ولمَّا أَتيْنا أرضَ حِيشٍ وعندَنا

ولمَّا أَتيْنا أرضَ حِيشٍ وعندَنا

غَرامٌ لعَمٍّ عمَّ فينا نوَالُهُ

غَرامٌ لعَمٍّ عمَّ فينا نوَالُهُ

And when we came to the land of Hish, bearing

When we came to the land of Hiash, with yearning

a longing for an uncle whose bounty had embraced us all,

For an uncle whose affection encompassed us,

رأَيْنا له قبراً به البَرقُ قد ثَوى

رأَيْنا له قبراً به البَرقُ قد ثَوى

فلاحَ لنا من كامِنِ البرقِ حَالُهُ

فلاحَ لنا من كامِنِ البرقِ حَالُهُ

we saw his grave, where lightning had come to rest,

We saw his grave, wherein lightning lay resting,

and from the hidden lightning his spiritual state shone forth to us.

So clear was the gleam of the lightning that sheltered his tomb.

ضَريحٌ هو الغِمْدُ الكَريمُ حَقيقَةً

ضَريحٌ هو الغِمْدُ الكَريمُ حَقيقَةً

وصاحِبُهُ العَصْبُ الصَّقيلُ نِصَالُهُ

وصاحِبُهُ العَصْبُ الصَّقيلُ نِصَالُهُ

A tomb that is, in truth, the noble sheath,

A shrine it is, a generous scabbard in truth,

and its occupant the [sword], its blades burnished.

Its lord a polished blade, keen its steel.

فأَينَ العُيونُ المُبْصِراتُ لشأنهِ

فأَينَ العُيونُ المُبْصِراتُ لشأنهِ

وقد لاحَ في تلكَ الرَّوابي جَمالُهُ

وقد لاحَ في تلكَ الرَّوابي جَمالُهُ

Where, then, are the eyes that perceive his stature,

Where are the seeing eyes, to discern his worth,

when his beauty has shone upon those hills?

When in those hills his beauty shone revealed?

يَفيضُ النَّدى سَحًّا للاثِمِ بابِهِ

يَفيضُ النَّدى سَحًّا للاثِمِ بابِهِ

ويبرُزُ طُوْراً للقُفولِ خَيَالُهُ

ويبرُزُ طُوْراً للقُفولِ خَيَالُهُ

Bounty pours in torrents upon whoever kisses his gate,

Dew flows copiously, saturating the sinner's gate,

and at times his apparition appears to returning travelers.

And his apparition emerges, to greet the returning throng.

وما قبرُهُ إِلاَّ كبُرجٍ مؤَنَّقٍ

وما قبرُهُ إِلاَّ كبُرجٍ مؤَنَّقٍ

تلأْلأَ منه للعُيونِ هِلالُهُ

تلأْلأَ منه للعُيونِ هِلالُهُ

His grave is but like an exquisitely adorned tower,

His tomb but a lofty dome, from which

from which his crescent sparkles before the eyes.

His crescent shines for eyes to behold.

قصدْنا رِفاعِيَّ الرِّجالِ بمشْرِقٍ

قصدْنا رِفاعِيَّ الرِّجالِ بمشْرِقٍ

وقامَ لنا في حِيشَ عنهُ مِثَالُهُ

وقامَ لنا في حِيشَ عنهُ مِثَالُهُ

We sought the Rifa'i of men in the East,

We sought refuge with Riayah's great men, in the east,

and in Hish his likeness stood before us in his stead.

And in Hiash an image of him stood before us.

فلا بأْسَ إنْ رُدَّتْ قُفولُ عِبادَةٍ

فلا بأْسَ إنْ رُدَّتْ قُفولُ عِبادَةٍ

وشُدَّ لحِيشٍ من فَتاها رِحَالُهُ

وشُدَّ لحِيشٍ من فَتاها رِحَالُهُ

So there is no harm if returning caravans of worship are turned back,

No harm that the caravan of those who worship

and its young man has his saddles fastened for Hish.

Should return to Hiash, and pitch their tents.

لئنْ غابَ تلكَ العينُ ذا أَثرٌ لها

لئنْ غابَ تلكَ العينُ ذا أَثرٌ لها

وإنْ شطَّ ذاكَ الحيُّ هذا ظِلالُهُ

وإنْ شطَّ ذاكَ الحيُّ هذا ظِلالُهُ

Though that source is absent, this is a trace of it;

Though those eyes are absent, their trace remains,

and though that encampment lies far away, this is its shade.

And though the living one is gone, his shade endures.

فقلْ لصُنوفِ العاجِزينَ عن السُّرى

فقلْ لصُنوفِ العاجِزينَ عن السُّرى

لشيخِ البُطَيْحا لا عَداكُمْ وِصَالُهُ

لشيخِ البُطَيْحا لا عَداكُمْ وِصَالُهُ

Then say to the many sorts unable to journey by night

Say to those, powerless to attain the heights -

to the sheikh of al-Butayha: may his communion never pass you by.

But for you, no other can claim closeness to the Shaykh of Butayha.

عليٌّ خُزامِيُّ الشَذا نورُ عينِهِ

عليٌّ خُزامِيُّ الشَذا نورُ عينِهِ

حِبالُ مَعانيهِ الطِّوالُ حِبَالُهُ

حِبالُ مَعانيهِ الطِّوالُ حِبَالُهُ

Ali, lavender-fragrant, is the light of his eye;

Ali, the sun of insightful minds, the light of his eye,

the long cords of his meanings are his cords.

The lofty themes of his speech, the ropes of his discourse.

ففي رُحْبِ حيشٍ نسجُ معنى جَمالِهِ

ففي رُحْبِ حيشٍ نسجُ معنى جَمالِهِ

وفي رُحْبِ مِتْكينَ المَعَلَّى جَلالُهُ

وفي رُحْبِ مِتْكينَ المَعَلَّى جَلالُهُ

For in Hish's expanse is the weaving of his beauty's meaning,

In the expanse of Hiash we relate the tale of his beauty,

and in the expanse of exalted Mitkin is his majesty.

In the precincts of Muthayyab, the sublime speaks his glory.

إليكَ أيا عمَّاهُ منِّي هدِيَّةً

إليكَ أيا عمَّاهُ منِّي هدِيَّةً

مَقالَ مُحِبٍّ لا يُضاعُ مَقَالُهُ

مَقالَ مُحِبٍّ لا يُضاعُ مَقَالُهُ

To you, O my uncle, a gift from me:

To you, uncle, I present as a gift

the words of a lover whose words are not wasted.

The words of an ardent lover - his speech is no vain prattle.

ألا يا ابنَ بُرْهانَ الصُّدورِ وشيخِهِمْ

ألا يا ابنَ بُرْهانَ الصُّدورِ وشيخِهِمْ

ويا قُطْبَ حالِ لا تسامى فِعَالُهُ

ويا قُطْبَ حالِ لا تسامى فِعَالُهُ

Hear, O son of Burhan of the foremost men, their sheikh,

O son of perceptive hearts and their sheikh!

and O pole of spiritual state, whose deeds cannot be matched.

O axis whose deeds no apex can transcend!

أَبوكُمْ أَبو العَبَّاسِ والطَّوْرُ واحِدٌ

أَبوكُمْ أَبو العَبَّاسِ والطَّوْرُ واحِدٌ

فأنتم مَعانيهِ وأَنتم رِجَالُهُ

فأنتم مَعانيهِ وأَنتم رِجَالُهُ

Your father is Abu al-Abbas, and the spiritual manner is one;

Your father - Abu'l-Abbas - and the Mount are one,

so you are his meanings, and you are his men.

You are his truths, you are his men.

تسَلْسَلَ فيكُمْ إرْثُ بيتِ طَريقِهِ

تسَلْسَلَ فيكُمْ إرْثُ بيتِ طَريقِهِ

وأُسْبِغَ فيكُمْ نسجَ طينٍ كَمَالُهُ

وأُسْبِغَ فيكُمْ نسجَ طينٍ كَمَالُهُ

The legacy of the house of his path has passed through you in succession,

In you flows the inheritance of his spiritual path,

and his perfection was lavished in you, in the weave of clay.

In you the perfection of his clay was molded.

كأنِّي أَرى هذا الضَّريحَ وحولَهُ

كأنِّي أَرى هذا الضَّريحَ وحولَهُ

جِبالٌ أَجلْ أَهلُ القُلُوبِ جِبَالُهُ

جِبالٌ أَجلْ أَهلُ القُلُوبِ جِبَالُهُ

It is as though I see this tomb, and around it

As though I see this tomb, ringed about

mountains—yes, the people of hearts are its mountains.

By mountains - indeed, the stoutest of heart are his mountains.

نُزاحِمُ فيه الرَّاجِعينَ قَوافِلٌ

نُزاحِمُ فيه الرَّاجِعينَ قَوافِلٌ

تجيءُ ويَروي الكُلَّ فضلاً زُلالُهُ

تجيءُ ويَروي الكُلَّ فضلاً زُلالُهُ

We jostle those returning there; caravans

Caravans converge upon it, returning,

arrive, and his limpid water graciously quenches them all.

Each drinking their fill of his copious bounty.

وتُضربُ أَكْبادُ النِّياقِ لبابِهِ

وتُضربُ أَكْبادُ النِّياقِ لبابِهِ

وتُجهدُ في المَسرى إليه جِمَالُهُ

وتُجهدُ في المَسرى إليه جِمَالُهُ

And the she-camels' flanks are struck to reach his gate,

The hearts of beasts of burden ache at his door,

and his camels are strained on the night journey to him.

Exhausted in their effort to reach him.

وما ردَّ يوماً صِفْرَ كفِّ نَزيلِهِ

وما ردَّ يوماً صِفْرَ كفِّ نَزيلِهِ

ولا صارَ مبْتوتَ المُرادِ مآلُهُ

ولا صارَ مبْتوتَ المُرادِ مآلُهُ

And never did he turn his guest away empty-handed,

Never has he turned away empty-handed one who sought him,

nor did his quest end with his wish denied.

Nor one despairing of attaining his hopes.

وأنتَ حَبيبُ المُصْطَفى وابنُ بنتِهِ

وأنتَ حَبيبُ المُصْطَفى وابنُ بنتِهِ

فما خابَ من تُشكى لعَلْياكَ حَالُهُ

فما خابَ من تُشكى لعَلْياكَ حَالُهُ

And you are the Chosen One's beloved and his daughter's son;

Beloved of the Chosen One, son of his daughter,

so none whose plight is lamented before your eminence is disappointed.

None who implored you were left bereft.

تجَلْجَلْتَ في طيَّ الوَلايَةِ سيِّداً

تجَلْجَلْتَ في طيَّ الوَلايَةِ سيِّداً

أُفيضَ عَلَيْهِ من علِيٍّ دَلالُهُ

أُفيضَ عَلَيْهِ من علِيٍّ دَلالُهُ

You resounded within the folds of sainthood as a master,

You held sway, a master, in the caliphate’s robe,

upon whom Ali's gracious charm was poured forth.

With the guidance Ali bestowed upon you as your inspiration.

كأنَّكَ زينُ العابِدينَ بطَوْرِهِ

كأنَّكَ زينُ العابِدينَ بطَوْرِهِ

ولا بِدْعَ أنتم آلَ أحمدَ آلُهُ

ولا بِدْعَ أنتم آلَ أحمدَ آلُهُ

As though you were Zayn al-Abidin in his bearing,

You are the adornment of the pinnacle, like Zayn al-Abidin in his sanctum,

and no wonder: you, O family of Ahmad, are his family.

You hail from Ahmad’s progeny, no doubt.

فقدْ وُشِّحتْ فيكُمْ قَديماً خِصَالُهُ

فقدْ وُشِّحتْ فيكُمْ قَديماً خِصَالُهُ

وقدْ رُصِّعَتْ بالطَّورِ منكُمْ خِلالُهُ

وقدْ رُصِّعَتْ بالطَّورِ منكُمْ خِلالُهُ

For his virtues were long ago draped upon you,

In you, of old, were melded his qualities,

and his traits were set like jewels in your bearing.

And you were adorned with his traits at the Mount.

يُعاتِبُني مَن أَمَّ حِيشاً لعَمِّنا

يُعاتِبُني مَن أَمَّ حِيشاً لعَمِّنا

إذا ضاعَ ما بينَ الرِّجالِ عِقَالُهُ

إذا ضاعَ ما بينَ الرِّجالِ عِقَالُهُ

Whoever heads to Hish for our uncle reproaches me,

Rebuked am I by one who reside in Hiash, for our uncle -

when his tether is lost among men.

When the ties binding men are severed, grievous is their loss.

فأكرِمْ به عمًّا أَبو المجدِ عمُّهُ

فأكرِمْ به عمًّا أَبو المجدِ عمُّهُ

ومن آلِ سيفِ اللهِ خالِدَ خَالُهُ

ومن آلِ سيفِ اللهِ خالِدَ خَالُهُ

How noble he is as an uncle—Abu al-Majd is his uncle,

So honor, for his uncle’s sake, Abu'l-Majd, his uncle,

and his maternal uncle is from the family of Khalid, the Sword of God.

And of Saifullah Khalid’s kin, his maternal uncle.

هِزَبْرٌ طَويلُ الباعِ قطبٌ مؤيَّدٌ

هِزَبْرٌ طَويلُ الباعِ قطبٌ مؤيَّدٌ

قدِ اخْتارَهُ الرَّحمنُ جلَّ جَلالُهُ

قدِ اخْتارَهُ الرَّحمنُ جلَّ جَلالُهُ

A lion of long reach, a divinely supported spiritual pole,

Hizbar, tall in stature, a firmly established pole

Indeed, the All-Merciful has chosen him—exalted is His majesty.

Whom the Most Merciful chose - sublime is His majesty.