صلاة ربي على المختار صفوته

محمد ثم أصحاب وعترته

My Lord's blessings be upon the Chosen One, His elect,

Muhammad, then upon his companions and his kindred.

يا سائرا في دجا الاطلال مبتدرا

بالظعن جادلها يا طيب نغمته

O traveler hastening through the darkness of the ruins,

With the departing caravan, dispute with her, O sweet-voiced one.

عرج بنحو لواهم كي أودعهم

فان لي قمراً يزهو بتيهته

Turn aside toward their curved sands, so that I may bid them farewell,

For I have a moon who glories in his proud bearing.

أهم عريب النقا من نحو ذي سلم

أم هم أهيل الحمي الشرقي منتبه

Are they the dear Arab folk of the sandhill, from the direction of Dhu Salam,

Or are they the dear folk of the eastern sanctuary, O watchful one?

نعم أهيل الصفا والجود ثم وفا

ولن يضيعوا فتى يولو لفاقته

Yes, the dear folk of purity and generosity, and then fidelity;

And they will not forsake a youth they favor in his need.

فيهم مليح سبى قلبي بصولته

في الحسن حين ازدهى في حال مشيته

Among them is a handsome one who captured my heart with his might,

In beauty, when he shone in the way he walked.

في مشيه ميلٌ في طرفه حوَر

كالغصن ميلا ويزهو في تظرفه

There is a sway in his gait, and striking black and white in his eyes;

He sways like a branch and glories in his graceful bearing.

يختال في صبب قلبي به خبل

وذاب جسمي وروحي في محبته

He walks proudly down a slope; my heart is crazed with him,

And my body and soul have melted in love for him.

والليل من شعره محلو لِكَ غسقا

والصبح يطلع من لألاء غرته

And night, from his hair, is pitch-dark with dusk;

And dawn rises from the radiance of his brow.

نعت حوى كل معني حارَ واصفه

وأبيض الوجه محمر مورده

A description embracing every meaning—its describer is bewildered;

And fair of face, his rosy cheek is flushed red.

وناحل الخصر عبلُ الرَّدف أثقله

من بين كل البرايا جل واصفه

And slender of waist, his full buttocks weigh him down;

Among all creatures, exalted is his describer.

أصابَ باللحظ قلبي هل أقبله

واجتنى الورد من تقبيل وجنته

He struck my heart with a glance—shall I kiss him

And pluck roses by kissing his cheek?

تبارك اللَه قد فاقت شمائله

لم تقتنع نفسنا من نفس سيرته

Blessed be God; his qualities have excelled.

Our soul has not had enough of his very life-story.

فجل من صاغه في ذات هيكله

وأبدع الحسن في ذرات صورته

So exalted is He who fashioned him in the very substance of his frame,

And wrought beauty in the particles of his form.

قد زانه فرط وصف فيه منظما

وحلية الحسن مع أوصاف زينته

Indeed, abundant qualities, ordered within him, have adorned him,

And beauty's ornament, with the attributes of his adornment.

مذ أحدقوا نظراً في ذي محاسنه

فجملة الناس مفتون بطرته

Ever since they gazed intently upon these beauties of his,

All people have been captivated by his forelock.

فمن هواه عليل جلُّ ذلك من

عينين ثمَّ وأقنى الانف أصقله

So whoever loves him is ailing; most of that comes from

Two eyes, and then an aquiline nose that He polished.

قد أكمل اللَه فيه الخلق مع خلق

كدمية نزَّهت من كل مشيته

God has perfected in him both form and character,

Like a figurine, flawless in every movement [wording uncertain].

وعنقه كلُجينٍ صاف معدنه

وثغره الدر لا تنسى غدائره

And his neck is like silver, pure in its metal;

And his mouth is pearls; do not forget his tresses.

له من اللَه ما يهواه من أَزل

وكل تصريف مولانا على بده

He has from God whatever he desires, from eternity;

And all our Master's governance lies in his hand [reading uncertain].

محمد خير كل الخلق من مضر

ربيعة الفرس قد صالت بصولته

Muhammad, the best of all creatures, of Mudar;

Rabi'a al-Faras has charged with his might.

وأزك كل الورى في الخلق مع خلق

وخيرهم في عطاياه ومنحته

And the purest of all creation in form and character,

And the best of them in his gifts and bounty.

وطه من لا يوازي فخر أمته

ولا يعادله شخص برتبته

And Taha, whose community's glory cannot be matched,

Nor does any person equal him in his rank.

ولا مثال له طول المدي أبداً

في ذي مكانته أو ذي فخامته

Nor has he any likeness throughout all time, ever,

In this his station or this his majesty,

من النبيين من رسل ومن ملك

لدى الاله ومن أرسى دعائمه

Among the prophets, among messengers, and among angels,

Before God, and Him who established his foundations.

اللَه جلله بهبة عظمَت

كساه كل وقار من فضائله

God robed him in a gift of surpassing greatness;

He clothed him in every dignity from His favors.

أرجوه من بعض إحساناته يهب

ويحبني محسناً من ذي عوائده

I hope he grants some of his favors,

And loves me, showing kindness as is his wont.

يا سيدي يا رسول اللَه غث ولدا

ابنالكم وعبيداً ضل مأخذه

O my master, O Messenger of God, aid a child,

A son of yours, a humble servant who has lost his way.

فهاشم الميرغني المنسوب منتحباً

مقيداً بعظيم الذنب مثقله

For Hashim al-Mirghani, so affiliated, is sobbing,

Bound by grievous sin that weighs him down.

صلى عليك إله العرش ما بزغ ال

بدر المنير وأبدى من غمائمه

May the God of the Throne bless you whenever there rises the

Radiant full moon, showing itself from its clouds,

والآل والصحب من قاموا بواجبه

ما غردت فوق غصن البان طائره

And his family and companions, who fulfilled their duty toward him,

As long as its bird sings above a bough of the ban tree.