مبنى أغر وليلة غراء

عتمتهما الأفراح والسراء

A radiant edifice and a resplendent night,

their darkness is festivity and gladness.

ما إن يكاد يحس من نوريهما

أرض تلقى أن تقول سماء

In the light of them both, one can scarcely discern

any earth one encounters—one would call it sky.

وخليفةٌ قد توجته مهابةٌ

تعنو لعزة ملكه الخلفاء

And a caliph whom majesty has crowned,

before the might of whose kingship caliphs bow.

دارت عليه وهو بدر طالعٌ

من شبهه الوزراء والعلماء

Around him, a rising full moon, revolved

viziers and scholars who resembled him.

فكأنه في أفقها شمس الضحى

والكل إشراق له وضياء

So he seemed, upon its horizon, the forenoon sun,

and all were radiance and light for him.

شهدت ذكاء بأنه مصباحها

والحسن ما شهدت به الأكفاء

Dhukāʾ, the sun, testified that he was its lamp;

and beauty is what one's equals attest.

يا ليلة ما مثلها من ليلة

دارت بها الأوقاف والآناء

O night, no other night is like it,

around which pauses and hours revolved.

حيا محيا صبحها عن وجه من

زهيت به الخضراء والغبراء

Its dawn's countenance offered greeting from the face of him

through whom the green sky and dusty earth were adorned;

عن وجه أفضل مرسل يرجى إذا

ضاقت بأهل الموقف الأرجاء

from the face of the finest messenger, hoped for when

the expanses close in upon those at the Gathering;

أحظى النبيئين الكرام مكانة

وأجل من طلعت عليه ذكاء

the most favored in rank of the noble prophets,

and the noblest on whom Dhukāʾ has risen.

أسعد بليلة مولد عم الورى

للمصطفى عنها سنى وسناء

How blessed a birth-night! Through all creation spread

radiance and glory from that night of al-Muṣṭafā, the Chosen One.

أحيا بها ليل التمام تبركا

ملك لسنته به إحياء

On it, the whole night was kept alive, seeking blessing,

by a king who thereby gave life to his Sunna.

فعلى الرسول بها صلاة ضوعفت

ولهم ثناء عندنا ودعاء

So blessings upon the Messenger were multiplied that night,

and for them we have praise and prayer.

سيسره مبنى بناه على تقى

ويسر منه المسلمين ثناء

A building he built upon piety will gladden him,

and praise from him will gladden the Muslims.

يا خير مبعوث لخير أمة

بتلاوة فيها هدى وشفاء

O finest messenger sent to the finest community,

with a recitation containing guidance and healing;

ومن ارتقى متن البراق إلى العلى

تطوى سماء دونه فسماء

and you who mounted al-Burāq's back to the heights,

as heaven after heaven was folded away beneath him;

ومن استجار العجم منه بذمة

وتدفقت بدعائه الأنواء

and you from whom speechless beasts sought protection,

and at whose prayer the rains poured forth;

وتفجرت بالعذب أنمله كما

قد سبحت في كفه الحصباء

and whose fingertips gushed with sweet water, just as

the pebbles had glorified God in his palm;

ومن الملاذ بجاهه وجنابه

مهما عرا أزم وأعضل داء

and you whose rank and presence are a refuge,

whenever hardship befalls and disease defies cure:

قوم من أمتك أنتأوا داراً فهم

بجزيرة بين العدى غرباء

A people of your community have made their home far away, and are

strangers on an island among enemies.

من دونهم بحر تأجج ماؤه

ناراً وخلف ظهورهم أعداء

Before them lies a sea whose water has blazed

into fire, and behind their backs are enemies.

يتوسلون بجاهك الأسنى عسى

ألا يخيب لهم لديك رجاء

They plead through your most exalted rank, hoping

that no hope they place in you will be disappointed:

في أمن روعهم وكبت عدوهم

فقد استطال وطال منه عداء

for their terror to be stilled and their enemy humbled,

for he has grown overbearing, and his hostility has long endured;

وعلا بنصر ملكهم فمن اعتلى

بك نصره قد شيد منه علاء

and for glory through their king's victory; for him whose triumph rises

through you, lofty glory has been built from it,

حتى تذل له الملوك ضراعة

ويعز للإسلام منه لواء

until kings bow before him in submission,

and Islam's banner grows mighty through him,

ويطيعه شرق البلاد وغربها

وتميل نحو مقامه الأهواء

and the lands' east and west obey him,

and hearts' desires incline toward his station.

هذي ضراعتنا إليك ومنك يا

مولى الموالي الفضل والآلاء

This is our entreaty to you, and from you, O

master of masters, come bounty and blessings.

وعليك يا خير الأنام تحيةٌ

كالروض وشت صفحة الأنداء

And upon you, O best of creation, be a greeting

like a meadow whose surface the dewdrops have embroidered.