أذكت بأحناء الضلوع أوارا

ورقٌ ترجع شدوها أسحارا

They kindled a blaze in the hollows of the ribs—

Gray doves repeating their song before dawn.

سجعت فهيّجَ سجعُها مستعيراً

يشجى بشجو بكائه الأطيارا

They cooed; their cooing stirred one borrowing their lament,

Who saddens the birds with the sorrow of his weeping.

لمّا تذكّر عهد أيام مضت

أجرت دموع شؤونه أنهارا

When he recalled the time of days gone by,

The tears of his tear ducts made rivers flow.

يبكى ويندب ربع عمر قد عفا

لم يقض في ساحاته أوطارا

He weeps and mourns a lifetime’s dwelling, now effaced,

In whose courtyards he fulfilled none of his desires.

متثبثاً بعسى وعلّ لعلّه

أن يدرك الركب الذي قد سارا

Clinging to 'perhaps' and 'maybe,' hoping

To catch the caravan that has already departed.

لما انقضت أيامه وتصرمت

وأديلَ من إيراده إصدارا

When his days had ended and were spent,

And his coming to water gave way to departure,

ودعابه داعى الرحيل ولم يجد

من عمره عوناً ولا أنصارا

And the herald of departure called him, and he found no

Help from his lifetime, nor any supporters,

لم يلف فيما يرتجيه مؤمّلا

يشفى السقام ويطرد الأفكارا

Among his hopes he found no wished-for thing

To cure sickness and banish troubled thoughts,

إلا امتداح الهاشمي وصحبه

فبذاك يجنى للسعود ثمارا

Except praise of the Hashimite and his companions;

So through that he reaps the fruits of good fortune.

فارتاح للأمداح ينظم درّها

في جيد مجد علائهم أشعارا

So he delighted in praises, stringing their pearls

Into verses around the neck of their exalted glory.

فلتستمع يا صاح ذكر مناقب

قد فاق عرفُ ذكائها الأزهارا

So listen, my friend, to the account of virtues

Whose rich fragrance has surpassed the flowers.

فمحمد شمس المفاخر والعلا

والصحب أضحوا حوله أقمارا

For Muhammad is the sun of glories and eminence,

And the companions became moons around him.

نسقوا كما نسقت دراري الأفق في

فلك المجرة فاعتلوا أبدارا

They were arrayed as the horizon’s shining stars are arrayed in

The Milky Way’s sphere, and rose as full moons.

من كل ندبٍ في المكارم معرقٍ

يكسو بغرته الدجى أنوارا

Each a gallant man deeply rooted in noble deeds,

Clothing the darkness in light with his radiant brow.

حلو الشمائل طاب ذكر ثنائه

وحكى أقاحاً نشره وبهارا

Sweet in character, sweet is the telling of his praise;

And his fragrance resembles daisies and narcissus.

أضواء مجد شامخات في العلا

كرموا فسادوا محتداً ونجارا

Lights of glory towering in the heights,

Noble, they became foremost in lineage and stock.

طبعت على طبع النبي طباعهم

فتطوروا في فضلها أطوارا

Their natures were molded upon the Prophet’s nature,

So they advanced through stages of their excellence.

فالأوحد الصديق أول ماجد

أسدى النوال وآثر الإيثارا

And the peerless al-Siddiq is the foremost noble man,

Who bestowed gifts and preferred selfless giving.

لما تخلّل في العباءة مؤثرا

للبذل فاق ببره الأبرارا

When he pinned a cloak about himself, preferring

To give, his goodness surpassed the righteous.

هو صاحب المختار في أزماته

ثانيه يوم ثوى فحل الغارا

He is the Chosen One’s companion in his hardships,

The second beside him when he halted, then lodged in the cave.

عدد علا الفاروق واذكر فضله

فبه منار هدى الأنام أنارا

Recount al-Faruq’s honors and recall his excellence:

Through him the beacon guiding humankind shone bright.

للحق جرّد صارما يفرى الطلى

فاستفتح الأقطار والأمصارا

For truth he drew a keen sword that cleaves necks,

And conquered regions and cities.

وهو المحدّثُ بالغيوب وقلبه

قد أودع اللَه به أسرارا

He is inspired concerning the unseen, and in his heart

God has deposited secrets.

وامدح شهيد الدار عثمان الذي

لزم الحياءَ مهابة ووقارا

And praise Uthman, martyr of the house, who

Held fast to modesty, with dignity and composure.

ولطالما لبس الظلام تهجداً

والدمع يهمى سحُّهُ مدرارا

And how often he donned the darkness in night prayer,

While tears poured down in an abundant torrent.

كتب العلاء سطور فخر خلاله

فاقرأ بها متنزها أخبارا

Eminence wrote proud lines of his virtues;

So read their tales, strolling through them in delight.

واذكر إماما خلّصت أوصافه

نقدا فراق نضارها النظارا

And recall an imam whose qualities were refined

Into coin whose pure gold delighted onlookers.

أعنى أبا الحسن ابن عم محمد

صهر النبي الفارس الكرارا

I mean Abu al-Hasan, Muhammad’s cousin,

The Prophet’s son-in-law, the ever-charging horseman;

أسد الحروب إذا الفوارس في الوغى

هزوا القواضب والقنا الخطارا

The lion of wars, when horsemen in the fray

Brandish keen swords and quivering spears.

وكذا حذيفة ثم سعد والزبي

ر لدين أحمد أصبحوا أنصارا

And likewise Hudhayfa, then Sa'd and al-Zubayr:

They became champions of Ahmad’s faith.

وأبا عبيدة وابن عوفٍ فامتدح

وسعيد قد حازوا الكمال فخارا

And praise Abu Ubayda and Ibn 'Awf,

And Sa'id: they attained perfection as their glory.

كن لائذاً بذرا الصحابة كلهم

فلهم بنانُ المعلوات أشارا

Seek refuge in the shelter of all the Companions,

For the fingers of lofty honors pointed to them.

ولتفن عمرك في امتداح علائهم

تجنى المحامد في غد مختارا

And spend your lifetime praising their eminence;

You will reap praise on the morrow, as one chosen.

وإلى مغان شرفت بوجودهم

فاقطع بحث اليعملات قفارا

And toward dwellings ennobled by their presence,

Then cross deserts by urging on swift she-camels.

فهم البدور إذا عدمت أهلةً

وهم الشموس إذا فقدت نهارا

For they are full moons when you find no crescents,

And they are suns when you lack daylight.

أصحابُ أحمد كالنجوم لمهتد

يهدى بنور هداهمُ من حارا

Ahmad’s companions are like stars to one seeking guidance;

Whoever is bewildered is led by their guiding light.

فبأحمد وبآله وبصحبه

طلعت شموس سنا الكمال جهارا

So through Ahmad, his family, and his companions,

The suns of perfection’s radiance rose in plain sight.

للَه أعلام لهم ومعاهد

بانت وأذكت في الجوانح نارا

How wondrous their landmarks and familiar haunts,

Which have grown distant and kindled fire within the ribs.

باللَه يا ريح الصبا سحراً إذا

ما زرتِ من مغنى الحبيب ديارا

By God, O east wind, when before dawn

You visit dwellings in the beloved’s abode,

فلتبلغى عنى تحية مغرم

بجوى البعاد فواده قد طارا

Then convey from me a lovesick lover’s greeting,

Whose heart has flown with separation’s burning pain.

يا ربّ بالمختار يسر زورة

تمحو بها الآثام والأوزارا

O Lord, for the Chosen One’s sake, make a visit easy,

Through which You wipe away sins and burdens.

واعطف على العبد الذليل بنظرة

فإلى عبيدك لم تزل نظّارا

And turn a gracious glance upon the humble servant,

For You have never ceased to watch over Your servants.