أتتني وأعلاها قناع مزعفر

وفي فرعها الميال عطر مبخر

She came to me, a saffron-dyed veil upon her,

And in her swaying tresses was incense-scented perfume.

مخلخلة خطارة في رياضها

وحلتها والدمع كالطل يقطر

Ankleted, she sauntered through her gardens

And in her finery, while tears dripped like dew.

تعاتبني في هجر دار هجرتها

وصرم لذاذات الشباب وتزجر

She reproached me for abandoning an abode I had forsaken,

And for cutting off youth's delights, and she rebuked me.

فقلت لها يا خود ما فيك معتب

ومثلك لا يقلى ويجفى ويحقر

So I said to her, 'O fair maiden, there is nothing blameworthy in you;

Nor is one like you to be loathed, shunned, or scorned.

ولكن لدى الرحمان آي وهل أتى

تبكي بوصف القاصرات المفكر

But with the All-Merciful are verses, and 'Has there come'—

Which, describing the gaze-restraining maidens, make the thinker weep.

وما قاصرات الطرف عن قصر طرفها

ولكن عنها الطرف بالنور يقصر

Their restrained gaze comes not from shortness of sight;

Rather, before their radiance the gaze falls short.

وإن قيل هن الزاهرات فإنما

لزهرتهن الشمس تكبو وتحسر

And if they are called radiant, it is only because

Before their radiance the sun stumbles and grows weary.

وإن قيل يحكين الشموس وبدرها

ومثل نجوم الليل فالحور أنور

And if they are said to resemble suns and their full moon,

And to be like the stars of night, the houris are brighter still.

وقد قال كالياقوت ذو العز والعلا

وكاللؤلؤ المكنون واللّه أكبر

And He of might and exaltedness has said, 'Like rubies,'

'And like hidden pearls'—and God is greatest.

وفيهن نضرات النعيم وريه

كذلك من في روضة الخلد يحبر

In them are the fresh radiance of bliss and its refreshment;

Likewise, those in the garden of eternity are made joyful.

تسورن والأزواج فيها أساوراً

وهل في جنان الخلد إلا مسور

They and their spouses are adorned there with bracelets;

And who in eternity's gardens is not bracelet-adorned?

وعاليهن الحلي فيها وسندس

واستبرق من فاخر الخز أخضر

Upon them there are ornaments and fine silk,

And green brocade of sumptuous silken cloth.

إِذا خطرت منهن رجراجة زهي

لخطرتها المحبور إِذ هي تبختر

When a voluptuous maiden among them walks, elated is

The blissful man at her gait as she struts.

ويلحقها لحظ العيون صبابة

إذا طلعت فوق الأرائك تنظر

And the eyes follow her with longing looks

When she appears above the couches, looking out.

وإن قعدت فوق الأرائك واتكت

على سرر العقيان والوجه مسفر

And if she sits upon the couches and reclines

On beds of pure gold, her face radiant,

وعانقها المحبور ثم بلذة

وشرخ شباب دائم لا يتبر

And the blissful man embraces her there with delight,

In the bloom of enduring youth that never perishes,

ونازعها كاسا هناك يزينها

من الخمر والألبان والأري جوهر

And shares a cup with her there, adorned

With the precious essence of wine, milk, and honey,

ومن سلسبيل والرحيق ختامه

مع الروح والريحان مسك مكفَّر

And with Salsabīl, and nectar whose seal,

Amid repose and sweet basil, is camphor-blended musk.

وأنهارها تجري فتسقي رياضها

عيون بنضاخ لديها تفجر

Its rivers flow, watering its gardens;

Springs there burst forth in abundant gushes.

وثم قوارير وأكواب فضة

وثم صحاف التبر كل مصور

There are glass vessels and cups of silver,

And platters of gold, each finely fashioned.

وفيها فنون الفاكهات كثيرة

ومما اشتهوا من لحم طير تخيروا

Within it are many kinds of fruit,

And the flesh of whatever birds they desire and choose.

يطوف بهذا ثم هذا مخلد

عليهم من الولدان بالحسن يفخر

With this, then that, an ever-young attendant makes his rounds

Among them, a youth who takes pride in his beauty.

ومد عليهم ظل نعمى وذللت

عليهم قطوف الروض والروض مزهر

Blissful shade is spread over them, and lowered

Toward them are the garden's fruit-clusters, while the garden blooms.

إذا ما اشتهوا شيأ دعوا ثم دعوة

بسبحانك اللهم صوتاً فيحضر

Whenever they desire anything, they utter an invocation there:

'Glory be to You, O God!' aloud, and it appears.

وفي الجنة الزهراء ما لم تحط به

عيون وآذان ولا الفكر يخطر

In radiant Paradise is what has never been encompassed

By eyes or ears, nor has it occurred to thought.

ولم يبن فيها من سرير وغرفة

سوى كن فكانت فهي بالنور تزهر

No bed or chamber was built there

Except through 'Be!'—and it was, shining with light.

وإن لم تكن من فضة وزبرجد

وتبر ومسك فهي أبهى وأنور

Even if it is not made of silver and chrysolite,

And gold and musk, it is more splendid and radiant.

بها البشر والانعام والملك والبقا

وكل سرور صفوه لا يكدر

In it are gladness, bounty, dominion, and permanence,

And every joy whose purity is never clouded.

وليس بها غلّ وبؤس وشقوة

وسقم وتنغيص وموت ومحشر

There are no grudges there, nor misery or wretchedness,

Nor sickness, vexation, death, or resurrection's gathering,

كمثل حياة الدهر تخدع من بها

وتصرع من يهوى هواها وتسخر

As in worldly life, which deceives those within it,

And strikes down those who love its allure, and mocks them.

ومن لم يتبرها ويبدر بها بدت

بتتبيره والكيس الطب يبدر

Whoever does not destroy it and act first against it, it begins

To destroy him; the shrewd, discerning man acts first.

وما هي إِلا ساعة لمعرج

فيربح فيها أو يخيب ويخسر

It is only an hour for a traveler pausing along the way,

In which he profits, or fails and loses.

فإن تعذري للهجر ألفاً موالفاً

فللعاشق المشتاق للحور أعذر

If you excuse an affectionate companion for his departure,

There is more excuse for the lover yearning for the houris,

إذا اقتحم الحرب العوان بنفسه

وكرّ كما كرّ الهمام الغظنفر

When he plunges in person into long-raging war,

And charges as the valiant lion charged—

سويد الفتى الجلد الذي لم يكن له

إذا اشتدت الهيجاء عنها تأخر

Suwayd, the steadfast youth, who never

Retreated from battle when its fury grew.

سلي عنه في وادي بذوقة هل سطا

وكان له بطن المسيلة محضر

Ask about him in the valley of Badhūqah: did he attack?

And the hollow of al-Masīlah was his place of encounter.

وهل كرَّ بين الصف والصف جانح

فغادر من لاقاه في الدم يعثر

And did he charge between rank and rank, leaning forward,

Leaving those he met stumbling in blood?

وكيف سطا في الأربعين عشية

على عسكر لم يلقه قط عسكر

And how he charged one evening among the forty

Against an army no army had ever met.

يكاد يذم الخلق عند اختبارهم

ويحمد ذاك المرتضى حين يخبر

Mankind is nearly censured when put to the test,

While that worthy man is praised when tested.

وما ابن يمين أن يفوز بنجدة

وإن عظمت أسبابها يتكبر

Nor, when he prevails through valor, does Ibn Yamīn

Grow arrogant, however great its means.

هو الطيب الطب الرضي الطاهر الذي

يجلي دجاها أيها المتخير

He is the good, discerning, well-pleasing, pure man who

Dispels its darkness, O chosen one.

فيا ابن يمين أنت أنت ستانها

ومعقلها الصعب المنيع الموعر

O Ibn Yamīn, you—you are its spearhead [uncertain reading],

And its formidable, impregnable, rugged fortress.

فثق واستعن باللّه ذي العرش واعتصم

وقم عجلاً قد حان حان المثور

So trust, seek God's aid—the Lord of the Throne—and hold fast.

Rise swiftly: the uprising's time has come, has come.

ولا تتخذ غير المهيمن ناصراً

فليس سوى الرحمان بالنصر يقدر

Take none but the Guardian as your helper,

For none but the All-Merciful can grant victory.

إذا شاء للاسلام عزاً أتى به

وأنف الذي لا يصحب الحق أصغر

When He wills might for Islam, He brings it,

And the nose of whoever does not follow truth is brought low.

فشمّر لها واعلم بأنك مقبل

وأن الذي يهوى خلافك مدبر

So gird yourself for it, and know that you advance,

While whoever desires to oppose you retreats.

حويت بها الدارين طراً وما حوى

سوى النار والعار التي سوف تسعر

Through it you have gained both abodes entirely, while he has gained

Only disgrace and the Fire that will be kindled.

وما أنت إلا قد أويت بعروة

من العز وثقى والمهيمن ينصر

You have indeed taken refuge in a handhold

Of honor, most secure; and the Guardian grants victory.

ودونك مثل التاج تاجاً من العلا

ولكن تاج اللبس يفنى ويدثر

Here is a crown of eminence for you, like a diadem,

But the crown one wears perishes and decays.

تنحلَّها طبّ مهمّ مصممّ

أشمّ ممرّ مستمر مشمر

A discerning, intent, determined man has made it his own,

Lofty, firm, persevering, girded for action.

له عزمة في الحق تغدو حياته

وإن طال عمر النفس والعمر أقصر

He has a resolve for truth that becomes his life,

Even if the soul's lifespan is long, life is shorter still.

ولم يلق من حرب العدا عشر عشر ما

لقي المصطفى الهادي النذير المبشر

He has not faced in war against the foe a tenth of a tenth of what

The Chosen One faced—the guide, warner, and bearer of good tidings.

وصلى عليه اللّه ذو المجد والعلا

مدى الدهر ما نادى المنادي المكبر

May God, Lord of glory and exaltedness, bless him

For all time, as long as the caller proclaims God's greatness,

صلاة وتسليماً أرجي ثوابه

إذا ما قبور العالمين تبعثر

A blessing and salutation of peace whose reward I hope for,

When the graves of all humankind are overturned.