للهto God درexcellence (in praise) الفئةthe company الأمجادthe illustrious ones
لله در الفئة الأمجاد
السالكينَthose who tread مسالكَthe paths الأفرادِof the peerless ones
السالكينَ مسالكَ الأفرادِ
God bless that illustrious company,
God's glory shone on the group
who tread the paths of the peerless ones.
Of lone travelers on their rugged route,
عرفواthey knew وهمwhile they were بالغَوْرin the lowlands منof واديthe valley الغضاal-Ghada
عرفوا وهم بالغَوْر من وادي الغضا
إذwhen رحلواthey departed لمبارِكto the resting places العُبّادof the worshippers
إذ رحلوا لمبارِك العُبّاد
They attained knowledge while in the lowlands of Wadi al-Ghada,
As they left the valley of Al-Ghadha, aware
when they set out for the worshippers' resting places.
Of the blessed path taken by the devout,
فسرواso they travelled by night لنجدtoward Najd لاnot يملونthey tire السَرىof night travel
فسروا لنجد لا يملون السَرى
أوuntil يظفرواthey attain منهاfrom it بكلwith every مرادdesired thing
أو يظفروا منها بكل مراد
So they travelled by night toward Najd, never tiring of night travel,
And marched on towards Najd, tireless on their trek,
until they won from it all they desired.
Seeking to attain all they dreamed about,
لاnot يقطعونthey pass منamong المناهلthe watering places معلماًa landmark
لا يقطعون من المناهل معلماً
إلاexcept وand لاحَappeared سواهُanother besides it بالمرصادlying in wait
إلا و لاحَ سواهُ بالمرصاد
They pass no landmark among the watering places
Not passing any spring or watering hole
but another appears, lying in wait.
Without finding more ahead lying in wait,
لمdid not يَثْنهمdeter them طولُthe length الطريقof the road لهمfor them وand لاnor
لم يَثْنهم طولُ الطريق لهم و لا
عدمُlack الرفيقof a companion وand لاnor نفاذُthe exhaustion الزّادof provisions
عدمُ الرفيق و لا نفاذُ الزّاد
The length of their road did not deter them, nor
Neither the lengthy road nor lack of friends
the lack of a companion, nor the exhaustion of provisions.
Could sway their resolve or provisions running out,
سَقتْهُمgave them to drink منof النِّعاسdrowsiness جفونُهمtheir eyelids
سَقتْهُم من النِّعاس جفونُهم
كأساًa cup تُميلهمmakes them sway علىupon الأعوادthe wooden saddle frames
كأساً تُميلهم على الأعواد
Their eyelids gave them drowsiness to drink—
Drowsiness poured on their eyes like cups
a cup that made them sway upon the wooden saddle frames.
Inclining them onto their tent poles stout,
وand تكادalmost أنْفُسُهمtheir souls تَغِيظُseethe with anger وand تَحْتَبيwrap themselves up
و تكاد أنْفُسُهم تَغِيظُ و تَحْتَبي
بنسيمin the breeze of نجدNajd أوor غناءthe singing of الحاديthe camel-driver
بنسيم نجد أو غناء الحادي
And their souls almost seethe and wrap themselves
Their souls nearly burst with irritation
in Najd's breeze or the camel-driver's song.
At Najd's breeze or a herald's morning shout,
نادتهمcalled to them النُّجْبُthe noble الركائبُriding camels عندماwhen
نادتهم النُّجْبُ الركائبُ عندما
أطَّتْthey groaned بوقعunder the impact of السوطوالإجهادthe whip and the exertion
أطَّتْ بوقع السوطوالإجهاد
The noble riding camels called to them when
The lofty camels called them when
they groaned under the whip's blows and the strain:
Whip cracks and hardship began to mount,
طيبُthe sweetness الحياةof life بنجدin Najd إلاbut أنهthat it
طيبُ الحياة بنجد إلا أنه
منfrom دونshort of ذاكthat تَفَتتare shattered الأكبادthe livers
من دون ذاك تَفَتت الأكباد
“The sweetness of life is in Najd, but
Pleasant is life in Najd, if not for it
before it is reached, livers are shattered.”
Livers would crumble, depression paramount,
فأجابهاso it answered them صدقُthe sincerity العزيمةof resolve إنماnothing but
فأجابها صدقُ العزيمة إنما
نحنwe المعاليthe heights of glory أنفسthe souls الاجوادof the generous
نحن المعالي أنفس الاجواد
So steadfast resolve answered them: “Nothing but
Their true determination answered that they
the heights are we, the souls of the generous.”
Were people of ideals and virtues profound,
للهto God درُّهمواtheir excellence (in praise) فقدfor indeed وصَلواthey have reached إلىto
لله درُّهموا فقد وصَلوا إلى
ظِلthe shade النعيمof bliss وَبرْدand coolness حَرthe heat of الصاديthe thirsty one
ظِل النعيم وَبرْد حَر الصادي
God bless them, for they have reached
God bless them, they reached the shade
the shade of bliss and relief from the thirsty one's burning heat.
Of bliss and the cool of the shady broad,
ولقدand indeed يعزit grieves عليme أنهموthat they غدواhave departed
ولقد يعز علي أنهمو غدوا
وand الدارُthe dwelling قَفْرٌdesolate منهموof them ببُعادthrough separation
و الدارُ قَفْرٌ منهمو ببُعاد
And truly it grieves me that they have departed,
It pains me that they are gone
and the dwelling is desolate, bereft of them through separation.
With the house empty, remote their whereabouts,
فلأنهضنّso I shall surely rise إلىtoward الحمىthe sanctuary متوجهاsetting my course
فلأنهضنّ إلى الحمى متوجها
بينamid اعتراضthe obstruction of عواتقmaidens وand غوادmorning rain clouds
بين اعتراض عواتق و غواد
So I shall surely rise and turn toward the sanctuary,
So I will march to protect the sanctuaries
amid the obstruction of maidens and morning rain clouds.
Between interfering obstacles all around,
وand لأقطعنّI shall surely cross عليهfor its sake كلevery مفازةdesert waste
و لأقطعنّ عليه كل مفازة
تدنيbrings near الهلاكَdestruction وand لوeven if عَدمْتُI lacked الهاديthe guide
تدني الهلاكَ و لو عَدمْتُ الهادي
And to reach it, I shall surely cross every desert waste
And traverse every dangerous pass
that brings death near, even if I have no guide.
Even if no guide can be found.
Sol 6.1