كَلِّفِtask العِيسَthe pale camels بِالسُّرَىwith night travel فَذرَاهَاfor their humps
كَلِّفِ العِيسَ بِالسُّرَى فَذرَاهَا
بُنِيَتwere built لأنهَدَامِهَاfor their wearing away بِسُرَاهَاby their night travel
بُنِيَت لأنهَدَامِهَا بِسُرَاهَا
Set the pale camels to night travel, for their humps
Entrust the camel to go to Sura and leave her
were built to be worn away by their night journeys.
She was built to endure her journey
إِنَّماonly عُرِّيَتwere left unsaddled شَهُوراًfor months لإِعمَاfor putting to work (first part)
إِنَّما عُرِّيَت شَهُوراً لإِعمَا
لِcompletion of 'putting to work' شُهُورٍmonths أمَامَهَاahead of them وَوَارَاهَاand behind them
لِ شُهُورٍ أمَامَهَا وَوَارَاهَا
They were left unsaddled for months only to be worked
She was stripped only to make it easier
for months ahead of them and behind them.
For the months ahead of her and behind her
عَدِّturn away عَنfrom رَعيِهَاtheir grazing وَدعَهاand let them تَبَارَىrace one another
عَدِّ عَن رَعيِهَا وَدعَها تَبَارَى
جَافِلاَتِbolting مُجَاذِبَاتِtugging against بُرَاهَاtheir nose-rings
جَافِلاَتِ مُجَاذِبَاتِ بُرَاهَا
Turn away from grazing them; let them race one another,
Stop minding her and let her speed ahead
bolting, tugging against their nose-rings.
Shaking off the jostling of her saddlebags
لاَdo not تَكُنbe مُشفِقاًcompassionate عَلَيهَاtoward them أفِيهَاis there in them?
لاَ تَكُن مُشفِقاً عَلَيهَا أفِيهَا
غَرَضٌany purpose بَعدَafter أنthat وَصَلَتthey reached عُلاَهَاtheir heights
غَرَضٌ بَعدَ أن وَصَلَت عُلاَهَا
Do not pity them; is there in them
Do not pity her, her goal awaits
any use once they have reached their lofty goal?
After she's climbed to the peak of her journey
القِهَاcast them فيinto لَظَىthe blaze of المَفَاوِزِthe desert wastes حَتَّىuntil
القِهَا في لَظَى المَفَاوِزِ حَتَّى
تَتَشَكَّىthey complain of كَلاَلَهَاtheir exhaustion وَوَجَاهَاand their sore feet
تَتَشَكَّى كَلاَلَهَا وَوَجَاهَا
Cast them into the blaze of the desert wastes until
Drive her into the heat of the desert until
they complain of their exhaustion and sore feet,
Her tiredness and resolve peel away
وَتَغَارَand sink inward العُيُونُthe eyes مِنهَاof them وتُمسِىand become by evening
وَتَغَارَ العُيُونُ مِنهَا وتُمسِى
ذُبَّلاًemaciated كَالقِسِىِّlike bows حِينَwhen تَرَاهَاyou see them
ذُبَّلاً كَالقِسِىِّ حِينَ تَرَاهَا
their eyes sink inward, and by evening they are
And eyes will be envious seeing her reduced
gaunt as bows when you behold them.
To withered hide once you look upon her
جَائِلاَتٍshifting about نُسُوعُهَاtheir saddle-straps تَتَغَالَىride high
جَائِلاَتٍ نُسُوعُهَا تَتَغَالَى
فَوقَabove عُوجٍcurved saddle-frames قَدalready أُسنِدَتwere braced لِقَرَاهَاagainst their backs
فَوقَ عُوجٍ قَد أُسنِدَت لِقَرَاهَا
Their saddle-straps shift about, riding high
A roaming camel whose lead rope ascends
over curved saddle-frames braced upon their backs.
Above a litter that props her burden
لَمdid not يَخُنهَاfail them ولَمand did not تَخُنهُfail him ولَكِنbut
لَم يَخُنهَا ولَم تَخُنهُ ولَكِن
شَفَّهَاwasted them جَذبُهَاtheir pulling البُرَىthe nose-rings وبَرَاهَاand wore them down
شَفَّهَا جَذبُهَا البُرَى وبَرَاهَا
He did not fail them, nor did they fail him; rather,
He did not betray her, nor did she betray him, but
their pulling at the nose-rings wasted them and wore them down.
The pulling of the desert and its width did part them
أغشِهَاmake them face هَولَthe terror of كُلِّevery يَهمَاءَpathless desert يَعيَاis unable
أغشِهَا هَولَ كُلِّ يَهمَاءَ يَعيَا
عَنto وُرُودِreaching المِيَاهِthe waters فِيهَاin it قَطَاهَاits sandgrouse
عَن وُرُودِ المِيَاهِ فِيهَا قَطَاهَا
Drive them into the terror of every pathless waste where
Distract her from every raving madman
its sandgrouse cannot find their way to water.
From the watering places within her range
تَهلَكِperishes الرِّيحُthe wind فيin جَوَانِبِهَاits reaches عَرbreadthwise (first part)
تَهلَكِ الرِّيحُ في جَوَانِبِهَا عَر
ضاًcompletion of 'breadthwise' وطُولاًand lengthwise لِهَولِهَاbecause of its terror وصَدَاهَاand its parching thirst
ضاً وطُولاً لِهَولِهَا وصَدَاهَا
The wind perishes in its reaches, across
The wind destroys its sides, broad and long
its breadth and length, from its terror and parching thirst.
To her fearful quaking and clatter
قَدindeed طَوَىhollowed with hunger الذِّئبَthe wolf قُوتُهاits fare وَطَوتهُand it folded him up
قَد طَوَى الذِّئبَ قُوتُها وَطَوتهُ
مِثلَlike طَىِّthe folding of الكِتَابَthe scroll كَفٍّa hand طَوَاهَاfolded it
مِثلَ طَىِّ الكِتَابَ كَفٍّ طَوَاهَا
Its fare has hollowed the wolf, and it has folded him
The wolf has consumed her food and she consumed him
as a hand folds up a scroll.
As a hand conceals a book it covers
فَهوso he يَدعُوcalls for الثُّبُورَdestruction فِيهَاin it سُحَيراًjust before dawn
فَهو يَدعُو الثُّبُورَ فِيهَا سُحَيراً
طَالَماfor a long time ضَلَّwas lost فيin رَجَاهَاits far reaches وتَاهَاand wandered astray
طَالَما ضَلَّ في رَجَاهَا وتَاهَا
So he cries for destruction there just before dawn,
So he calls to the camels gone astray there wildly
long lost and wandering in its far reaches,
After losing hope of her and wandering
هَائِماًwandering bewildered يَقتَرِىfollows طَوَامسَfaded أثَاtracks (first part)
هَائِماً يَقتَرِى طَوَامسَ أثَا
رِcompletion of 'tracks' ظِبَاءٍgazelles تَقَادَمَتhave grown old وَمَهَاهَاand its oryx
رِ ظِبَاءٍ تَقَادَمَت وَمَهَاهَا
roaming bewildered, following faded tracks
Roaming, feeding on the ruins
of gazelles and its oryx—tracks grown old—
Of bygone game, erased and forgotten
فيin بَلالِيقَbarren flats لاَno أنِيسَcompanion بِهاin them غَيexcept (first part)
في بَلالِيقَ لاَ أنِيسَ بِها غَي
رَcompletion of 'except' صَدَىthe echo of صَوتِthe sound of بُومِهَاits owls وصَداهَاand its male owls
رَ صَدَى صَوتِ بُومِهَا وصَداهَا
in barren flats where there is no companion but
In desolate places without friend but
the echo of the cries of its owls and male owls.
The echo of his moan and his call
عَلَّهَاperhaps they بَعدَafter أنthat تَرَامَتranged far أسَابِيweeks (first part)
عَلَّهَا بَعدَ أن تَرَامَت أسَابِي
عَcompletion of 'weeks' وَأَلقَتand they shed عَنِfrom العِظَامِthe bones نَقَاهَاtheir marrow
عَ وَأَلقَت عَنِ العِظَامِ نَقَاهَا
Perhaps, after ranging far for weeks
Perhaps after her bones are strewn about
and shedding the marrow from their bones,
And she's shed her flesh down to the marrow
تَبلُغِthey reach الحضرَةَthe presence الخَدِيمِيَّةِthe Khadimiyya السُّنthe Sunni (first part)
تَبلُغِ الحضرَةَ الخَدِيمِيَّةِ السُّن
نِيَّةِcompletion of 'Sunni' المُستَبَانَplainly manifest نُورُthe light of سَنَاهَاits radiance
نِيَّةِ المُستَبَانَ نُورُ سَنَاهَا
they will reach the Sunni Khadimiyya presence,
She will reach the praiseworthy, brilliant
the light of whose radiance is plainly manifest;
Eternal dominion, apparent in its light
حَضرَةَthe presence of المُصطَفَيMustafa الخَلِيفَةِthe caliph كَشَّاunraveler (first part)
حَضرَةَ المُصطَفَي الخَلِيفَةِ كَشَّا
فِcompletion of 'unraveler' العَوِيصَاتِintractable problems فيwithin حِجَابِthe veil of دُجَاهَاtheir darkness
فِ العَوِيصَاتِ في حِجَابِ دُجَاهَا
the presence of Mustafa, the caliph, who unravels
The dominion of Al-Mustafa the successor laying bare
intractable problems behind the veil of their darkness;
Mysteries within the veils of darkness
حَضرَةَthe presence of العِلمِknowledge وَالأَناةِand patient deliberation وَإِحياand revival (first part)
حَضرَةَ العِلمِ وَالأَناةِ وَإِحيا
ءِcompletion of 'revival' المَعالِيnoble qualities وَقَفوِand following سُنَّةِthe tradition of طَهَTaha
ءِ المَعالِي وَقَفوِ سُنَّةِ طَهَ
the presence of knowledge, patient deliberation, and revival
The dominion of knowledge, composure, and revival
of noble qualities, and of following Taha's tradition;
Of noble deeds and adherence to the Sunnah of Ta-Ha
حَضرَةthe presence of العَالِمِthe scholar التَّقِيِّthe God-fearing النَّقِيِّthe pure الthe
حَضرَة العَالِمِ التَّقِيِّ النَّقِيِّ ال
عاذِلِadmonisher البَاذِلِthe generous giver السَّكُوبَpouring forth نَدَاهَاits bounty
عاذِلِ البَاذِلِ السَّكُوبَ نَدَاهَا
the presence of the scholar, pious and pure,
The dominion of the scholar, the devout, the pure
the admonisher and giver, whose bounty pours forth;
The generous, who pours forth his bounty
حَضرَةَa presence مَنwhoever أَتَىcomes إِلَيهاto it سَعيدٌfortunate
حَضرَةَ مَن أَتَى إِلَيها سَعيدٌ
أَوor أَتَىvisits مَنone who أَتىvisited لِمَنto one who قَدhad أَتاهاcome to it
أَو أَتَى مَن أَتى لِمَن قَد أَتاها
a presence where whoever comes to it is fortunate,
The dominion that brings joy to one who comes
or visits someone who visited one who had come to it;
Or brings woe to one who comes for those who reached it
حَضرَةًa presence أُسِّسَتwas founded عَلَىon مَحضِpure تَقوَىreverence for الGod (first part)
حَضرَةً أُسِّسَت عَلَى مَحضِ تَقوَى ال
لَهِcompletion of 'God' طُوبَىblessedness لَهَاfor it وَوَاهاًand how wonderful! وَوَاهَاand how wonderful!
لَهِ طُوبَى لَهَا وَوَاهاً وَوَاهَا
a presence founded on pure reverence for
A dominion founded on pure, unsullied devotion
God—blessed be it! How wonderful, how wonderful!
Bless it, bless it, ever more blessing it!
جُنَّةٌa shield لِلعِبَادِfor worshippers دُونَagainst الدَّوَاهِىcalamities
جُنَّةٌ لِلعِبَادِ دُونَ الدَّوَاهِى
جَنَّةٌa garden لِلجَُنَاةِfor fruit-gatherers دَانٍnear جَنَاهَاits fruit
جَنَّةٌ لِلجَُنَاةِ دَانٍ جَنَاهَا
A shield for worshippers against calamities,
A paradise for servants not chasing worldly desires
a garden for fruit-gatherers, its fruit within reach;
A paradise for sinners in it found redemption
مُزنَةٌa rain cloud أسقَتwatered البَلاَدَthe lands إِلَىuntil أنthat
مُزنَةٌ أسقَت البَلاَدَ إِلَى أن
بَلَغَreached السَّيلُthe flood فيin البِلاَدِthe lands زُبَاهَاtheir hilltops
بَلَغَ السَّيلُ في البِلاَدِ زُبَاهَا
a rain cloud that watered the lands until
A institution that quenched the land until
the flood in those lands reached their hilltops;
The flood in the land reached its shores
حِكمَةٌwisdom فيin العُلُومِthe sciences بَالٍغَةٌfar-reaching مَاwhatever
حِكمَةٌ في العُلُومِ بَالٍغَةٌ مَا
بَلَغَتit has reached يُبهِرُdazzles العُقُولَminds مَدَاهَاits scope
بَلَغَت يُبهِرُ العُقُولَ مَدَاهَا
far-reaching wisdom in the sciences—whatever
A wisdom in sciences, profound beyond
its reach, its scope dazzles minds.
What the minds can ever fully comprehend
أَيُّهَاO المُصطفيMustafa أعِرنَاlend us أنِيًّاa moment
أَيُّهَا المُصطفي أعِرنَا أنِيًّا
مِنكَfrom you حَتَّىso that نُطِيعَwe obey فِيكَconcerning you الإِلَهَGod
مِنكَ حَتَّى نُطِيعَ فِيكَ الإِلَهَ
O Mustafa, lend us a moment
O Mustafa, make us intimate with you
of your time, so that we may obey God concerning you.
That we obey Allah through serving you
فَرَضَordained اللهُGod أنthat تُعَظَّمَyou be honored تَعظيgreat honor (first part)
فَرَضَ اللهُ أن تُعَظَّمَ تَعظي
مَاًcompletion of 'great honor' وأنand that تُرتَضَىyou be approved وأنand that لاnot تُبَاهَىyou be rivaled in glory
مَاً وأن تُرتَضَى وأن لا تُبَاهَى
God has ordained that you be greatly honored,
Allah decreed you be held in utmost esteem
be held in favor, and not be rivaled in glory.
Chosen, not vaunted in empty display
أنتَyou فيin مُقلَةِthe eye of الحَسُودِthe envious man قَذَاةٌa speck
أنتَ في مُقلَةِ الحَسُودِ قَذَاةٌ
لَمnot يُفَارِقهُleave him ماas long as حَيِيتَyou have lived أذَاهَاits pain
لَم يُفَارِقهُ ما حَيِيتَ أذَاهَا
You are a speck in the envious man's eye;
You remain a thorn in envious hearts
its pain has never left him for as long as you have lived.
As long as you live, their harm does not wane
رَامَhe sought مَارَامُهwhat he sought سَفَاهَاfoolishly ومَاand what قَدhave
رَامَ مَارَامُه سَفَاهَا ومَا قَد
رُمتُهI sought it أنتَyou لَمdid not تَرُمهُseek it سَفَاهَاfoolishly
رُمتُه أنتَ لَم تَرُمهُ سَفَاهَا
He sought what he sought foolishly; and what
They desired the worst but you did not stoop to their ignorance
I have sought—you did not seek it foolishly.
You opposed them with prostration in darkened night
رُمتَهُyou sought it بِالسُّجُودِthrough prostration واللَّيلُwhile the night دَاجٍdark
رُمتَهُ بِالسُّجُودِ واللَّيلُ دَاجٍ
بَعدَمَاafter مَلاَّfilled العُيُونَthe eyes كَرَاهَاtheir drowsiness
بَعدَمَا مَلاَّ العُيُونَ كَرَاهَا
You sought it through prostration while the night was dark,
With wisdom divinely guided and prayer
after drowsiness had filled the eyes;
Answered that tames the soul and its whims
وبِرَأىٍand through judgment مُوَفَّقٍwell-guided ودُعَاءٍand a prayer
وبِرَأىٍ مُوَفَّقٍ ودُعَاءٍ
مُستَجَابٍanswered يُزَايِلُremoves النَّفسَthe soul دَاهَاits ailment
مُستَجَابٍ يُزَايِلُ النَّفسَ دَاهَا
and through well-guided judgment and a prayer
May Allah bless you, you obtained nobility
that is answered, dispelling the soul's ailment.
And acceptance among peoples and prestige
بَارَكَmay bless اللهُGod فِيكَin you نِلتَyou attained أرتِقَاءًelevation
بَارَكَ اللهُ فِيكَ نِلتَ أرتِقَاءً
وقَبُولاًand acceptance بَينَamong الأنَامِpeople وَجَاهَاand prestige
وقَبُولاً بَينَ الأنَامِ وَجَاهَا
May God bless you; you have attained elevation
May Allah increase you until Muslims in you
and acceptance among people, and prestige.
Their aspirations are fulfilled, their journey complete
زَادَكَmay grant you increase اللهُGod زَادَكَmay grant you increase اللهGod حَتَّىuntil
زَادَكَ اللهُ زَادَكَ الله حَتَّى
تَبلُغَattain المُسلِمُونَthe Muslims فِيكَthrough you مُنَاهَاtheir hopes
تَبلُغَ المُسلِمُونَ فِيكَ مُنَاهَا
May God grant you increase, may God grant you increase, until
And peace upon the Intercessor Ta-Ha
the Muslims attain through you their hopes.
Never-ending peace upon him forever more
وَصَلاَةٌand blessings عَلَىupon المُشَفَّعِthe accepted intercessor طَهَTaha
وَصَلاَةٌ عَلَى المُشَفَّعِ طَهَ
وسَلامٌand peace عَلَيهِupon him لاَnot يَتَنَاهَىcomes to an end
وسَلامٌ عَلَيهِ لاَ يَتَنَاهَى
And blessings upon Taha, the accepted intercessor,
and peace upon him without end.
Partial English translation: 64 of 66 Arabic lines translated.
Sol 6.1