ودانٍ ألمّت بالكثيبِ ذوائِبُه

ودانٍ ألمّت بالكثيبِ ذوائِبُه

وجنحُ الدّثجى وحفٌ تجولُ غياهِبُه

وجنحُ الدّثجى وحفٌ تجولُ غياهِبُه

And a low-hanging cloud, its tresses brushing the dune,

The wady with sways of its sand dunes shone,

while darkness spread its dense wing, its deep shadows roaming.

And the wings of darkness fluttered while its veils roamed around.

تُقهقهُ في تلكَ الرُّبوعِ رعودُهُ

تُقهقهُ في تلكَ الرُّبوعِ رعودُهُ

وتبكي على تلك الطُّلولِ سحائبُه

وتبكي على تلك الطُّلولِ سحائبُه

Its thunder guffaws in those dwelling grounds,

Its thunders rumbled in those prairies,

and its clouds weep over those ruins.

And its clouds wept over those hills.

أرِقتُ له لمّا توالت بروقُه

أرِقتُ له لمّا توالت بروقُه

وحُلّت عزاليهِ وأُسبلَ ساكبُه

وحُلّت عزاليهِ وأُسبلَ ساكبُه

I lay sleepless for it when its lightning flashed in succession,

I was sleepless because of its continuous lightening,

and its waterskin spouts were unsealed, its downpour unleashed,

While its rain poured down and its clouds spread.

الى أن بدا مِن أشقرِ الصُّبحِ قادمٌ

الى أن بدا مِن أشقرِ الصُّبحِ قادمٌ

يُراعُ له من أدهمِ اللَّيلِ هاربُه

يُراعُ له من أدهمِ اللَّيلِ هاربُه

until a newcomer emerged from dawn's tawny light,

Until the blonde morning became visible

before whom the fugitive from black night took fright.

Chasing its dark night that was escaping.

وأصبحَ ثغرُ الأُقحوانةِ ضاحكاً

وأصبحَ ثغرُ الأُقحوانةِ ضاحكاً

تُدغدغُهُ ريحُ الصّبا وتُداعِبُه

تُدغدغُهُ ريحُ الصّبا وتُداعِبُه

By morning, the chrysanthemum's mouth was smiling,

And the mouth of springs smiled

the east wind tickling and caressing it.

As the morning breeze tickled and played with it.

تمرُّ على نبتِ الرّياضِ بليلةً

تمرُّ على نبتِ الرّياضِ بليلةً

تُجمّشُهُ طوراً وطوراً تلاعِبُه

تُجمّشُهُ طوراً وطوراً تلاعِبُه

It passes, moist, over the gardens' greenery,

The night passed by the garden’s plants

now fondling it, now playing with it.

Caressing them again and again.

وأقبلَ وجهُ الأرضِ طلقاً وطالما

وأقبلَ وجهُ الأرضِ طلقاً وطالما

غدا مكفراً موحشاتٍ جوانبُه

غدا مكفراً موحشاتٍ جوانبُه

And the earth's face grew cheerful, though so often

And the face of earth appeared bright after

it had been gloomy, its reaches desolate.

It became covered with darkened aspects.

كساهُ الحيا وشياً من النّبتِ فاخراً

كساهُ الحيا وشياً من النّبتِ فاخراً

فعادَ قشيباً غورُه وغواربُه

فعادَ قشيباً غورُه وغواربُه

Rain clothed it in splendid embroidery of plants,

Luxuriance clothed it with splendid vegetation,

and its lowlands and heights became fresh again.

So its barren tract of land and watercourses returned.

كما عادَ بالمستنصرِ بنِ محمدٍ

كما عادَ بالمستنصرِ بنِ محمدٍ

نظامُ المعالي حينَ قلّت كتائبُه

نظامُ المعالي حينَ قلّت كتائبُه

Just as, through al-Mustansir ibn Muhammad, there returned

As Al-Mustansir Billah brought back

the ordered ranks of glory, when its battalions had dwindled.

The system of glories when its battalions were few.

امامٌ تحلّى الدين منه بماجدٍ

امامٌ تحلّى الدين منه بماجدٍ

تحلّت بآثارِ النبيِّ مناكِبُه

تحلّت بآثارِ النبيِّ مناكِبُه

An imam through whose noble person the faith was adorned,

A leader adorned with the religion’s glories

whose shoulders were adorned with relics of the Prophet.

That the traces of the Prophet ornamented his shoulders.

هو العارض الهتّانُ لا البرقُ مخلفٌ

هو العارض الهتّانُ لا البرقُ مخلفٌ

لديهِ ولا أنوارهُ وكواكِبُه

لديهِ ولا أنوارهُ وكواكِبُه

He is the steadily pouring cloud; no lightning breaks its promise

He is the brilliant, no mere lightning

with him, nor do his lights and stars.

With no lights or planets revolving around him.

اذا السّنةُ الشهباءُ شحّت بطِلّها

اذا السّنةُ الشهباءُ شحّت بطِلّها

سخا وابلٌ منه وسحّت سواكبُه

سخا وابلٌ منه وسحّت سواكبُه

When the ash-gray year grudges its drizzle,

When the grey Sunnah lacked its rays

a downpour flows freely from him, and his torrents pour.

He brought abundant showers and poured its stars.

فأحيا ضياءَ البرقِ ضوءُ جبينهِ

فأحيا ضياءَ البرقِ ضوءُ جبينهِ

كما نحلت حودَ الغوادي مواهبُه

كما نحلت حودَ الغوادي مواهبُه

So the light of his brow put lightning's radiance to shame,

The light of his forehead revived the lightning’s light

as his gifts made the bounty of morning showers seem meager.

As his talents adorned the valleys of heavy rain.

له العزماتُ اللائي لولا نضالُها

له العزماتُ اللائي لولا نضالُها

تزعزعَ ركنُ الدّينِ وانهدَّ جانبُه

تزعزعَ ركنُ الدّينِ وانهدَّ جانبُه

His are the firm resolves without whose striving

His wills by which if he did not fight

the pillar of faith would have tottered and its flank collapsed.

The pillar of the religion would have collapsed.

بصيرٌ بأحوالِ الزّمانِ وأهلهِ

بصيرٌ بأحوالِ الزّمانِ وأهلهِ

حذورٌ فما تُخشى عليه نوائبُه

حذورٌ فما تُخشى عليه نوائبُه

Discerning of the conditions of the times and their people,

He sees the state of the time and its people,

cautious, so their calamities are not feared for him.

So no misfortunes are feared to afflict him.

بديهتُه تغنيهِ في كلّ مشكلٍ

بديهتُه تغنيهِ في كلّ مشكلٍ

وإن حنّكتهُ في الأمورِ تجاربُه

وإن حنّكتهُ في الأمورِ تجاربُه

His ready wit suffices him in every difficulty,

His intelligence suffices him in any problem,

though his experiences have seasoned him in affairs.

And his experience in matters makes him extremely prudent.

حوىَ قصباتِ السّبقِ مذ كان يافعاً

حوىَ قصباتِ السّبقِ مذ كان يافعاً

وأربت على زُهرِ النُّجومِ مناقِبُه

وأربت على زُهرِ النُّجومِ مناقِبُه

He won the prize reeds of precedence while still a youth,

He contained the shoots of precedence when he was young,

and his virtues surpassed the bright stars.

And his achievements towered over the stars.

تزيّنتِ الدُّنيا بهِ وتشرفّت

تزيّنتِ الدُّنيا بهِ وتشرفّت

بنوها فأضحى خافِضَ العيشِ ناصبُه

بنوها فأضحى خافِضَ العيشِ ناصبُه

The world was adorned by him, and ennobled were

The life was adorned by him and honored

her sons; the life-worn man now lived at ease.

To have a debaser of pleasures as its raiser.

لئن نوهّت باسمِ الامامِ خلافةٌ

لئن نوهّت باسمِ الامامِ خلافةٌ

ورفّعتِ الزّاكي النِّجارِ مناسِبُه

ورفّعتِ الزّاكي النِّجارِ مناسِبُه

Though a caliphate has proclaimed the imam's name,

If I declare the name of the Imam as Caliph,

and his pedigrees exalted one of pure stock,

And raise the status of the carpenter, the most appropriate one,

فأنتَ الإمامُ العدلُ والمُعرِقُ الذي

فأنتَ الإمامُ العدلُ والمُعرِقُ الذي

به شرفت انسابُهُ ومناصِبُه

به شرفت انسابُهُ ومناصِبُه

you are the just imam, the man of ancient lineage

You are the just Imam and the purest

through whom his ancestry and offices gained honor.

By whom his lineage and positions were ennobled.

جمعتَ شتيتَ المجدِ بعدَ افتراقهِ

جمعتَ شتيتَ المجدِ بعدَ افتراقهِ

وفرقّتَ جمعَ المالِ فانهالَ كاثِبُه

وفرقّتَ جمعَ المالِ فانهالَ كاثِبُه

You gathered the scattered parts of glory after their dispersal,

You united the dispersed glories after being separated,

and scattered amassed wealth until its heap poured forth.

And distributed the collected money so it poured to you.

وأغنيتَ حتى ليس في الأرضِ معدمٌ

وأغنيتَ حتى ليس في الأرضِ معدمٌ

يجورُ عليه دهرُه ويحارِبُه

يجورُ عليه دهرُه ويحارِبُه

You enriched people until no destitute person remained on earth

You enriched until no needy one remains on earth

whom his fate oppresses and battles.

Whose fortunes and life fight against him.

ألا يا أميرَ المؤمنينَ ومن غَدت

ألا يا أميرَ المؤمنينَ ومن غَدت

على كاهلِ الجوزاءِ تعلو مراتبُه

على كاهلِ الجوزاءِ تعلو مراتبُه

O Commander of the Faithful, you whose

O Prince of the Believers, you whose ranks

ranks have risen above Orion's shoulder,

Rise above the Giant Star constellation.

ومن جدُّهُ عمُّ النبيِّ وخِدنُهُ

ومن جدُّهُ عمُّ النبيِّ وخِدنُهُ

اذا صارمتهُ أهلهُ وأقاربُه

اذا صارمتهُ أهلهُ وأقاربُه

and whose forefather was the Prophet's uncle and companion

And whose grandfather was the Prophet’s uncle and intimate friend,

when his family and relatives broke with him:

When his family and relatives antagonized him.

أيحسنُ في شرعِ المعالي ودينِها

أيحسنُ في شرعِ المعالي ودينِها

وأنتَ الذي تُعزى اليه مذاهِبُه

وأنتَ الذي تُعزى اليه مذاهِبُه

Is it fitting in the law and creed of lofty glory—

How can the commandments of glories and religion be good

you to whom its ways are attributed,

While you are the one to whom its doctrines are attributed?

وأنت الذي يعني حبيبٌ بقولهِ

وأنت الذي يعني حبيبٌ بقولهِ

ألا هكذا فليكسبِ الحمدَ كاسِبُه

ألا هكذا فليكسبِ الحمدَ كاسِبُه

you whom Habib meant by his words,

And you are the one Habib means in his words:

“Thus, indeed, let whoever earns praise earn it”—

“So win praise in this way, its earner.”

بأنِّي أخوضُ الدوَّ والدوُّ مقفرٌ

بأنِّي أخوضُ الدوَّ والدوُّ مقفرٌ

سباريتُه مغبرَّةٌ وسباسِبُه

سباريتُه مغبرَّةٌ وسباسِبُه

that I cross the wasteland, that desolate wasteland,

That I plunge into destruction and destruction is barren,

its barren tracts and open plains dust-covered,

Its horses covered with dust and dirt.

وأرتكبُ الهولَ المخوفَ مخاطراً

وأرتكبُ الهولَ المخوفَ مخاطراً

بنفسي ولا أعيا بما أنا راكِبُه

بنفسي ولا أعيا بما أنا راكِبُه

and brave dreaded terrors, risking

And I undertake fearful adventures, risking

my own life, never faltering at what I undertake,

Myself without tiring of what I ride.

وقد رصدَ الأعداءُ لي كلُّ مرصدٍ

وقد رصدَ الأعداءُ لي كلُّ مرصدٍ

فكلُّهمُ نحوي تدُبَّ عقاربُه

فكلُّهمُ نحوي تدُبَّ عقاربُه

while enemies have watched for me at every lookout,

The enemies lie waiting for me in every ambush.

each one's scorpions creeping toward me,

All of them crept towards me, their snakes twisted.

وآتيكَ والعضبُ المهنَّدُ مُصلت

وآتيكَ والعضبُ المهنَّدُ مُصلت

طريرٌ شباهُ قانياتٌ ذوائبُه

طريرٌ شباهُ قانياتٌ ذوائبُه

and come to you with the Indian-forged sword unsheathed,

And I come to you while the unsheathed sword is sharpened,

its edge keen, its tresses crimson,

Its blade as white as mirrors.

وأُنزِلُ آمالي ببابِكَ راجياً

وأُنزِلُ آمالي ببابِكَ راجياً

فواضلَ جاهٍ يبهرُ النَّجمَ ثاقبُه

فواضلَ جاهٍ يبهرُ النَّجمَ ثاقبُه

and lodge my hopes at your gate, seeking

And I unload my hopes at your door, hoping

the favors of a rank whose piercing radiance dazzles the stars,

For the intercession of glory that dazzles the shining star.

فتقبلُ منّي عبدَ رقٍّ فيفتدي

فتقبلُ منّي عبدَ رقٍّ فيفتدي

له الدهر عبداً طائعاً لا يغالبُه

له الدهر عبداً طائعاً لا يغالبُه

so you accept me as a bondslave; then, to ransom itself,

So accept from me a slave of humility and he will be ransomed

Time becomes his obedient slave, never resisting him;

As an obedient slave whom destiny will not fight.

وتُنعِمُ في حقي بما انت أهلهُ

وتُنعِمُ في حقي بما انت أهلهُ

وتُعلي محلّي فالسُّها لا يقاربُه

وتُعلي محلّي فالسُّها لا يقاربُه

and you bestow on me what befits your nature,

And favor me with what you are worthy of

and raise my station so al-Suha cannot approach it,

And raise my position so none can rival it.

وتُلبسني مِن نسجِ ظلّكَ ملبساً

وتُلبسني مِن نسجِ ظلّكَ ملبساً

يُشرِّفُ قدرَ النيِّرينِ جلاببُه

يُشرِّفُ قدرَ النيِّرينِ جلاببُه

and clothe me in a garment woven from your shade,

And clothe me in the fabric of your shade a garment

whose robes ennoble the stature of the sun and moon;

That brings prestige to the status of the luminous.

وتُركبني نُعمى أياديكَ مركباً

وتُركبني نُعمى أياديكَ مركباً

على الفلكِ الأعلى تسيرُ مواكِبه

على الفلكِ الأعلى تسيرُ مواكِبه

and the blessing of your favors seats me on a mount

And mount me on the carriage of your favors,

whose processions travel upon the highest celestial sphere;

Riding the highest sphere with its entourage.

وتسمحُ لي بالمالِ والجاهُ بُغيتي

وتسمحُ لي بالمالِ والجاهُ بُغيتي

وما الجاهُ الا بعضُ ما أنتَ واهِبُه

وما الجاهُ الا بعضُ ما أنتَ واهِبُه

and grant me wealth, though rank is what I seek,

And allow me wealth and glory I desire

and rank is only part of what you give;

And glory is but some of what you grant.

ويأتيكَ غيري مِن بلادٍ قريبةٍ

ويأتيكَ غيري مِن بلادٍ قريبةٍ

له الأمنُ فيها صاحبٌ لا يجانِبُه

له الأمنُ فيها صاحبٌ لا يجانِبُه

while another comes to you from lands nearby,

And others come to you from nearby lands

where safety is his companion, never leaving him,

Where security dwells, and no companion leaves them.

وما اغبرَّ مِن جوبِ الفلا حُرُّ وجههِ

وما اغبرَّ مِن جوبِ الفلا حُرُّ وجههِ

ولا أُنضيت بالسيرِ فيها ركائبُه

ولا أُنضيت بالسيرِ فيها ركائبُه

his fair face not dust-stained by crossing the wastes,

Not worn out were their bright faces from traveling through the deserts

nor his mounts exhausted by traveling through them,

Nor were their carriages covered with dust from journeying.

فيلقى دنوّاً منكَ لم ألقَ مثلهُ

فيلقى دنوّاً منكَ لم ألقَ مثلهُ

ويحظى ولا أحظى بما أنا طالبُه

ويحظى ولا أحظى بما أنا طالبُه

and finds a nearness to you unlike any I have found,

They gain nearness from you I did not attain

and obtains what I seek, while I do not?

And intimacy I do not have though I request it.

وينظرُ مِن لألاءِ قدسِك نظرة

وينظرُ مِن لألاءِ قدسِك نظرة

فيرجعُ والنُّورُ الاماميُّ صاحِبُه

فيرجعُ والنُّورُ الاماميُّ صاحِبُه

He takes one glance at the radiance of your sanctity,

They look from the splendor of your sanctity a look

and returns with the imam's light as his companion.

Then return while the guiding Imamic light accompanies them.

ولو كانَ يعلوني بنفسٍ ورتبةٍ

ولو كانَ يعلوني بنفسٍ ورتبةٍ

وصدقِ ولاءٍ لستُ فيه أُصاقبُه

وصدقِ ولاءٍ لستُ فيه أُصاقبُه

Had he surpassed me in person and station,

Even if they know I equal them in self and position,

and in true loyalty, in which I could not match him,

Loyalty and devotion, I do not rival them.

لكنتُ أُسَلّي النفسَ عمّا ترومهُ

لكنتُ أُسَلّي النفسَ عمّا ترومهُ

وكنتُ أذودُ العينَ عمّا تراقبُه

وكنتُ أذودُ العينَ عمّا تراقبُه

I would have consoled my soul for what it craves,

I would distract myself from what it seeks

and turned my eyes away from what they watch for.

And prevent my eyes from what they observe.

ولكنّه مثلي ولو قلتُ انَّني

ولكنّه مثلي ولو قلتُ انَّني

أزيدُ عليه لم يعِب ذاكَ عائبُه

أزيدُ عليه لم يعِب ذاكَ عائبُه

But he is like me; and if I said that I

But he is like me, and even if I say I exceed him,

surpass him, no critic could fault that.

That would not shame his critic.

وما أنا ممن يملأ المالُ عينهُ

وما أنا ممن يملأ المالُ عينهُ

ولا بسوى التقريبِ تُقضى مآرِبُه

ولا بسوى التقريبِ تُقضى مآرِبُه

I am not one whose eye is filled by wealth,

I am not one whose eyes are filled with money,

nor are his wishes fulfilled except by being brought near;

Nor will wishes be fulfilled except by getting near you.

ولا بالذي يُرضيهِ دونَ نظيرِه

ولا بالذي يُرضيهِ دونَ نظيرِه

ولو أُنعِلت بالنيِّراتِ مراكِبُه

ولو أُنعِلت بالنيِّراتِ مراكِبُه

nor one content to stand below his equal,

I am not pleased with less than my peer,

even if his mounts were shod with shining stars.

Even if his carriages were shod with brilliants.

وبي ظمأٌ رؤياكَ منهلُ ريِّهِ

وبي ظمأٌ رؤياكَ منهلُ ريِّهِ

ولا غرو أن تصفو لوردي مشارِبُه

ولا غرو أن تصفو لوردي مشارِبُه

And I thirst: the sight of you is the spring that quenches it,

I am thirsty for seeing you, the spring of my contentment,

and no wonder its waters should run clear when I come to drink.

And it is no wonder that my sweet water is clear.

ومشن عجبٍ أنّي لدى البحرِ واقفٌ

ومشن عجبٍ أنّي لدى البحرِ واقفٌ

وأشكو الظّما والبحرُ جمٌّ عجائِبُه

وأشكو الظّما والبحرُ جمٌّ عجائِبُه

Yet it is a wonder that I stand beside the sea,

It is no strange matter that I stand at the sea

and complain of thirst, though the sea abounds in wonders.

Complaining of thirst while the sea is full of wonders.

وغيرُ ملومٍ من يؤمُّكَ قاصداً

وغيرُ ملومٍ من يؤمُّكَ قاصداً

اذا عظُمت أغراضُه ومطالبُه

اذا عظُمت أغراضُه ومطالبُه

And no blame falls on one who makes straight for you,

One who hopes to gain your favor is not blamed

when his purposes and requests are great.

If his purposes and requests are great.

وقد رُضتُ مقصودي فتمّت صدورُه

وقد رُضتُ مقصودي فتمّت صدورُه

ومنك أُرجِّي أن تتمَّ عواقبُه

ومنك أُرجِّي أن تتمَّ عواقبُه

I have shaped my purpose, and its beginnings are complete;

I am pleased with my intention so its appearance is complete,

and from you I hope that its outcomes will be fulfilled.

And I hope from you its consequences will be perfected.