بِمَ التصبرُ لا خِلُّ ولا شجن

بِمَ التصبرُ لا خِلُّ ولا شجن

ولا صديقٌ ولا أهلٌ ولا وَطَنُ

ولا صديقٌ ولا أهلٌ ولا وَطَنُ

How can I endure, with no close friend and no sorrow?

With what can I have patience? There is no bosom friend, no family, no homeland,

Nor a friend, nor family, nor homeland;

No companion, no neighbor, no dwelling, no trusted keeper of my needs in this abode but grief and sorrow.

ولا خليلُ ولا خدنٌ ولا سكنُ

ولا خليلُ ولا خدنٌ ولا سكنُ

ولا أمينٌ على الحاجاتِ مؤتمَنُ

ولا أمينٌ على الحاجاتِ مؤتمَنُ

Nor a bosom friend, nor intimate companion, nor home;

Why this life that has filled me with boredom? Our home and the plains and mountains have become desolate to me,

Nor a trustworthy person to whom needs may be entrusted.

To the point I feared words and deeds would go to waste.

في هذه الدار إلا الكرب والحزن

في هذه الدار إلا الكرب والحزن

لمَ الحياةُ ومنها حل بي مللُ

لمَ الحياةُ ومنها حل بي مللُ

In this abode there is nothing but anguish and sorrow.

So what is my staying in a land whose people have departed,

What is life for, when it has brought weariness upon me?

And in whose ruins have settled weakness and humiliation?

واستوحشت دارنا والسهلُ والجبَلُ

واستوحشت دارنا والسهلُ والجبَلُ

حتى خشيتُ يضيع القولُ والعملُ

حتى خشيتُ يضيع القولُ والعملُ

And our home, the plain, and the mountain have grown desolate,

Is there any joy, comfort or delight,

Until I feared that word and deed would be lost.

For the heart other than sorrow, sadness and grief?

فما مُقَامِى بدارِ أهلها رَحَلُوا

فما مُقَامِى بدارِ أهلها رَحَلُوا

وحلّ في ذراها الضعف والوهنُ

وحلّ في ذراها الضعف والوهنُ

Why should I remain in an abode whose people have departed,

Indeed, sincerity left with them, it did not profess,

And weakness and frailty have settled upon its heights?

Since the people of piety and virtue departed out of benevolence.

هلْ من سرورٍ ومن راحٍ ومن فرحٍ

هلْ من سرورٍ ومن راحٍ ومن فرحٍ

للقلب غيرِ الأسى والحزنِ والترحِ

للقلب غيرِ الأسى والحزنِ والترحِ

Is there any delight, any wine, any joy

After them, life did not seem sweet nor dwelling pleasant to me.

For the heart, other than grief, sorrow, and anguish?

Virtues of theirs I cannot enumerate in number,

والسرُّ من قبلهم حقّاً فلم يبحِ

والسرُّ من قبلهم حقّاً فلم يبحِ

مُذّ بانَ أهلُ التقى والفضل من منحِ

مُذّ بانَ أهلُ التقى والفضل من منحِ

And their secret, truly, has not been divulged,

If reckoned by counting grains of sand they would not deplete.

Since the people of piety and virtue departed from Manah.

I have not found any like them in our time,

لم يحلُو لي بعدهم عيش ولا سكنُ

لم يحلُو لي بعدهم عيش ولا سكنُ

فضائِلٌ منهم لم أحِصها عددَا

فضائِلٌ منهم لم أحِصها عددَا

Since they left, neither life nor home has been sweet to me.

Since they left I said my heart will never settle,

Virtues of theirs whose number I have not counted;

In a paradise settled by sorrows and tribulations.

لو عدّ إحصاؤها بالرمْل ما نفدَا

لو عدّ إحصاؤها بالرمْل ما نفدَا

لم ألق مثلَهم في دهرنا احداً

لم ألق مثلَهم في دهرنا احداً

Were their number reckoned with grains of sand, it would not be exhausted.

From pining my ears have become deaf,

I have met no one like them in our age.

And burning anguish I cannot, by God, dispel.

مُذّ ودعوا قالَ قلبي لمْ أقم أبدا

مُذّ ودعوا قالَ قلبي لمْ أقم أبدا

في جنةٍ حلها الأحزانُ والمحنُ

في جنةٍ حلها الأحزانُ والمحنُ

Since they bade farewell, my heart has said, 'I have never dwelt

A sadness I could not hold back today,

In a garden where sorrows and trials have settled.'

And tears I swore would not stop flowing,

مِن النوى أذنى قد صَمَّ مسمعُهَا

مِن النوى أذنى قد صَمَّ مسمعُهَا

وحرقة لم أَطِقْ بالله أدفعُهَا

وحرقة لم أَطِقْ بالله أدفعُهَا

Separation has deafened the hearing of my ear,

From troubles, until the ships return.

And a burning anguish that, by God, I could not dispel.

They traveled and settled as neighbors yet did not show sympathy,

كُريةٌ ما قدرت اليوم أدفعُهَا

كُريةٌ ما قدرت اليوم أدفعُهَا

ومقلةٌ أقسمتُ لم يرقَ مَدْمَعُهَا

ومقلةٌ أقسمتُ لم يرقَ مَدْمَعُهَا

An affliction [uncertain reading] I could not ward off today,

To the one with parched throat and lips.

And an eye whose tears, I swear, do not stop flowing

Good fortune to them, they have truly recognized what they knew.

مِن الشُّؤونِ إلى أنْ ترْجِعَ السفنُ

مِن الشُّؤونِ إلى أنْ ترْجِعَ السفنُ

ساروا وحلّوا أصيحاباً وما عطفُوا

ساروا وحلّوا أصيحاباً وما عطفُوا

From its tear ducts until the ships return.

O you who blame, you travelers, stop!

They journeyed and alighted as dear companions, yet showed no pity

For one passionately in love, time has been burdensome after you.

على الذي شفه اللأواء والأسَفُ

على الذي شفه اللأواء والأسَفُ

طوبَى لهم وعدوا حقّاً لما عرفوا

طوبَى لهم وعدوا حقّاً لما عرفوا

For one whom hardship and grief had wasted away.

So tears from every eye lamenting the separation,

Blessedness is theirs, truly promised for what they knew.

Cascade down the cheeks resembling dripping rain,

يا أيها الظاعنونَ الراحلون قِفُوا

يا أيها الظاعنونَ الراحلون قِفُوا

لمغرم بعدكم قد غالَه الزمنُ

لمغرم بعدكم قد غالَه الزمنُ

O you departing travelers, stop,

As if the cheek were land and the eyes were sky.

For a lovesick man whom time has ravaged since you left.

Had they not been a cure for hearts they would not have,

فالدمعُ من كل عينٍ للفراقِ همىً

فالدمعُ من كل عينٍ للفراقِ همىً

ينهل خلف المطايا يشبه الدِّيمَا

ينهل خلف المطايا يشبه الدِّيمَا

So tears from every eye streamed at the parting,

Beset them after you with any disease or smoke.

Pouring down behind the mounts, resembling steady rain.

Grief and sorrow appeared since they resolved,

كأنما الخدُّ أرضٌ والعيونُ سَمَا

كأنما الخدُّ أرضٌ والعيونُ سَمَا

لو لم يكونوا شِفاءً للقلوب لَمَا

لو لم يكونوا شِفاءً للقلوب لَمَا

As though the cheek were earth and the eyes the sky.

To depart, and safety and generosity appeared,

Had they not been a cure for hearts, no

And the sweetness of life and bounty disappeared from me.

قد حلّها بعدهمْ داء ولا دَخَنُ

قد حلّها بعدهمْ داء ولا دَخَنُ

بانَ العزا والأسى والصبرُ مُذْ عَزَمُوا

بانَ العزا والأسى والصبرُ مُذْ عَزَمُوا

Illness or taint would have settled in them after they left.

Had it not been for their separation no illness would have befallen me,

Consolation, grief, and patience departed when they resolved

Nor would desolation and loss have saddened my soul.

على الرحيلِ وبانَ الأمْنُ والكَرَمُ

على الرحيلِ وبانَ الأمْنُ والكَرَمُ

وبانَ عنّي لذيذُ العيش والنعمُ

وبانَ عنّي لذيذُ العيش والنعمُ

To leave; safety and generosity departed too.

Who in existence is like our master Abdullah,

And life's sweetness and blessings departed from me.

The progeny of the pure, righteous Tahir, our Muhammad.

لولا فراقهمُ ما حلِّ بي سقمُ

لولا فراقهمُ ما حلِّ بي سقمُ

ولا شَجَتْ مُهْجَتِي الأطلالُ والدمنُ

ولا شَجَتْ مُهْجَتِي الأطلالُ والدمنُ

But for their parting, no sickness would have befallen me,

The origin of our faith has been perfumed by the scent of this one,

Nor would ruins and old campsite traces have grieved my heart.

For he is the devoted guardian, the pure light of our mosque,

مَنْ في الورى مثلُ عبد الله سيدنا

مَنْ في الورى مثلُ عبد الله سيدنا

سلالةُ الطاهر الزاكى محمدِنَا

سلالةُ الطاهر الزاكى محمدِنَا

Who among humankind is like Abdullah, our master,

And he is the pleased, the righteous, the knowing, the perceptive one.

Scion of our pure, virtuous Muhammad?

He gives freely of what he possesses, indeed he does not withhold it.

قد طابَ من طيبِ هذا أصلُ محِتدِناً

قد طابَ من طيبِ هذا أصلُ محِتدِناً

فهو الولى المفدَّى نُور مَسجدِنَا

فهو الولى المفدَّى نُور مَسجدِنَا

Through this man's goodness, the root of our lineage has indeed grown noble.

You will not find him heedless in his qualities.

So he is the cherished saint, the light of our mosque,

He led the world with wisdom as a child in his school.

وهو الرضى الزكى العالِم الفطنُ

وهو الرضى الزكى العالِم الفطنُ

يسخُو بما عندهُ بل لا يضنُّ به

يسخُو بما عندهُ بل لا يضنُّ به

And he is the worthy, pure, discerning scholar.

Every matter he sees is unambiguous.

He gives freely of what he has; indeed, he does not begrudge it.

And eloquence is not marred by his diction's blemishes.

لم تلقه في المزايَا غير منتبهِ

لم تلقه في المزايَا غير منتبهِ

سادَ الورَى بالحجى طفلا بمكتبهِ

سادَ الورَى بالحجى طفلا بمكتبهِ

In matters of virtue, you have found him nothing but attentive.

Then blessings upon the Chosen One from Mudar,

He excelled humankind in intellect even as a child at his school.

Our intercessor on a day when none shall save another from sin,

وكلُّ أمرٍ يراهُ غيرَ مُشْتبهِ

وكلُّ أمرٍ يراهُ غيرَ مُشْتبهِ

وليسَ يحرى على ألفاظِه اللحنُ

وليسَ يحرى على ألفاظِه اللحنُ

And every matter he considers is unambiguous to him.

Muhammad the Elect, of whom the news has come,

And no grammatical error runs through his words.

The best of creation, patron of nomads and townspeople alike,

ثمَّ الصلاةُ على المختارِ من مُضرِ

ثمَّ الصلاةُ على المختارِ من مُضرِ

شفيعِنا يومَ لا ينجُو إلى وَزَرِ

شفيعِنا يومَ لا ينجُو إلى وَزَرِ

Then blessings upon the chosen one of Mudar,

Our Prophet whose excellence deeds do not tarnish.

Our intercessor on the day when no one escapes to a refuge,

محمدٍ المصطفى قد جَاء في الخبرِ

محمدٍ المصطفى قد جَاء في الخبرِ

خَيْرِ البريةِ مولى البَدْوِ والحضَرِ

خَيْرِ البريةِ مولى البَدْوِ والحضَرِ

Muhammad, the Chosen, as related in the report:

The best of creation, master of nomads and settled folk,

نبينا لم تُكَدِّرْ فضلَه المننُ

نبينا لم تُكَدِّرْ فضلَه المننُ

Our Prophet, whose generosity is untainted by reminders of favors.