَ الإخوانَ والأحبَابَأ

وجَفَوتَ الإخوانَ والأحبَابَأ

you would falter and loathe amusements,

?You would implore the Giver to grant longevity

shun brothers and loved ones,

To that virtuous, handsome youth of generosity.

وسالتَ الوهابَ أن يَهَبَ العُم

وسالتَ الوهابَ أن يَهَبَ العُم

رَ الطويلَ الفتَى الرِّضا الوَهابا

رَ الطويلَ الفتَى الرِّضا الوَهابا

and ask the Bestower to grant a long

?And you would plead through the Prophet and those

life to the worthy, bountiful young man;

Who in his defense fought many battles as his comrades

وتوسلَّتَ بالنبي ومَن كَا

وتوسلَّتَ بالنبي ومَن كَا

نُوا له في المُرَابطاتِ صِحَابا

نُوا له في المُرَابطاتِ صِحَابا

and seek intercession through the Prophet and those who

?That he be showered with perpetual blessings from his Lord

were his companions in the frontier watches.

Which time can never fail to bring forth in abundance."

يَمَّمتُهُ مِن رَبِّهِ صلواتٌ

يَمَّمتُهُ مِن رَبِّهِ صلواتٌ

لَم تَنِ الدَّهرَ فَائِحَاتٍ مَلاَبَا

لَم تَنِ الدَّهرَ فَائِحَاتٍ مَلاَبَا

I sought him; blessings from his Lord

never cease through time, wafting malab perfume.