يا صِبغَ رأسي والأُلى رَحَلُوا

يا صِبغَ رأسي والأُلى رَحَلُوا

ما منكما عِوَضٌ ولا بَدَلُ

ما منكما عِوَضٌ ولا بَدَلُ

O color of my hair, and you who departed,

O you who dyed my head white and departed,

For neither of you is there recompense or replacement,

Neither of you has a substitute or replacement,

الاَّ الامامُ فكلُّ حادِثَةٍ

الاَّ الامامُ فكلُّ حادِثَةٍ

ما أَخطأَتْ حوباءَه جَلَلُ

ما أَخطأَتْ حوباءَه جَلَلُ

except the Imam; for every calamity,

Except the Imam, for every incident,

so long as it spares his soul, is slight.

His majesty did not make a mistake.

القادرُ العَافى الذي عَجَزَتْ

القادرُ العَافى الذي عَجَزَتْ

عن سَعْيهِ آباؤُه الأُولُ

عن سَعْيهِ آباؤُه الأُولُ

Al-Qadir, the pardoner, whose striving

The Capable, the Healer, who the former fathers failed,

his forefathers of old could not equal.

In their efforts, though they carried the burdens they carried.

وهم الذين على عَنَائِهم

وهم الذين على عَنَائِهم

حَمَلُوا من الاعباءِ ما حَمَلُوا

حَمَلُوا من الاعباءِ ما حَمَلُوا

And they were those who, for all their toil,

They reached the end of worldly life,

bore the burdens that they bore.

And its vicissitudes exemplified them.

بلغُوا من الدُّنيا نَهايتَها

بلغُوا من الدُّنيا نَهايتَها

وَجرى بهم في صَرفها المَثَلُ

وَجرى بهم في صَرفها المَثَلُ

They reached the world's utmost limit,

If men were known for other than them,

and amid its vicissitudes, they became proverbial.

They would not be known except for what they did.

واذا الرِّجَالُ بغيرهمِ عُرفوا

واذا الرِّجَالُ بغيرهمِ عُرفوا

لم يُعرفوا الاَّ بما فَعَلُوا

لم يُعرفوا الاَّ بما فَعَلُوا

And when men were known through others,

News remains of those they overcame,

they were known only by what they did.

As if they lived though killed.

تَبقى بهم أَخبارُ من غَلُبوا

تَبقى بهم أَخبارُ من غَلُبوا

فكأَنهم أُحُيوا وقد قُتِلُوا

فكأَنهم أُحُيوا وقد قُتِلُوا

Through them, the tales of those they defeated endure,

Abu al-Abbas found us divided,

as though those men were revived, though slain.

With disarray in our system.

أَلفى أَبو العبَّاس أُلفتَنَا

أَلفى أَبو العبَّاس أُلفتَنَا

شتى وبينَ نظامِنا خَلَلُ

شتى وبينَ نظامِنا خَلَلُ

Abu al-Abbas found our unity

So he pursued remedies decisively,

scattered, with gaps in our order.

With determination until the diseases died out.

فَتَتَبَّعَ الادواءَ يحْسِمُهَا

فَتَتَبَّعَ الادواءَ يحْسِمُهَا

وبالكيِّ حتى ماتَتِ العِلَلُ

وبالكيِّ حتى ماتَتِ العِلَلُ

So he sought out the diseases, cutting them off,

A light from the Godhead in a human,

with cautery, until the maladies died.

If he were flawed, his flaw was being a man.

نورٌ منَ اللاهوتِ في بَشَرٍ

نورٌ منَ اللاهوتِ في بَشَرٍ

لو عِيب عيبَ بأَنَّه رَجُلُ

لو عِيب عيبَ بأَنَّه رَجُلُ

A light from divinity in a human being;

Bahram is a crackling from his sparks,

if faulted, he would be faulted for being a man.

And Qulamah a star from his constellation.

بَهْرَامُ صدعٌ من شَرارته

بَهْرَامُ صدعٌ من شَرارته

وقُلامةٌ من كيده زُحَلُ

وقُلامةٌ من كيده زُحَلُ

Bahram is a splinter of his spark,

The biographies of kings were superseded by him,

and Zuhal a nail-paring of his cunning.

As the religions were superseded by Ahmad’s faith.

نُسِخَتْ به سيرُ الملوكِ كما

نُسِخَتْ به سيرُ الملوكِ كما

نُسِخَتْ بملةِ أَحمدَ المللُ

نُسِخَتْ بملةِ أَحمدَ المللُ

The ways of kings were superseded by him, as

He does not complain of a pain that hurt him,

the creeds were superseded by Ahmad's faith.

For his wound, his patience was a cure.

لا يشتكي ألماً أَلمَّ بهِ

لا يشتكي ألماً أَلمَّ بهِ

فلجُرحهِ من صَبرهِ فَتَلُ

فلجُرحهِ من صَبرهِ فَتَلُ

He complains of no pain that befalls him,

The length of the irrigation canal makes his arm long,

for his wound has dressings made of his patience.

He continues though the pickaxes cooperate.

طولُ القناةِ يطولُ ساعدُه

طولُ القناةِ يطولُ ساعدُه

يَمضي وقد تتعاون الأَسَلُ

يَمضي وقد تتعاون الأَسَلُ

His forearm surpasses the spear in length;

One whose giving never tires,

he advances even when the lances join forces.

Until the howdahs of the camels tire.

من لا يُملُّ عَطاؤُه أبداً

من لا يُملُّ عَطاؤُه أبداً

حتى تَملَّ حُداءَ ها الابِلُ

حتى تَملَّ حُداءَ ها الابِلُ

One whose giving never grows tiresome,

He has a plain of pleasures set aside,

until the camels tire of their driving-song.

And generosity that distracts him from preoccupation.

وله عن اللذاتِ منتدَحٌ

وله عن اللذاتِ منتدَحٌ

ومكارمٌ عن شُغْلِهِ شُغُلُ

ومكارمٌ عن شُغْلِهِ شُغُلُ

He has ample scope away from pleasures,

Assemblies that polish minds within them,

and noble deeds occupy him apart from his affairs.

Neither vanity attends them, nor coquetry.

ومجالسٌ تزكو الحُلُومُ بها

ومجالسٌ تزكو الحُلُومُ بها

لا اللهوُ يحضُرُها ولا الغَزَلُ

لا اللهوُ يحضُرُها ولا الغَزَلُ

And gatherings where minds are refined;

Your pure, purifying qualities,

neither frivolity nor love verse attends them.

And successors whose fathers were messengers.

ونمتك أَطهارٌ مطهرةٌ

ونمتك أَطهارٌ مطهرةٌ

وخلائفٌ آباؤُها الرسُلُ

وخلائفٌ آباؤُها الرسُلُ

And pure, purified forebears gave rise to you,

Talk fades away except their talk,

and caliphs whose fathers were the messengers.

For time, except in them, changes.

يَفنى الحديثُ سِوى حديثِهم

يَفنى الحديثُ سِوى حديثِهم

فالدهرُ الاَّ فيهم دُولُ

فالدهرُ الاَّ فيهم دُولُ

All tales perish save theirs,

For them in the belly of Minna, when they descend,

for time brings changes of fortune to all but them.

Are the throngs of pilgrims, their prayers essential.

لهم ببطنِ مِنىً اذا نَزلوا

لهم ببطنِ مِنىً اذا نَزلوا

زُمَرُ الحجيجِ صَلاتُهم أُصُلُ

زُمَرُ الحجيجِ صَلاتُهم أُصُلُ

Theirs in the valley of Mina, when they alight,

And the Maqam of Abraham praying,

are the pilgrim throngs, with their deep-rooted prayers;

And the cornerstone where kisses are exchanged.

ومقامُ ابراهيمَ مبتهلاً

ومقامُ ابراهيمَ مبتهلاً

والركنُ حيث تُبادَر القُبَلُ

والركنُ حيث تُبادَر القُبَلُ

and Abraham's station as he prayed,

They have faces lit up by,

and the Corner, where kisses are eagerly offered.

And fingers by which hopes are plucked.

لهم وجوه يُستضاءُ بها

لهم وجوه يُستضاءُ بها

وأَناملٌ يُجنَى بها الأَمَلُ

وأَناملٌ يُجنَى بها الأَمَلُ

They have faces by which one seeks light,

Their swords swagger when they ride mounted,

and fingertips through which hope is harvested.

And walk submissively when they dismount.

وصواهلٌ تختالُ انْ ركبوا

وصواهلٌ تختالُ انْ ركبوا

وتُقادُ خاضعةً اذا نزلوا

وتُقادُ خاضعةً اذا نزلوا

And neighing steeds that prance when they mount,

For them are the lances and every drawn sword,

and are led submissively when they dismount.

Except the lances whose straightness is marred.

لهم الرماحُ وكلُّ ذى خَطَلٍ

لهم الرماحُ وكلُّ ذى خَطَلٍ

الا الرماحَ يَعيبُهُ الخَطَلُ

الا الرماحَ يَعيبُهُ الخَطَلُ

The lances are theirs; everything that sways,

For him from each kind of tall spear

except lances, is marred by its swaying.

Is a blade by which souls are connected.

من كلِّ متَّسَقِ الكُعُوبِ له

من كلِّ متَّسَقِ الكُعُوبِ له

نصلٌ بهِ الأرواحُ تَتَّصِلُ

نصلٌ بهِ الأرواحُ تَتَّصِلُ

Each evenly jointed shaft bears

Their feet, you would think them

a blade to which souls cling.

Birds pecking at the sides of a valley.

منقضةُ الاطرافِ تَحسِبُهَا

منقضةُ الاطرافِ تَحسِبُهَا

طيراً على اللباتِ تَنْتَضِلُ

طيراً على اللباتِ تَنْتَضِلُ

Their tips swoop down; you would think them

The enemies do not feel safe from their absence,

birds vying to strike the hollows of throats.

For their nearness and distance confound.

لا يأمنُ الأعداءُ غيبتَها

لا يأمنُ الأعداءُ غيبتَها

فدنُوها وبعادُها وَهَلُ

فدنُوها وبعادُها وَهَلُ

Their enemies feel no safety in their absence;

Diversely they drive back the foes,

so their nearness and remoteness alike are terror.

As if for an entertainer they were shields.

شَتى يَردن معا نُحورهُمُ

شَتى يَردن معا نُحورهُمُ

وكأنها لِمُضَاحِكٍ نَغَلُ

وكأنها لِمُضَاحِكٍ نَغَلُ

Though scattered, they reach their throats together,

Theirs are the coats of mail as though they were seeds

as though they were maggots among smiling teeth.

Played with by fate and adversity.

لهم الدروُع كأَنَّها حَبَبٌ

لهم الدروُع كأَنَّها حَبَبٌ

لعبتْ بِها النكباءُ والشَّمَلُ

لعبتْ بِها النكباءُ والشَّمَلُ

They have coats of mail like bubbles

And bows whose strikes became gentle,

tossed by crosswinds and the north wind.

As if slings were their lids.

وقواضبٌ رقتْ مضاربُها

وقواضبٌ رقتْ مضاربُها

فكأنها لجفونها حِلَلُ

فكأنها لجفونها حِلَلُ

And keen swords, their striking edges slender,

They deemed silk déclassé due to their deeds,

as though they were robes for their scabbards.

So they walked barefoot and sandaled.

حَسَبوا الثريا من فعالهم

حَسَبوا الثريا من فعالهم

فَمشوا على الجرباءِ وانعلُوا

فَمشوا على الجرباءِ وانعلُوا

They reckoned the Pleiades among their deeds,

What can I say and what can be said of them

so they strode, sandal-shod, upon the star-speckled sky.

If they did not perfect, they did not perfect?

ماذا أَقولُ وما يقالُ لهم

ماذا أَقولُ وما يقالُ لهم

انْ لم يكن كَمَلوا فلا كَمَلوا

انْ لم يكن كَمَلوا فلا كَمَلوا

What can I say, and what can be said of them?

I wish those who suffered of love

If they have not attained perfection, may they never attain it!

Knew how they suffered and who spurned them!

ليتَ الذينَ على الغَرام لَحَوا

ليتَ الذينَ على الغَرام لَحَوا

يَدرونَ كيفَ لَحُوا وَمَن عَذَلُوا

يَدرونَ كيفَ لَحُوا وَمَن عَذَلُوا

Would that those who reproached me for passion

I have a pact whose conditions stipulated

knew how they reproached me, and whom they blamed.

That no crazed passion pass through my mind.

لي ذمةٌ عَقَدَتْ شرئِطُها

لي ذمةٌ عَقَدَتْ شرئِطُها

أَلا يَمُرّ بمهجَتي وَجَلُ

أَلا يَمُرّ بمهجَتي وَجَلُ

I have a covenant whose conditions are bound:

I did not reckon the misfortunes that guaranteed

that no fear should pass through my soul.

Nothing but senility and confused babble.

لم أَحسَبِ النوبَ التي ضَمِنَتْ

لم أَحسَبِ النوبَ التي ضَمِنَتْ

الا وفيها الشيبُ والخَبَلُ

الا وفيها الشيبُ والخَبَلُ

I never reckoned the calamities it covered

I complain to you of a slumbering singing girl

without gray hair and madness among them.

Who neither draws near nor connects by night.

أَشكو اليكَ دلالَ غانيةٍ

أَشكو اليكَ دلالَ غانيةٍ

في النومِ لا تَجفُو ولا تَصِلُ

في النومِ لا تَجفُو ولا تَصِلُ

I complain to you of a beauty's coquetry:

Drowsy, the phantom of her form visits her by darkness

in sleep she neither shuns me nor grants union.

So the drowsiness intensified her phantom.

كَسَلى يزورُ مع الظلامِ لها

كَسَلى يزورُ مع الظلامِ لها

طيفٌ فأعدى طيفَها الكَسَلُ

طيفٌ فأعدى طيفَها الكَسَلُ

She is languid; with the darkness comes her

She was stingy with what sleep provided her,

phantom—her languor has infected even her phantom.

And the singing girls are good at stinginess.

بَخِلَتْ بما جادَ الرقادُ بهِ

بَخِلَتْ بما جادَ الرقادُ بهِ

ومن الغَواني يَحسُنُ البَخَلُ

ومن الغَواني يَحسُنُ البَخَلُ

She was stingy with what sleep had freely given,

In the neighboring lane is a girl

and stinginess is becoming in beautiful women.

Whom neither jewelry adorns nor unveiling.

في الجيرةِ الغادينَ جاريةٌ

في الجيرةِ الغادينَ جاريةٌ

لا الحليُ زينها ولا العَطَلُ

لا الحليُ زينها ولا العَطَلُ

Among the neighbors departing at dawn is a maiden;

A cheek—if they veil its beauty—

neither jewels nor their absence lent her beauty.

The covers and sleepiness befall it.

خودٌ اذا أخفوا محاسنَها

خودٌ اذا أخفوا محاسنَها

نَمَّتْ بها الاستارُ والكِلَلُ

نَمَّتْ بها الاستارُ والكِلَلُ

A tender maiden: when they conceal her charms,

Like the rising and setting sun

the curtains and canopies disclose them.

Dawn neither conceals it nor nightfall.

كالشَّمْسِ شَارقة وغاربة

كالشَّمْسِ شَارقة وغاربة

لا الفَجْرُ يكتُمها ولا الطَفَلُ

لا الفَجْرُ يكتُمها ولا الطَفَلُ

Like the sun, rising and setting,

And if she dons the full moon and is masked by it

neither dawn nor dusk conceals her.

She eclipses so its surface is blemished.

واذا ارتَدَتْ بالبدرِ وانتقبتْ

واذا ارتَدَتْ بالبدرِ وانتقبتْ

كُسِفَتْ فنالتْ وجهَها المُقَلُ

كُسِفَتْ فنالتْ وجهَها المُقَلُ

And when she cloaks herself in the full moon and veils her face,

Were it not for you, we would not be shown mercy, and

she is eclipsed, and eyes reach her face.

Whoever does not delay would hasten our demise.

لولاكَ لم نُرْحَمْ وعاجلَنا

لولاكَ لم نُرْحَمْ وعاجلَنا

مَنْ ليسَ في استعجالِه مَهَلُ

مَنْ ليسَ في استعجالِه مَهَلُ

Without you, we would not be shown mercy, and would be seized

You reached souls in which there was still spirit

by one whose haste leaves no respite.

So you revived them and their liveliness waned.

أَدركتَ أَرواحاً بها رَمَقٌ

أَدركتَ أَرواحاً بها رَمَقٌ

فنعشتَها ونشاطُها كَسَلُ

فنعشتَها ونشاطُها كَسَلُ

You reached souls with a mere remnant of life,

While people await an awaited one

and revived them, though their vigor was languor.

Prolonged in his absence and disputed.

والناسُ ينتظرونَ منتظراً

والناسُ ينتظرونَ منتظراً

طالَ التَّمارى فيهِ والجَدَلُ

طالَ التَّمارى فيهِ والجَدَلُ

And people await the awaited one,

They claimed you were his sign

over whom disputation and debate have long continued.

While you were the guidance and justice was rendered equitable through you.

زَعَموا بأَنَّ العدْلَ آيتُه

زَعَموا بأَنَّ العدْلَ آيتُه

وبكَ الهُدى والعَدْلُ مُعْتَدِلُ

وبكَ الهُدى والعَدْلُ مُعْتَدِلُ

They claimed that justice was his sign,

They spurned him and protested with his ways

and through you guidance and justice are rightly balanced.

While you appeared and through you maladies were set aright.

أَجَفَوهُ واحتجوا بِسُنَّتِهِ

أَجَفَوهُ واحتجوا بِسُنَّتِهِ

وظهرتَ فاعتلَّتْ بكَ العِلَلُ

وظهرتَ فاعتلَّتْ بكَ العِلَلُ

Did they shun him, yet appeal to his practice?

They make excuses with faces illness has marred,

You appeared, and their excuses fell ill because of you.

Out of envy, to which no shame returns.

يتنصلون بأَوجهٍ مَرضَتْ

يتنصلون بأَوجهٍ مَرضَتْ

حَسداً فليسَ يَعودها الخَجَلُ

حَسداً فليسَ يَعودها الخَجَلُ

They make excuses with faces grown sick

You clarified the sickness those hearts concealed,

with envy; shame does not visit them.

Whose surface envy knitted.

قَدْ بَيَّنَ الداءَ الذي كَتَمَتْ

قَدْ بَيَّنَ الداءَ الذي كَتَمَتْ

تِلكَ القلوبُ أَديمُها النَغِلُ

تِلكَ القلوبُ أَديمُها النَغِلُ

The disease they concealed has indeed been exposed

Their whims conquered their reason,

by those hearts' festering skin.

And reason is shackled by whims.

أَهواؤُهم غَلَبَتْ عقولَهم

أَهواؤُهم غَلَبَتْ عقولَهم

والعَقْلُ بالأَهواءِ يُعْتَقَلُ

والعَقْلُ بالأَهواءِ يُعْتَقَلُ

Their passions have overpowered their minds,

Say to those who subdued others by their meanness—

and reason is imprisoned by passions.

Nay, those who were debased by their grandeur:

قل للذينَ بذُلِّهمْ قَهروا

قل للذينَ بذُلِّهمْ قَهروا

بل للذين بعزِهم خُذِلُوا

بل للذين بعزِهم خُذِلُوا

Say to those who conquered through their abasement—

When all the people shunned him,

rather, to those forsaken through their might:

Kinsmen and even your mother was called mad.

لمَّا تَجافى النَّاسُ كلُّهم

لمَّا تَجافى النَّاسُ كلُّهم

قُربى وقيلَ لأُمِّكَ الهَبَلُ

قُربى وقيلَ لأُمِّكَ الهَبَلُ

When all the people turned away from

I set out my belongings, and they are impregnable

my company, and it was said, 'May your mother be bereaved!'

Among a people who did and did not do.

بَوَّأْتُ رَحلِي فهو ممتَنِعٌ

بَوَّأْتُ رَحلِي فهو ممتَنِعٌ

في مَعْشَر جَعَلُوا وما جُعِلُوا

في مَعْشَر جَعَلُوا وما جُعِلُوا

I settled my saddle-gear, and it is secure,

Were it not for my place among their abodes

among a people who appoint others but are not appointed.

Horizons and roads would be straitened for me.

لولا مَحَلّى في ديارهم

لولا مَحَلّى في ديارهم

ضاقتْ بى الأقطارُ والسُّبُلُ

ضاقتْ بى الأقطارُ والسُّبُلُ

Were it not for my abode in their dwellings,

So when I panic to them they give victory,

lands and roads would have been too narrow for me.

And when I incline to them they give unconditionally.

فاذا فَزعتُ اليهمُ نَصَروا

فاذا فَزعتُ اليهمُ نَصَروا

واذا رغبتُ اليهم بَذَلُوا

واذا رغبتُ اليهم بَذَلُوا

When I seek refuge with them, they give aid,

They conceal from my condition inquiry—they

and when I appeal to them, they give.

Are generous whether they ask or are asked.

يُخفونَ عن حالي السؤالَ فهم

يُخفونَ عن حالي السؤالَ فهم

كرماءُ انْ سَأَلوا وانْ سُئلِوا

كرماءُ انْ سَأَلوا وانْ سُئلِوا

They keep inquiries about my condition private, for they

Blessings, but without number,

are generous when they ask and when they are asked.

And virtues, enumerating them is difficult.

نِعَمٌ ولكن مالها عددٌ

نِعَمٌ ولكن مالها عددٌ

ومحاسِنٌ تقصيلُها جُمَلُ

ومحاسِنٌ تقصيلُها جُمَلُ

Blessings—but they have no number;

They attained with some gentleness what they sought,

and virtues whose details are summaries.

And composure, if you praise it, is hasty.

نالُوا ببعض الرفقِ ما طَلَبُوا

نالُوا ببعض الرفقِ ما طَلَبُوا

والرَّيثُ انْ أَحْمَدْتَهُ عَجَلُ

والرَّيثُ انْ أَحْمَدْتَهُ عَجَلُ

They attained what they sought with a little gentleness,

Inform the Commander of the Faithful through them

and slowness, if you find it praiseworthy, is haste.

In poetry, of one who is regarded and wraps himself.

باهلْ أَميرَ المؤمنينَ بها

باهلْ أَميرَ المؤمنينَ بها

في الشعرِ من يَحفى ويَنْتَعِلُ

في الشعرِ من يَحفى ويَنْتَعِلُ

With it, Commander of the Faithful, challenge under mutual imprecation

From my praise poetry I am abstinent,

in poetry all who go barefoot or wear sandals.

While love poetry and amorous verse are for others.

لكَ من ثنائي المدح مقتصراً

لكَ من ثنائي المدح مقتصراً

ولغيركَ التَّشبيبُ والغَزَلُ

ولغيركَ التَّشبيبُ والغَزَلُ

My panegyric is reserved for you alone,

and for others are amatory preludes and love verse.