1. لأحمدَ تعنو الأقمار

    فعدّه فخارهُ

    To Ahmad the moons bow.

    Count that among his glories.

  2. وأنظم ثناهُ أشعار

    ولازِم وقارَه

    I compose poems in his praise

    and hold fast to reverence for him.

  3. لأحمدَ بدر الأفق

    وشمس المعالي

    Ahmad is the moon of the horizon

    and the sun of lofty virtues.

  4. تأجّجُ نار الشوق

    وكيف احتيالي

    The fire of longing blazes;

    what can I do?

  5. لئن فازَ أهلُ السبق

    بذاك الكمال

    Though those who went before have won

    that perfection,

  6. وحلوا بهاتيك الدار

    وحازوا جوارهُ

    settled in that abode

    and gained his nearness,

  7. ففي القلب نار الأفكار

    قد أذكت أوارَه

    a fire of thoughts burns in my heart;

    they have fed its flame.

  8. حادي الركب بلّغ عنّى

    سلاماً أثيرا

    Caravan guide, convey from me

    a cherished greeting,

  9. وقُل مغرمٌ ذو حزان

    قد أضحى أسيرا

    and say: a lover burdened with sorrow

    has become a captive.

  10. أصمَته سهام البين

    لم يلف نصيرا

    The arrows of separation have struck him silent;

    he has found no helper.

  11. وقد أبعدته الأقدار

    والحزن أثارَه

    Fate has kept him far away

    and stirred his grief.

  12. في القلب ثنائي الأقطار

    يضرم نارَه

    In my heart, my praise across the lands

    kindles its fire.

  13. إذا لاح لمعُ البَرقِ

    من أكنافِ نجدِ

    When a flash of lightning appears

    from the reaches of Najd,

  14. دعأني إليه شوقي

    وإفراطُ وجدى

    my longing calls me toward it,

    as does the force of my yearning.

  15. إلى قبر خيرِ الخلقِ

    سأجهَدُ جهدي

    Toward the grave of the best of creation

    I will strive with all my strength,

  16. لعلّيَ أقضى الأوطار

    وأُعطي مزارَه

    hoping to fulfill my desire

    and be granted a visit to him.

  17. فعَنّى تمحى الأوزارُ

    إذا زُرتُ دارَه

    Then my sins may be erased

    when I visit his abode.

  18. يا حادي شوقيَ زمزِم

    بذكر الحبيب

    O guide of my longing, chant

    the beloved’s name.

  19. ويا حرّ وجديَ ضرّم

    نيرانَ الوجيب

    O heat of my yearning, stoke

    the fires of my pounding heart.

  20. يا دمعَ عينيَ أرقُم

    بخدّ الكئيب

    O tears of my eyes, inscribe

    upon the sorrowful one’s cheek

  21. رسومَ سطور التذكار

    لربعِ أنارَه

    the lines of remembrance

    of an abode illuminated by

  22. سنا نور وجهِ المختار

    فأعلى منارَه

    the radiance of the Chosen One’s face,

    which raised its beacon high.

  23. أيا ربّ بالمختار

    والصحب الكرام

    O Lord, by the Chosen One

    and his noble companions,

  24. قرّب قربَ نائي الدار

    من ذاك المقام

    bring one who lives far away near

    to that place.

  25. واغفر قول ذي إصرار

    غنّى في هيام

    Forgive the words of one who persists,

    singing in rapture,

  26. من يورين دار العطار

    بدرب المنارَه

    from Yurin, the perfumer’s house,

    on Minaret Lane.

  27. ثيابي وما تحوى الدار

    نعطهِ مال البشارَه

    My clothes and all the house contains:

    we will give him the reward for good tidings.