1. بِدايَةَ الأَمرِ في عِشقي وَنَشأَتِهِ

    ظِباءَ طيبَةٍ حَيثُ الحُسنَ غايَتُهُ

    The beginning of my love, and how it first arose:

    the gazelles of Tayba, where beauty reaches its utmost.

  2. وَالحُبُّ حالٌ بِدالي فَاِفتَتَنتُ بِهِ

    وَالقَلبُ خالٌ فَغَرَّتني حَلاوَتُهُ

    Love appeared to me as a state, and I was captivated by it;

    my heart was empty, and its sweetness beguiled me.

  3. وَمَن بِهِ هِمتُ حَتى لَم أَذُق وَسَنا

    أَزَرتُ سَنا وَسَنا بِالبَدرِ رُؤيَتُهُ

    The one for whom I pined until I tasted no sleep—

    radiance upon radiance: his sight outshone the full moon [reading uncertain].

  4. وَفي هَواهُ هَواني لَذَّ لي وَصَفا

    وَالحُبُّ لا بِدعَ أَن لَذَّت مَذَلَّتُهُ

    In loving him, my humiliation became sweet and clear to me;

    in love, it is no marvel that abasement should be sweet.

  5. مَليحُ شَكلِ بَديعٍ في مَلامِحِهِ

    فَإِن دَنا أَو رَنا تَحلو مَلاحَتُهُ

    Lovely in form, wondrous in his features;

    whether he approaches or gazes, his beauty grows sweeter.

  6. وَقَد أَراني مُحَيّاهُ النُجومَ ضُحى

    بِنَرجِسَ فَوقَ خَدٍّ طابَ مَنبِتُهُ

    His countenance showed me the stars in broad daylight,

    with narcissus above a cheek whose growing-place was lovely.

  7. وَصارَ فاني جُفوني بِالدُموعِ دَما

    وَصارَ فَغِنّي القَوي تَبكي إِبادَتُهُ

    My fading eyelids grew blood-red with tears [wording uncertain];

    the strong one became [unclear], his destruction lamented.

  8. وَكَم عَذولي بِدَومٍ في قَولٍ بِموجَبِهِ

    نِعمٌ وَلَكِن عَنِ الإِنصافِ خَطَّتُهُ

    How often my reprover persists in words whose import

    is assent; yet his course departs from fairness.

  9. كَأَنَّما قَلبُهُ قَد قَدَّ مِن حَجرِ

    كَمَسمَعي لِمَلامِ قامَ يَنحَتُهُ

    As though his heart had been hewn from stone,

    like my hearing, which he set about carving with reproach.

  10. ما زالَ مُستَطرِداً سَوأَ لِيَبطِشَ بي

    لِحَتى إِذا كادَ كَبتُهُ مَكيدَتُهُ

    He kept pursuing evil, seeking to strike at me,

    until his own scheme almost brought him humiliation.

  11. وَاِستَدرَكَ الأَمرَ فَاِختارَ الخِداعَ دَها

    للَكِنَّهُ اِحتارَ مُذ بانَت خَديعَتُهُ

    He recovered matters and cunningly chose deceit,

    but grew bewildered once his trick was exposed.

  12. ماكانَ هَزلاً إِذا ماقامَ يَعبَثُ بي

    وَإِنَّما الجَدُّ لَم تَبلُغُهُ قُدرَتُهُ

    It was no jest when he rose to toy with me;

    rather, earnest action lay beyond his power.

  13. وَلَيسَ يَنقُضُ عَهدي في الوَلا مَولو

    تَشبِبِ الشَيخُ أَورَدَت شَبيبَتُهُ

    No [unclear] breaks my pledge of loyalty;

    the old man grows youthful; his youth has brought [unclear].

  14. وَلَم أُقابِلهُ في سَخطٍ بِغِيرِ رِضا

    لَيسَ السَليمُ كَمَن ساءَت سَريرَتُهُ

    I met his anger with nothing but acceptance;

    the sound-hearted is unlike one whose inward nature is corrupt.

  15. أَنّي وَغِن كُنتَ بِالأَهواءِ مُفتَتِناً

    فَلي مِنَ العَزمِ ما توهي عَزيمَتُهُ

    Though I am captivated by passions [reading uncertain],

    I possess a resolve whose determination weakens them.

  16. أَطوي وَأَنشُرُ إيلاماً وَمَحمَدَةً

    لِمَن أَساءَ وَمَن آسَت مَوَدَّتُهُ

    I fold away and spread forth hurt and praise

    for those who wronged me and those whose affection soothed me.

  17. وَقَد تَنَزَّهتُ عَن عَتبٍ لِشَرذَمَةٍ

    جُموعُها في المَلا قُلتُ سَلامَتُهُ

    I have disdained to reproach a petty band;

    its crowds in the assembly—I spoke of his safety [wording unclear].

  18. أَبدو فَيَسجُد مَن بِالسوءِ يُذكِرُني

    خَوفاً وَفي قَلبِهِ ما كادَ يَسحَتُهُ

    I appear, and whoever speaks ill of me bows down

    in fear, while his heart holds what nearly destroys him.

  19. جَورُ العَواذِلِ عَدلُ الحُبِّ يَمحَقُهُ

    كَالفَجرِ تَمحو ظَلامِ اللَيلِ بِهجَتُهُ

    Love's justice wipes out the reprovers' injustice,

    as dawn's splendor erases the darkness of night.

  20. وَالقَلبُ قَد عَلَّ مِن نَهرٍ أَفاضَ وَما

    كانَت تَرشَحُهُ لِلبَلِ عِلَّتُهُ

    My heart drank deeply from an overflowing river, and

    its ailment had not promised it recovery.

  21. وَالصَبرُ كادَت تَهي أَجزاؤُهُ وَهُنا

    لَولا التَجَلُّدُ لَم تَرجِ اِستَعارَتُهُ

    Patience's parts nearly gave way through weakness;

    but for fortitude, borrowing it would offer no hope.

  22. غايَرتُ غَيري بِحُبِّ السُهدِ مُبتَعِداً

    عَن زائِرِ الطَيفِ تَذكى الوَجدُ زَورَتُهُ

    I differed from others by loving sleeplessness, keeping away

    from the visiting dream whose coming kindles longing.

  23. وَقَد تَخَيَّرَتنَجمَ اللَيلِ في سَمَري

    عَن سامِرٍ لا تَسرِ القَلبَ حَضرَتُهُ

    I chose the night's star for my evening conversation,

    rather than a companion whose presence brings the heart no joy.

  24. فَكَم رَفيقٍ بِإِبهامٍ يُبينُ صَفا

    وَهوَ الحَميمُ الَّذي تَسلى مَوَدَّتُهُ

    How many a companion ambiguously displays sincerity,

    an intimate friend whose affection consoles.

  25. وَلا أَوارِبَ أَنّي لا أُريدُ لَهُ

    سِوى اِرتِفاعٍ تُريحَ النَفسَ رِفعَتُهُ

    I do not equivocate: for him I desire

    nothing but an elevation whose loftiness eases the soul.

  26. وَذو التَهَكُّمِ لا تَعجَل بِهِ فَلَهُ

    يَومٌ تُبينُ لَهُ في الناسِ قيمَتُهُ

    Do not be hasty with the scoffer; he has

    a day when his worth among people will be revealed to him.

  27. قالوا اِستَبدِ فَقُلتُ الحُلمَ يُرجِعُني

    قالوا وَخَصَّكَ قُلتُ الحَزمَ يَكبُتُهُ

    They said, 'Be domineering.' I said, 'Forbearance holds me back.'

    They said, 'He singled you out.' I said, 'Firmness subdues him.'

  28. خَليقَةُ مَورِدِ التَسليمِ مَصدَرُها

    وَالمَرءُ يَحمَدُ ما سِرتُ خَليقَتُهُ

    A disposition whose source is submission's watering-place;

    a man praises what pleases his disposition [reading uncertain].

  29. مِن وَشحِ الرَأيِ تَدبيراً يُصيبُ بِهِ

    فَقُل أَن تُخطِئَ المَرمى إِصابَتُهُ

    From judgment girded with planning, by which he hits the mark,

    then say that his shot misses the target.

  30. سَخافَةَ العَقلِ في جَميعِ الكَلامِ سَدى

    وَأَحسَنُ القَولِ ماتَرجي نَتيجَتُهُ

    The mind's folly makes all speech futile;

    the best speech is that whose outcome is hoped for.

  31. وَكُلُّ حالٍ بِلا اِستِثنا رَضيتَ بِها

    مِنَ الحَبيبِ سِوى ذي اللَومِ يَشمَتُهُ

    Every condition, without exception, that you accepted

    from the beloved—except what gives the reprover cause to gloat.

  32. يا حُسنَ حَظّي وَيا تَميمَها نَعمي

    إِن أَنجَزَ الحَرُّ مَوعوداً يوقِتُهُ

    How fortunate I am, how complete my blessings,

    if the noble man fulfills a promise whose time he appoints!

  33. حَرَمتُ مِن وَصلِهِ أَن يَكُن أَمَلي

    فيهِ الوَفاءُ وَإِنَّ العَدلَ شيمَتُهُ

    Deprived of union with him, may my hope be

    for his faithfulness, for justice is his nature.

  34. يا نَفسُ كَم مِن عِتابٍ تَسمَعينَ وَلا

    تَقدِرينَ حِساباً أَنتَ عَهِدتُهُ

    O soul, how much reproach you hear, yet you do not

    reckon with an accounting you have known [wording uncertain].

  35. وَاِكتَفى بِمَتابٍ مِنكَ يَجعَلُن

    مِمَّن لَدى الحَشرِ وافَتهُ كِتابَتُهُ

    He was content with repentance from you, making me

    one whose record reaches him at the Resurrection.

  36. عَسى بِتَوبي وَإِخلاصي يُمَهِّدُ لي

    حُسنَ التَخَلُّصِ مِن عِمَّتِ شَفاعَتُهُ

    May my repentance and sincerity prepare for me

    a good deliverance from him whose intercession embraces all:

  37. يَس طَهَ بنِ عَبدِ اللَهِ مَن شَرَّفتَ

    مَعَ أَضطِرادِ العُلا وَالمَجدُ أُسرَتُهُ

    Ya-Sin, Ta-Ha, son of Abd Allah, who ennobled

    his family with ever-increasing loftiness and glory.

  38. عَينُ الضِياءِ ضِياءُ العَينِ قُرَّتُها

    نَفسُ الصَلاحِ فِطرَتُهُ

    The source of light, the light of the eye, its delight;

    righteousness itself is his innate nature.

  39. يُرَدِّدُ المَدحَ فيهِ ذو المَديحِ لَهُ

    وَفي المَديحِ مِنَ الخَلاقِ غَنيتُهُ

    His praiser repeats praise of him;

    his share of praise is his enrichment.

  40. فَكَفَّهُ مَنهَلٌ يَروي العِطاشَ وَلَو

    جازَ القِياسَ لَقُلنا البَحرَ نِسبَتُهُ

    His hand is a watering-place that quenches the thirsty; if

    comparison were permissible, we would say the sea is his kin.

  41. بِهِ تُكامِلُ دينَ اللَهِ نَحمَدُهُ

    كَما اِستَتَمتَ مَعَ الإِسلامِ نِعمَتُهُ

    Through him you complete God's religion—we praise Him—

    as His blessing was perfected with Islam.

  42. فَلَم تَلِد مِثلَهُ أُنثى وَلا حَمَلَت

    وَلا نَظيرَ لَهُ تَمَّت نَزاهَتُهُ

    No woman has borne or conceived his like;

    he has no peer: his purity is complete.

  43. بِالنَيِّرينَ إِذا ما قَسَتهُ نَظَراً

    أَبدَت لَكَ الفَرقَ مِثلَ الصُبحِ غُرَّتُهُ

    If you compare him in your sight with the two luminaries,

    his radiant brow, like morning, reveals the difference to you.

  44. كَم مُعجِزاتٍ لَهُ فَوقَ النُهى لَمَحَت

    وَحَسبُكَ ما كانَت شَهادَتُهُ

    How many miracles of his have flashed beyond understanding!

    His testimony alone suffices for you.

  45. اللَهُ كَمَّلَهُ وَالنَصرُ تَمَّ لَهُ

    فَمَن تَعنَتُهُ المَولى يَعنَتُهُ

    God perfected him, and victory was fully his;

    whoever troubles him, the Lord brings to grief.

  46. بِالبَدرِ شَبهُهُ مَن قَلَّ مَخبَرُهُ

    كَما إِلى الوَردِ قَد تَعَزّى نَضارَتُهُ

    One of little insight likens him to the full moon,

    just as his freshness is ascribed to the rose [reading uncertain].

  47. وَنورُهُ عِزَّ أَنَ يَلفى النَظيرَ لَهُ

    فَلا يُراعي بِأَقمارٍ تَسامَتُهُ

    His light is too rare to find an equal;

    his loftiness pays no heed to moons.

  48. شَيأَنَ بائِنَينِ قَد كُنّا نُشبَهُ

    النُطقَ شَهدٌ وَريحُ المِسكِ سيرَتُهُ

    We used to liken two things far apart:

    his speech is honey, his conduct the scent of musk.

  49. وَلا يُبالِغ مَن قالَ السَحابَ لَهُ

    قَد كانَ طَوعاً لَهُ تَنهَلُ ديمَتُهُ

    Nor does anyone exaggerate who says that clouds

    were obedient to him, their steady rain pouring down.

  50. وَلَو دَعا البَحرَ لِلطوفانِ مُعجِزَةً

    لا غَرِقَت أُمَّةُ الكُفّارِ دَعوَتُهُ

    Had he called the sea to flood as a miracle,

    his call would have drowned the unbelieving people [particle uncertain].

  51. وَلا غَلوَ لَو اِستَدعى النُجومَ هَوَت

    وَكَيفَ لا وَعَلَيَّ العَرشَ وَطَأتُهُ

    Nor is it excess to say that, if he summoned the stars, they would fall;

    how could they not, when his footfall was upon the Throne [reading uncertain]?

  52. وَكَفُّهُ أَبيَضُ حاشا الأَذى وَلَهُ

    وَجهٌ وَضى وَكُلُّ القَصدِ كُنيَتُهُ

    His hand is white, free from harm; and he has

    a radiant face, and his honorific holds the whole intent.

  53. نِعمَ لِموسى وَعيسى الفَضلُ تَعرِفُهُ

    لَكِنَّ أَحمَدَ لَم تُدرِك فَضيلَتَهُ

    Yes, you know the excellence of Moses and Jesus,

    but you have not grasped Ahmad's excellence.

  54. مُهَذَّبَ الطَبعِ بِالآدابِ جَلَّ عَلا

    حَتّى عَلى اللَهِ قَد جَلَت كَرامَتُهُ

    Refined in nature and manners, majestic and exalted,

    his honor stood high even before God.

  55. أَيُغالِهِ نُصرَةَ الدينِ أَوصَلَنا

    إِلى الطَريقِ العُلا وَالخَيرِ وِجهَتُهُ

    His wholehearted support for the faith brought us

    to the lofty path, with goodness as his destination.

  56. لَم يَنفِ إيجابَ عَفوٍ عِندَ مَقدِرَةٍ

    وَلا أَذىً مِنهُ في الإِحسانِ يَخفِتُهُ

    He did not deny the duty of pardon when one has power;

    nor does any harm from him diminish his beneficence.

  57. أَصابَ ذا الجَدِّ في التَسهيمِ مِنهُ رِضا

    وَالحَدُّ مافاتَ مَن حَقَّت عُقوبَتُهُ

    The fortunate received satisfaction in his apportionment;

    punishment did not miss one whose penalty was due.

  58. وَالخَيرُ وَالشَرُّ بِالإيضاحِ مِنهُ يَرى

    إِنَّ أَحسَنَ المَرءِ أَو أَردَتهُ خَيبَتُهُ

    Through his clear teaching, good and evil are seen:

    a man does good, or his failure brings him to ruin.

  59. وَقَسَمُ اللَهِ جَمَعَ المُبغِضينَ لَهُ

    هَذاكَ ذُلٌّ وَذا حانَت مُنيَتُهُ

    God's oath gathered together those who hated him:

    this one met humiliation, that one's death came due.

  60. وَزَلزَلَ الصَحبُ أَرضَ الكُفرِ فَاِنفَجَرَت

    بُركانُها وَغَدا بِالنارِ صَهرَتُهُ

    The Companions shook the land of unbelief, and it burst forth:

    its volcano; and its melting was by fire.

  61. وَالسَيفُ مُذ سَلَّ كادَ القَومُ عَن فَزَعِ

    مِن باهِرِ اللَمعِ تَعميهِم إِضاءَتُهُ

    Once the sword was drawn, the people nearly, in their terror,

    were blinded by its radiance and dazzling flash.

  62. وَلَو تَرى نُبلَهُم إِذ لِلعِدى رَدَفوا

    عَن مَنبَعِ النَسلِ لَم تُخطِئ رِمايَتُهُ

    If only you could see their arrows as they followed the enemies;

    their shooting did not miss the source of offspring.

  63. قَد أَرهَبوهُم فَزادَ الوَهمُ فَاِنقَلَبوا

    عَلى البِطاحِ فَخانَ العَزمُ عَزمَتُهُ

    They terrified them; dread increased, and they toppled

    upon the plains; resolve betrayed its own determination.

  64. بِالخَوفِ أَقبَلَ أَقواهُم يَهرَكُما

    بِالخَوفِ أَدبَرَ صَوتُ الهِرِّ يَبهَتُهُ

    Their strongest approached in fear, growling, just as [reading uncertain]

    he retreated in fear, startled by a cat's cry.

  65. تَعسالَهُم كَم أَساؤا وَاِعتَدوا سَفَهاً

    فَشاكَلتَهُم مِنَ القِهارِ نَقمَتُهُ

    Woe to them! How often they wronged and foolishly transgressed;

    the All-Subduer's vengeance matched their deeds.

  66. وَكُلُّ حَظِّ أَبي الزَهراءِ خَصَّ بِهِ

    فَالعِزُّ وَالفَوزُ في الدارَينِ قِسمَتُهُ

    Every good fortune was reserved for the father of al-Zahra;

    honor and triumph in both abodes are his portion.

  67. وَأَوجَزَ القَولَ فيما حازَ مِن نِعَمٍ

    إِحسانُهُ عَدلُهُ جَدواهُ عِفَّتُهُ

    In brief, the blessings he attained were:

    his kindness, justice, generosity, and chastity.

  68. بِهِ عَلا الدينَ وَالأَقصى إِلَيهِ دَنا

    وَالإِنسُ وَالجِنُّ عَمَّتهُم هِدايَتُهُ

    Through him the faith rose, and the farthest drew near to him;

    his guidance embraced humankind and jinn.

  69. لِزَهرِ آدابِهِ رِبحُ الصِبا اِتَّجَهَت

    فَاِذكَرَتنا بِنَفحِ الطيبِ نِسمَتُهُ

    The east wind turned toward the blossoms of his manners [reading uncertain];

    its fragrant breath reminded us of him.

  70. وَلا اِعتِراضَ إِذا مِتنا بِهِ شَغَفاً

    في حالَةِ البُعدِ إِذ عَزَّت زِيارَتُهُ

    No objection if we die of passionate love for him

    in separation, when visiting him is hard to obtain.

  71. وَلَستُ أَجِعُ عَن عَزمِ النُجوعِ لَهُ

    وَقَد وَهَنَت وَحاشا القَلبُ خَطرَتُهُ

    I shall not turn back from my resolve to journey to him,

    though its impulse weakened—far be it from the heart!

  72. فَهُم وَقُم وَاِمضِ يا مُشتاقَ وَاِقضِ لَهُ

    حَقّاً يَنالُكَ بِالإيفاءَ مِنتُهُ

    Then yearn, arise, go forth, O longing one, and discharge for him

    a duty, so that his favor reaches you through its fulfillment.

  73. بِالذَوقُ وَالسَمعِ وَالأَبصارِ نَعشَقُهُ

    وَالشَمُّ وَاللَمسُ فَالأَلبابُ دارَتُهُ

    With taste, hearing, and sight we love him;

    with smell and touch too; minds are his dwelling.

  74. مِن اِسمِهِ اِشتَقَّ سُبحانَ المُعِزِّ لَهُ

    مِنَ المَحامِدِ حَتّى حَقَّ مِدحَتُهُ

    From His name—glory to the One who honors him—He derived

    praises, until praise of him was rightly deserved.

  75. وَمِن عَجيبِ اِتِّفاقٍ أَنَّ مُرضَعُهُ

    حَليمَةَ مِن أَنَّ الحِلمَ صِبغَتُهُ

    It is a wondrous coincidence that his wet nurse

    was Halima, since forbearance is his coloring.

  76. بَديعَ خَلقٍ صَوَّرَهُ

    نَفيسَ نَفسٍ فَرادى الحُسنَ جُملَتُهُ

    He fashioned him with wondrous form,

    a precious soul: separate beauties compose his entirety.

  77. عَلَمَّ الظَواهِرَ جَزَّءَ مِنهُ يَحصِرُهُ

    كُلى عِلمِ مِنَ العَلامِ نَفحَتُهُ

    Knowledge of appearances encompasses only a part of him [wording uncertain];

    universal knowledge is his breath from the All-Knowing [reading uncertain].

  78. فَرائِدُ الدُرِّ مِنَ مَفهومِ مَنطِقُهُ

    كَم اِشرَأَبَّ لَها قَلبٌ وَحَبَّتُهُ

    Rare pearls are found in the meaning of his speech;

    how many hearts, down to their very cores, have stretched toward them!

  79. كَم ظَرَّزَ المَدحَ وَالأَطراءَ مادِحُهُ

    وَنِعمَ خُطَّتُهُ وَالحُسنُ خِطَّتُهُ

    How often his praiser has embroidered praise and eulogy!

    How excellent his course, with beauty as his domain!

  80. وَكَم عَلا شَأنُهُ بِالذِكرِ في سورٍ

    لَكِن في نونٍ ما يُصبيكَ نَكتَتُهُ

    How high his rank has risen through mention in surahs;

    but in Nun there is a subtle point that enchants you.

  81. لَيتَ المَدائِحَ تَستَوفي مَناقِبَهُ

    وَلَيتَ كاتِبَها الشِعري صَحيفَتُهُ

    Would that encomiums could encompass his virtues;

    would that their writer's poetic page [wording unclear].

  82. وَاللَهُ حَبا لَهُ كَرَرتَ مِدحَتُهُ

    وَاللَهُ حَبا لَهُ تَشتاقُ مِدحَتُهُ

    God bestowed favor on him; you repeated his praise.

    God bestowed favor on him; you yearn to praise him.

  83. ما النَيلُ أَروى بِإِكثارِ الفُروعِ لَهُ

    مِن راحَةٍ قَد رَوَت مِنها عَشيرَتُهُ

    The Nile, for all its many branches, is no more thirst-quenching

    than a hand from which his kinsfolk drank their fill.

  84. هُوَ النَبي خِتامُ الرُسُلِ خَيرَهُم

    إِسماً وَفِعلاً وَخَيرَ الناسِ أُمَّتُهُ

    He is the Prophet, the seal of the messengers, the best of them

    in name and deed; his community is the best of humankind.

  85. حُسنُ البَيانِ لَهُ كانَت نِهايَتُهُ

    إِن أَوجَزَ القَولَ أَو طالَت عِبارَتُهُ

    In him eloquence reached its utmost,

    whether he spoke briefly or his expression grew long.

  86. تَمَكَّنتُ في النَدى إِقدامُهُ وَرَسَت

    كَما أَفاضَت بِفَرطِ الجودِ راحَتُهُ

    His boldness in generosity took root and stood firm [reading uncertain],

    as his hand overflowed with boundless giving.

  87. لا يَلغَزُ المَجدُ مَن يَعني سَناهُ فَما

    خِفتُ بِتَصحيفِهِ في المَدحِ فِكرَتُهُ

    Glory does not puzzle one who seeks its radiance; I did not

    fear misreading its meaning in praise [wording uncertain].

  88. أَنوارُ حِكمَتِهِ بِالمَنطِقِ اِئتَلَفَت

    فَاللَفظُ كَالزَيتِ وَالمَعنى إِضاءَتُهُ

    The lights of his wisdom came together in speech:

    the words like oil, the meaning their illumination.

  89. وَاللَفظُ في مَدحِهِ بِالوَزنِ مُؤتَلَفٍ

    وَإِنَّما القَدرُ عالَ قَد ناعَتُهُ

    Words in his praise are harmonized by meter;

    yet his lofty rank rises beyond its describer [wording uncertain].

  90. ذو شِدَّةٍ وَرَخا تَفسيرَ حُكمُهُما

    في الجَدِّ جِدٌّ وَفي الجَدوى سَماحَتُهُ

    He has sternness and ease; their governing principle is:

    earnestness in serious matters, generosity in giving.

  91. قَد ضَمِنَ الثَغرَ مِنهُ سينَ بَسمَلَةٍ

    فَكُلُّ شَيءٍ بِها جاءَت بِدايَتُهُ

    His mouth contains the sin of the basmala,

    for every thing has its beginning with it.

  92. يا فَوزَهُ في العُلا مَن ذا يُناظِرُهُ

    ما عَن سِواهُ نَأيٌ فَالمحَظ قِسمَتُهُ

    How triumphant he is in exalted rank! Who can rival him?

    He is not distant from others; good fortune is his portion [wording uncertain].

  93. أَقوالُهُ دُرَرُ أَعمالِهِ غُرَرُ

    كَم نَسَقَت سوراً مِنها بَديهَتُهُ

    His sayings are pearls, his deeds shining glories;

    how many surahs his ready inspiration has arrayed from them!

  94. عُنوانَ مِقدارِهِ مِن قَبلِ بِعثَتُهُ

    في مُلكِ كِسرى بَدَت كَالشَمسِ آيَتُهُ

    A sign of his stature, even before his mission:

    in Kisra's kingdom his sign appeared like the sun.

  95. لَولا أَفادَ الضُحى إِشراقَ طَلعَتِهِ

    وَحَقَّ عَلياهُ ما كانَت أَنارَتُهُ

    Had the morning not gained the radiance of his countenance,

    by his exalted station, it would not have shone.

  96. أَسداهُ مَولاهُ أَعلاءَ وَكَملَهُ

    فَاِحذِف مِنَ الصَدرِ مِن ضاهَتِهِ رُتبَتُهُ

    His Lord bestowed elevation on him and perfected him;

    erase from your heart anyone whose rank equals his.

  97. قَد تابَعَ النُصحَ إِرشاداً لِأُمَّتِهِ

    كَما أَفاضَت عَلى العافينَ نِعمَتُهُ

    He continued offering counsel to guide his community,

    as his bounty overflowed upon those seeking gifts.

  98. أَطاعَهُ وَعَصاهُ يا هَنا وَضَنى

    مَن كانَ يُؤمِنُ أَو زاغَت بَصيرتُهُ

    He was obeyed and defied—O bliss and misery—

    by those who believed or whose insight strayed.

  99. وَالصَحبُ عَيبَهُم في الحَربِ مُتَّضَحُ

    أَمرُ الخِداعِ مَتى قامَت قِيامَتُهُ

    The Companions—their fault in war is plain:

    the affair of deception, whenever its reckoning arose.

  100. بِالجودِ سادوا وَبِالإيثارِ قَد بَسَطوا

    بَسَطَ الغِياثُ مَتى قامَت قِيامَتُهُ

    Through generosity they ruled, and through selflessness they spread

    the reach of succor whenever its hour arose.

  101. هَذا أَبو بَكرٍ حازَ الفَضلَ أَجمَعُهُ

    وَلَيسَ تَخفى لِذي النورَينِ هِمَّتُهُ

    Here is Abu Bakr, who gained all excellence;

    the resolve of Dhu al-Nurayn is not hidden.

  102. وَاِذكُر سَنا عُمرِ نِعمَتِ عِنايَتِهِ

    وَاِنظُر جَنى ثَمَرٍ أَبدَت عَدالَتُهُ

    Recall Umar's radiance, the blessing of his care;

    look at the harvest of fruit his justice revealed.

  103. وَلا فَتى كَعَلي ذي الوَلاءِ فَلَو

    صَفا لَهُ الوَقتُ لَاِمتازَت خِلافَتُهُ

    No youth is like Ali, the loyal one; had

    the times been kind to him, his caliphate would have excelled.

  104. وَكُلُّهُم قَد غَنّى بِالمُصطَفى وَهَنى

    وَما نَأَت أَو نَبَت عَنهُم مَعونَتُهُ

    All sang of al-Mustafa and were joyful;

    his help neither withdrew nor recoiled from them.

  105. بِهِم تَعطِفُ تَحناناً فَكانَ لَهُ

    مِن عَطفِهِم ما بِهِ تَمتَدُّ نُصرَتُهُ

    He inclined to them in tender affection; thus he received

    from their tenderness what sustained his support.

  106. أَما سُلالَتُهُ الغَرّا وَبِضعَتُهُ

    فَقُل عَلى مَن جَفاهُم بِئسَ وَقعَتُهُ

    As for his radiant lineage and his own flesh,

    say of those who shunned them: how evil their downfall!

  107. فَهُم مَجازُ الرِضا في النازِلاتِ لِمَن

    قَد عَضَّهُ الدَهرَ أَو ضافَت حَضيرَتُهُ

    They are a passage to contentment amid calamities for one

    whom time has bitten, or whose enclosure has grown narrow.

  108. فَإِن تَزاوَجَ هُم نارُهُ اِضطَرَمَت

    بِغَيثِ إِسعافِهِم تُطفي حَرارَتُهُ

    If anguish multiplies and its fire blazes [reading uncertain],

    the rain of their aid extinguishes its heat.

  109. جَرَّدتَ مِن عَزمِهِم سَيفاً إِجزِ بِهِ

    أَوصالَ مَن أَصلَت فيهِم كَراهَتُهُ

    You have drawn a sword from their resolve; cut with it

    the limbs of those whose hatred has bared its sword against them.

  110. فَالبيضُ وَالسَمرُ أَحرى أَن تَخضِبَ مَن

    بِحِقدِهِ أَصفَرَ وَاِسوَدَّت صَحيفَتُهُ

    White blades and brown spears are fitter to dye those

    who yellow with rancor, whose record is blackened.

  111. فَوَ الَّذي أَنزَلَ الآياتَ مُحكَمَةً

    لِتُخطِئَن ذَوي البَغضاءِ رَحمَتُهُ

    By Him who sent down the firmly established verses,

    His mercy will surely miss those possessed of hatred.

  112. يا رَبِّ عَبدُكَ في الآثامِ قَد بَرَعَت

    أَيدي هَواهُ وَمَحضِ العَفوِ طِلبَتُهُ

    O Lord, Your servant—in sins how skilled have grown

    the hands of his desire! His plea is for pure pardon.

  113. وَبِاِنتِسابي لِمَن شَفَعَت لي أَمَلٌ

    قَد أَدمَجَتهُ خَطيئاتي وَخِشيَتُهُ

    Through my affiliation with the one who intercedes, I have a hope

    that my sins and fear of him have enfolded.

  114. وَما اِحتِراسي وَفَضلُ اللَهِ مُتَّسَعٌ

    إِلّا مِنَ الرَدِّ إِن لَم تَرجِ عِطفَتُهُ

    My only precaution, with God's bounty so vast,

    is against rejection, should His compassion offer no hope.

  115. لَكِن في اللَهِ ظَنّي عِقدُهُ حُسنُ

    وَعُمدَةَ المَرءِ في الأَعمالِ نِيَّتُهُ

    Yet my belief in God is bound to goodness;

    a man's foundation in his deeds is his intention.

  116. فَالذَنبُ أَجرَمَ لَم تَغرِب جَسامَتُهُ

    وَالرَبُّ أَكرَمَ لَم تَعزِب كَرامَتُهُ

    Sin is grievous, its enormity no secret;

    but the Lord is more generous; His kindness is never absent.

  117. وَرَحمَتي وِسعَتُ فيها الكِفايَةَ لي

    كانَت إِلى اللَهِ وَالمَمدوحِ هِجرَتُهُ

    In 'And My mercy encompasses' lies enough for me;

    his migration was to God and the one praised.

  118. فَمُنتَهى سُؤلي مِن فَيضِ نِعمَتِهِ

    حُسنُ الخِتامِ وَفي الفِردَوسِ صُحبَتُهُ

    The utmost of my prayer, from his overflowing bounty,

    is a good end, and his companionship in Paradise.

  119. ثُمَّ الصَلاةُ عَلَيهِ وَالتَحِيَّةُ ما

    دَورٌ تَسَلسَلَ لَم تَعرِف نِهايَتُهُ

    Then blessings and salutations be upon him, as long as

    cycles follow one another with no known end.