تَرَاءَت لك الدنيا الخؤون فحلّتِ

تَرَاءَت لك الدنيا الخؤون فحلّتِ

عرى توبَةٍ أبرمتها فاضمحلَّتِ

عرى توبَةٍ أبرمتها فاضمحلَّتِ

The treacherous world appeared to you and loosened

The sorrows of life seemed trivial to you, so

the bonds of repentance you had bound fast, and it faded away.

You donned the garb of sincere repentance, and it faded away.

تكلّفتهاحتى إذا ما اقتنصتها

تكلّفتهاحتى إذا ما اقتنصتها

محت أم دفرٍ رسمها إذ تجلتِ

محت أم دفرٍ رسمها إذ تجلتِ

You strove for it until, just when you had captured it,

You persevered till you attained it,

Umm Dafr, the Mother of Stench, erased its trace as she revealed herself.

Then erased any blemishes once it appeared to you.

تكلّف مَن لَم يأتها عن بصيرَةٍ

تكلّف مَن لَم يأتها عن بصيرَةٍ

فما أقبلت حتى انثَنَت وتولّتِ

فما أقبلت حتى انثَنَت وتولّتِ

Your striving was that of one who approached it without insight;

He who does not come to it with insight

for no sooner had she approached than she turned back and departed.

Will not attain it, even if he strives, then turns away.

تَجافَ عن الدنيا وأمضٍِ طَلاقَها

تَجافَ عن الدنيا وأمضٍِ طَلاقَها

طَلاقَ بَتاتٍ إنَّها شرُّ خِلّةٍ

طَلاقَ بَتاتٍ إنَّها شرُّ خِلّةٍ

Keep aloof from the world and make your divorce from her final—

Turn away from this life and complete your separation from it

an irrevocable divorce: she is the worst companion.

A definite separation - it is the worst companion.

تَنَل طِيبَ وقتٍ لم يُكَدِّر صفاؤه

تَنَل طِيبَ وقتٍ لم يُكَدِّر صفاؤه

ومشهَدَ أنسٍ لم يُدَنَّس بغفلةِ

ومشهَدَ أنسٍ لم يُدَنَّس بغفلةِ

You will gain the sweetness of a time whose serenity is unclouded,

You attained a blessed time, whose calm was undisturbed,

and a scene of intimate fellowship untainted by heedlessness,

And witnessed intimacy that was not tainted by heedlessness.

وتَرقَ لحال في بساطِ كرامةٍ

وتَرقَ لحال في بساطِ كرامةٍ

أتاكَ بها الهادي المبين الأدِلّةِ

أتاكَ بها الهادي المبين الأدِلّةِ

and rise to a state upon a carpet of honor,

And you aspired to a state of honor

brought to you by the Guide who makes the proofs clear.

Brought to you by the Guide, the Clear Proof.

تَلألأتِ الدُّنيا لِنُورِ جَبِينِه

تَلألأتِ الدُّنيا لِنُورِ جَبِينِه

فولَّيتُوجهِي شَطرَهُ فهو قِبلَتِي

فولَّيتُوجهِي شَطرَهُ فهو قِبلَتِي

The world sparkled with the light of his brow;

The world shone with the light of his forehead,

so I turned my face toward him, for he is my qibla.

So I turned my face towards him, for he is my qibla.

تنآءى فحنَّ الجذعُ شوقاً فكيفَ لاَ

تنآءى فحنَّ الجذعُ شوقاً فكيفَ لاَ

يحنُّ له قلبي وتنهلُّ مُقلَتِي

يحنُّ له قلبي وتنهلُّ مُقلَتِي

He drew away, and the trunk moaned with longing—how, then, could

He leaned towards me, so his trunk longed - how could

my heart not yearn for him, and my eye not stream with tears?

My heart not yearn for him, and my downpour not flood for him?

تَوَسَّل به يا أيها المُذنِبُ الذي

تَوَسَّل به يا أيها المُذنِبُ الذي

مَضَى العمرُ مِنهُ في شقاءٍ وضلَّةِ

مَضَى العمرُ مِنهُ في شقاءٍ وضلَّةِ

Seek intercession through him, O sinner whose

Seek intercession through him, O you guilty one

life has slipped away in misery and error.

Whose life was spent in misery and misguidance,

تَزُوركَ يا خيرَ الأنام مُحَمَّداً

تَزُوركَ يا خيرَ الأنام مُحَمَّداً

صلاَةُ شَجٍ في عَبرَةٍ مستهلَّة

صلاَةُ شَجٍ في عَبرَةٍ مستهلَّة

You are visited, O best of creation, Muhammad,

Visit, O best of creation, Muhammad,

by a sorrowing man's prayer of blessing, amid a streaming tear.

The prayers of one tearful in regret and overwhelmed.