لما ضاقت ووهت حجبي

فظننت بأني غير نجي

When my veils grew tight and frail,

I thought that I would not be saved.

ناديت وصبحي لم يعج

اشتدي ازمة تنفرجي

I called out while my dawn had not yet turned toward me:

Grow tighter, O crisis, and you will ease;

قد آذن ليلك بالبلج

وذا اشتدت وعلا رهج

Your night has already heralded daybreak.

And when it intensifies and dust rises,

ودجا ما كان به بلج

فاصبر فالضيق له فرج

And what once held light grows dark,

Be patient: distress has its relief.

وظلام الليل له سرج

حتى يغشاه ابو السرج

The darkness of night has its lamps,

Until the father of lamps overspreads it.

دعها تجري فلها قدر

والكل وقت معتبر

Let it run its course, for it has an appointed measure;

Everything has a reckoned time.

ورياح الجود لها نشر

وسحاب الخير لها مطر

The winds of bounty have their fragrance,

And the clouds of goodness have their rain.

فإذا جاء الابان تجي

قسما ما تم لنا عمل

When the appointed season comes, it comes.

I swear, no work of ours is complete,

وعن التفصيل بنا ملل

او كيف يخيب لنا امل

And we grow weary of detailing it.

How could any hope of ours fail,

وفوائد مولانا جمل

لشروح الانفس والمهج

When our Master's favors are summaries

For the expositions of souls and hearts?

اكرم في الجود بها مددا

نعما لم نحص لها عددا

How noble a supply they are in generosity—

Blessings whose number we have not counted.

منها يتضوع نشر هدى

ولها ارج محيي ابدا

From them wafts the fragrance of guidance,

And theirs is a fragrance forever life-giving.

فاقصد محيا ذاك الارج

ان عز مرام او اعيا

Seek, then, the countenance of that fragrance.

If a goal proves difficult or exhausting,

او جف ترى تلك الاحيا

او غاض سحاب سما العليا

Or you see those settlements run dry,

Or the clouds of the lofty heavens are drained,

فلربتما فاض المحيا

ببحور الموج من اللجج

Yet often the countenance overflows

With seas of waves from the depths.

قسم الاشياء بسرمده

فسعيد ذا لتعبده

He apportioned all things in His eternity:

This one is blessed through his worship,

وشقي ذا لتبعده

والخلق جميعا في يده

And that one wretched through his estrangement.

All creation is in His hand:

فذوو سعة وذوو حرج

وكذاك الناس جميعهم

Some possess abundance, and others hardship.

Likewise, all mankind—

لنهار الحشر رجوعهم

عاصيهم ثم مطيعهم

Their return is for the Day of Gathering,

Their disobedient, then their obedient,

ونزولهم وطلوعهم

فإلى درك وعلى درج

Their descent and their ascent:

Down to a depth, and up through steps.

سادت بعلاه مراتبهم

وصفت برضاه مشاربهم

Through His exaltedness their ranks rose;

Through His favor their drinking-places grew clear;

ونمت بهداه مكاسبهم

ومعائشهم وعواقبهم

Through His guidance their gains increased.

Their livelihoods and their final outcomes

ليست في المشي على عوج

قوم اغز لهم التحمت

Follow no crooked course.

A people for whom [unclear word] was interwoven,

ببديع النسج وقد رقمت

ما ذاك سدى لما نظمت

In wondrous weaving, already patterned.

That was not in vain when it was arranged:

حكم نسجت بيد حكمت

ثم انتسجت بالمنتسج

Wisdoms woven by a hand that judged,

Then interwoven with the woven fabric.

اوصاف الجود بها اندرجت

ومعاني اللطف بها اندمجت

The attributes of generosity were included within them,

And meanings of kindness were merged within them,

وعلى حكم القصد امتزجت

فاذا اقتصدت ثم انعرجت

And mingled according to the rule of purpose.

If they take a measured course and then turn aside,

فبمقتصد وبمنعرج

يبدو ويضوع لها ارج

Then by a measured course and a winding one,

Their fragrance emerges and spreads,

ويضيء لنا منها بلج

عنها قل واحك ولا حرج

And daylight shines from them for us.

Speak of them and recount them without blame.

شهدت بعجائبها حجج

قامت بالامر على الحجج

Proofs bore witness to their wonders,

Upholding the matter upon proofs.

كم قلت لمن امسى لهجا

رفقا لا تخش ظلام دجا

How often I told one who had grown preoccupied:

Gently—do not fear darkness grown deep.

ولها اصبر وارج لها فرجا

ورضى بقضاء الله حجا

Be patient with it, and hope for its relief;

Acceptance of God's decree is wisdom.

فعلى مركوزته فعج

ومتى اخطاك سحاب ندى

So turn toward its firmly rooted foundation.

Whenever a cloud of bounty misses you,

او سد عليك لبعد مدى

قف بالاعتاب وكن جلدا

Or is barred to you by the length of the distance,

Stand at the thresholds and be steadfast.

واذا انفتحت ابواب هدى

فاعجل لخزائنها ولج

When the gates of guidance open,

Hurry to its treasuries and enter.

واذا ما رمت رعايتها

في السعي فراع هدايتها

And if you seek to tend it,

In your striving, heed its guidance.

واجعل من مال بدايتها

واذا حاولت نهايتها

Let wealth be its beginning;

And if you attempt its culmination,

فاحذر اذاك من العرج

واترك من لام وفيك هذي

Beware then of limping.

Leave whoever blames you and raves about you.

واذا هبت نسمات شذا

فاسبق للخير وخذ نبذا

When fragrant breezes blow,

Hasten ahead toward goodness and take portions,

لتكون من السباق اذا

ما جئت الى تلك الفرج

So that you may be among the frontrunners when

You come to those openings.

واذا ما عيشك لذته

مرت وتقضت زينته

And when the sweetness of your life

Has passed, and its adornment is spent,

ها بان الحي وجيرته

فهناك العيش وبهجته

Behold, the clan and its neighbors have departed.

There lie life and its delight,

فلمبتهج ولمنتهج

وجمار الشوق اذا اتقدت

For one who rejoices and one who follows the way.

When the embers of longing flare,

ولشدة عزمك ما خمدت

وطغت اهواك وما جمدت

And, through your strong resolve, do not die out,

And your passions surge without congealing,

فهج الاعمال اذا ركدت

فاذا ما هجت اذا تهج

Stir your deeds when they stagnate.

When you stir them, then they stir.

ورد التقوى فحلاوتها

تنمو وتزيد طلاوتها

Drink at piety's spring, for its sweetness

Grows, and its charm increases.

وعليك تفيض سماحتها

ومعاصي الله سماجتها

Its graciousness pours upon you.

And disobedience to God—its ugliness:

تزدان الذي الخلق السمج

اياك وسوء جنايتها

The one of vile character is adorned [wording unclear].

Beware the evil of its wrongdoing:

فلداجي ليل غوايتها

ظلمات فوق ظلامتها

For the dark night of its straying

Has darknesses above its darkness.

ولطاعته وصباحتها

انوار صباح مبتلج

And for obedience to Him and its beauty,

There are the lights of a radiant dawn.

ومن الجنات ومشربها

حوراها اخطب لتهذيها

And from the gardens and their drinking-place,

Woo their houris [the purpose phrase is unclear],

واجهد في حسن تطلبها

من يخطب حور الخلد بها

And strive to seek them well.

Whoever woos eternity's houris through it

يظفر بالحور وبالغنج

واذا ما منها رمت لقا

Wins the houris and their coquetry.

If you seek a meeting with them,

ونعيما لا يغشاه شقا

وذرى عز في دار بقا

And bliss that misery does not overshadow,

And summits of glory in an everlasting abode,

فكن المرضيّ لها بتقى

ترضاه غدا وتكون نجي

Be acceptable to it through piety.

It will accept him tomorrow, and you will be saved.

وبغير الله فلا تلذ

وسواه اذا لا تتخذ

Seek refuge in none but God,

And then take none other than Him.

والزم محرابك واستعذ

واتل القرآن بقلب ذي

Keep to your prayer niche and seek refuge;

Recite the Qur'an with a heart possessed

حرق وبصوت فيه شجي

وكفى الآيات بلاغتها

Of burning ardor, and a voice full of sorrow.

The verses' eloquence suffices them;

تنمو وتزيد حلاوتها

وتحل الفكر بلاغتها

Their sweetness grows and increases.

Their eloquence dwells in thought.

وصلاة الليل مسافتها

فاذهب فيها بالفهم وحي

Night prayer is its journey's span:

Travel through it with understanding, and offer greetings.

واعمل ان رمت تدانيها

واشهد بالعقل مبانيها

Act, if you seek nearness to it;

Witness its structures with reason;

وتصورها ومثانيها

وتأملها ومعانيها

Envision it and its oft-repeated verses;

Ponder it and its meanings.

تأتي الفردوس توفترج

وارتع في دوح تفكرها

You will reach Firdaws [the final word is unclear].

Graze among the great trees of reflection upon it;

وأنعم تبوارد كوثرها

واستحل صحاف معبقرها

Delight in [unclear word] of its Kawthar;

Savor the dishes of its [unclear word];

واشرب تسنيم مفجرها

لا ممتزجا وبممتزج

Drink Tasnim from its gushing source,

Unmixed, and in a mixture.

فالعقل به جود وندى

والجهل به شين وردى

For reason holds generosity and bounty,

And ignorance holds disgrace and ruin.

فلذا يا من لم يخش عدا

مدح العقل الآتيه هدى

Therefore, O you who have not feared enemies,

Praising reason is guidance to one approaching it;

وهوى متول عنه هجي

فالعلم تزيد بدايته

And passion, turning away from it, is reviled.

Knowledge, at its beginning, increases

للناس هدى ونهايته

فاحفظه تصنك هدايته

Guidance for people, and at its culmination—

Preserve it; its guidance will protect you.

وكتاب الله رياضته

لعقول الخلق بمندرج

God's Book is its training,

For the minds of creation, through what it contains.

وكرام القوم تقاتهم

وحماة الحيّ كماتهم

The noble among the people are their pious ones;

The clan's defenders are its armored warriors;

وسراتهم ساداتهم

وخيار الناس هداتهم

Their chiefs are their masters;

The best of people are their guides;

وسواهم من همج الهمج

واذا كنت الليث البطلا

The rest are among the rabble of the rabble.

If you are the heroic lion,

كن اول من للحرب صلى

وتقدم ان حاولت علا

Be the first to enter the fire of war.

Advance if you seek heights;

واذا كنت المقدام فلا

تجزع في الحرب من الرهج

And if you are the daring one, do not

Be dismayed by dust in war.

واسلك في سيرك مجتهدا

منهاج القوم تجد رشدا

Follow, striving in your journey,

The people's path, and you will find right guidance.

واحذر تتعداه ابدا

واذا ابصرت منار هدى

Beware of ever transgressing it.

When you see a beacon of guidance,

فاظهر فردا فوق الثبج

واسكب من عين قد رمدت

Rise alone above the crest.

Pour from an eye that has grown sore

دمعا فضلوعك ما بردت

والنفس لشوقك قد جهدت

Tears, for your ribs have not cooled.

The soul has grown exhausted from your longing.

واذا اشتاقت نفس وجدت

الماً بالشوق المعتلج

When a soul yearns, it feels

Pain from surging longing.

وانهض فحمولك باركة

والعين لدمعك سافكة

Rise, for your laden camels are kneeling,

And the eye is shedding your tears.

والنفس بزينت هالكة

وثنايا الحسنا ضاحكة

The soul perishes through adornment [text uncertain],

And the fair one's front teeth are smiling.

وتمام الضحك على الفلج

وصن الاسرار اذا ارتفعت

Smiling is perfected by the gap between the teeth.

Guard the secrets when they rise high;

وافحظ بعراها ما وسعت

فصدور الابرار اتسعت

Hold fast to their ties as far as you can.

The breasts of the righteous have expanded,

وغياب الاسرار اجتمعت

يا مانتها تحت السرج

And the hidden depths of secrets have gathered.

O [unclear], beneath the lamps.

وارغب في الرفق وطالبه

واستجل الصبر لراغبه

Desire gentleness and seek it;

Reveal patience's splendor to its seeker.

فالصبر مطية راكبه

والرفق يدوم لصاحبه

Patience is its rider's mount;

Gentleness endures for its possessor;

والخرق يصير إلى الهرج

من لي بالبان وبالرند

Rashness leads to chaos.

Who will bring me the ban trees and the laurel,

وأرى اعلام ربا نجد

واقول من العلم الفرد

And let me see the landmarks of Najd's hills,

And say, from the solitary peak:

صلوات الله على المهدي

الهادي الناس إلى النهج

God's blessings upon the rightly guided one,

Who guides mankind to the path,

من قد سادت بشريعته

وبمنهجه وطريقته

Through whose law

And through whose way and path,

فخرا سادات عشيرته

وابي بكر في سيرته

The chiefs of his clan rose in glory;

And upon Abu Bakr, in his conduct,

ولسان مقالته اللهج

أكرم بعلو شهامته

And the ever-speaking tongue of his discourse.

How noble his lofty chivalry,

وتهجده واقامته

وتقدمه وامامته

His night vigils and his steadfastness,

His precedence and his leadership;

وابي حفص وكرامته

في قصة سارية الخلج

And Abu Hafs and his honor,

In the story of Sariya [final word unclear].

حرم الآمال وظل الظل

والمشعر يعرفه والحل

A sanctuary for hopes, and the shade of shade—

The sacred site knows him, as does the land beyond.

اكرم بابي حفص من خل

وابي عمرو ذي النورين ال

How noble a friend is Abu Hafs;

And Abu Amr, bearer of the Two Lights, the—

مستحيي المستحيي البهج

من فاح لنشر هداه شذا

Modest, modest, radiant one,

From whose spreading guidance fragrance wafted,

ولسنة طه ما نبذا

وعلى حذو الشهداء حذا

Who never cast aside the practice of Ta Ha,

And followed in the martyrs' footsteps;

وابي حسن في العلم اذا

وافى بسحائبه الخلج

And Abu Hasan, in knowledge, when

He reached the channels with his clouds.

ان قلت فمقدام وبطل

او ليث وغى الهيجا فاجل

Call him a daring champion and a hero,

Or a lion of battle and war—yes, indeed!

مولى بالحق قضى وعدل

وهدى بضياء الذكر ودل

A master who judged in truth and acted justly,

And guided with the light of the Remembrance, directing

القوم على اسنى نهج

وعلى الغر القوم الكرما

The people toward the most exalted path.

And upon the radiant, noble people,

والصحب الباقين العظما

من سادوا بالفضل لامما

And the remaining great companions,

Who excelled through virtue [final word unclear],

وعلى تباعهم العلما

بعوارف دينهم البهج

And upon their learned followers,

Through the benefactions of their splendid religion:

قوم من خالص مالهم

وسحائب فيض نوالهم

A people who, from their pure wealth

And the clouds of their overflowing giving,

يعطونك قبل سؤالهم

يا رب بهم وبآلهم

Give you before you ask them.

O Lord, through them and their families,

عجل بالنصر والفرج

واغفر يا رب لناظمها

Hasten victory and relief.

Forgive, O Lord, its composer,

ولكاتبها ولراقمها

ولسامعها وملازمها

Its writer and its inscriber,

Its listener and its constant companion.

واختم عملي بخواتمها

لأكون غداً في الحشر نجي

Seal my deeds with its closing words,

So that tomorrow, at the Gathering, I may be saved.

وانا ابن مليك معترفُ

عاص لذنوبي مقترف

And I, Ibn Mulayk, confess:

A sinner, a perpetrator of my sins,

لا عن ابوابك منحرف

لكن من جودك مغترف

Not turning away from Your doors,

But drawing from Your bounty.

فاقبل لمعاذيري حججي

Accept, then, my arguments for my excuses.