قُدومٌan arrival بِهِthrough it الأفراحُjoys تحلوgrow sweet وتَعذُبُand become delightful
قُدومٌ بِهِ الأفراحُ تحلو وتَعذُبُ
وَقامَتand rose بِهِthrough it الأرواحُspirits تَحياcome alive وتطرَبُand rejoice
وَقامَت بِهِ الأرواحُ تَحيا وتطرَبُ
An arrival through which joys grow sweet and delightful.
An arrival in which joys come sweet and tormenting,
And through it spirits rise to life and rejoice.
In which spirits rise, livened and disturbed,
أَضاءَتshone بِهِthrough it الأكوانُthe worlds منfrom كلِّevery جانبٍside
أَضاءَت بِهِ الأكوانُ من كلِّ جانبٍ
تَجرُّdragging ذُيولَthe trains of التيهِpride بِشْراًin gladness وَتَسحَبُand trailing
تَجرُّ ذُيولَ التيهِ بِشْراً وَتَسحَبُ
Through it the worlds shine from every side,
The universes illuminated from every side,
Dragging the trains of pride in gladness and trailing them along.
Dragging the skirts of delirium, heralding good tidings and withdrawing.
وَقامَand stood عَلىupon غُصنِthe branch of السّرورِjoy حمامُهits dove
وَقامَ عَلى غُصنِ السّرورِ حمامُه
خَطيباًas an orator بِحُسنِwith the beauty of السّجعrhymed cooing وَالصّدْحand singing يَخطُبُit preaches
خَطيباً بِحُسنِ السّجع وَالصّدْح يَخطُبُ
And on the branch of joy its dove stood,
On the branch of joy his pigeons stood preaching,
An orator, preaching with lovely rhyming coos and song.
With excellent rhetoric and eloquence they plead.
وَغَنّىand sang علىupon دَوحِthe grove of الهناءِbliss هِزارُهُits nightingale
وَغَنّى على دَوحِ الهناءِ هِزارُهُ
فَكانَso it was بِأَندىwith the mellowest اللّحنِmelody يَشدوsinging ويُطرِبُand delighting
فَكانَ بِأَندى اللّحنِ يَشدو ويُطرِبُ
And in the grove of bliss its nightingale sang,
On the sand dune of bliss his partridges sang,
So it sang and delighted with the mellowest melody.
With the gentlest melodies they chanted and thrilled.
وَخِلْتُand I imagined نُجومَthe stars of اللّيلِnight تَرقُصُdancing فَرحَةًin joy
وَخِلْتُ نُجومَ اللّيلِ تَرقُصُ فَرحَةً
بِأَكمامِin sleeves of أَنوارٍlight بِهاby which العقلُthe mind يسلبُis stolen away
بِأَكمامِ أَنوارٍ بِها العقلُ يسلبُ
And I imagined the night stars dancing in joy,
I saw the stars of night dance joyfully,
In sleeves of light that steal the mind away.
In the sleeves of lights that captivate reason.
تَراهاyou see them عَلىin رَقصٍa dance بماwith what يُدهِشُbewilders الحِجىthe intellect
تَراها عَلى رَقصٍ بما يُدهِشُ الحِجى
إِلىtoward الأَرضِthe earth قَدindeed صارَتthey began تَجيءُto come وَتذهَبُand go
إِلى الأَرضِ قَد صارَت تَجيءُ وَتذهَبُ
You see them dancing in a way that bewilders the intellect,
You see them dancing in ways that astonish sights,
Having begun to come and go toward the earth.
Coming to earth and going as rain pouring and spreading.
فَمِنso among كَوكبٍa star ماشٍwalking وَمِنand among كَوكَبٍa star عَداran
فَمِن كَوكبٍ ماشٍ وَمِن كَوكَبٍ عَدا
وَمِنand among كَوكَبٍa star يَبدوappears وَلَمand did not يَكُbe يغرُبُset
وَمِن كَوكَبٍ يَبدو وَلَم يَكُ يغرُبُ
One star walks, and another runs,
Some stars walking, others hurrying,
And one star appears without setting.
Some appearing but not disappearing.
تَمُدّthey stretch إِلَيناtoward us كَالخيوطِlike threads شُعاعَهاtheir radiance
تَمُدّ إِلَينا كَالخيوطِ شُعاعَها
فَخِلناهُso we imagined it مِنّاfrom our perspective كَالرِّماحِlike spears تصوَّبُdescending
فَخِلناهُ مِنّا كَالرِّماحِ تصوَّبُ
They stretch their rays toward us like threads,
They stretch their rays to us like spears,
So to our eyes it seemed like spears descending.
We deemed them spears thrust at us.
خُيوطٌthreads مِنَof الأنوارِlight منهاfrom them تَساقَطَتfell down
خُيوطٌ مِنَ الأنوارِ منها تَساقَطَت
كَماjust as المَطرُthe rain الهاميpouring يسحُّstreams down ويسكبُand spills
كَما المَطرُ الهامي يسحُّ ويسكبُ
Threads of light fell from them,
Strands of light fell from them,
Like pouring rain that streams and spills.
As pouring rain sweeps and pours.
قُدومٌan arrival بِهِthrough it سلَّunsheathed السّرورُjoy حُسامَهُits sword
قُدومٌ بِهِ سلَّ السّرورُ حُسامَهُ
وَقامَand rose بِهِwith it فيagainst الغمِّgrief يَسطوassailing وَيَضربُand striking
وَقامَ بِهِ في الغمِّ يَسطو وَيَضربُ
An arrival through which joy unsheathed its sword,
An arrival in which joy drew its swords,
And rose with it to assail and strike at grief.
In sorrow it rose looting and striking.
وَصالَand charged بِهِwith it فيهagainst it فَمَزَّقَso tore apart جَيشهُits army
وَصالَ بِهِ فيه فَمَزَّقَ جَيشهُ
فَماso not شِمْتُهُI saw it إِلّاexcept يَفرُّfleeing وَيَهرُبُand escaping
فَما شِمْتُهُ إِلّا يَفرُّ وَيَهرُبُ
And charged with it against grief, tearing its army apart,
Meeting it, it tore its army to pieces,
So I saw it only fleeing and running away.
I smelled it only fleeing and escaping.
بِعامin a year ثَمانٍeight بَعدَafter ألفٍa thousand لَقَدindeed مَضىhad passed
بِعام ثَمانٍ بَعدَ ألفٍ لَقَد مَضى
كَذاlikewise مايتاtwo hundred عامٍyears وَعُشرونَand twenty تُحسَبُare counted
كَذا مايتا عامٍ وَعُشرونَ تُحسَبُ
In the year eight after a thousand had passed,
In the year eight hundred and a thousand it passed,
With two hundred years and twenty likewise reckoned.
Two hundred and twenty years can be counted.
بِشَهرِin the month of ربيعٍRabi بَعدَafter شَهرٍa month لِمَولدٍof the birth
بِشَهرِ ربيعٍ بَعدَ شَهرٍ لِمَولدٍ
لِسَيّدناof our master الهاديthe Guide النبيِّthe Prophet المقرَّبِthe favored one
لِسَيّدنا الهادي النبيِّ المقرَّبِ
In the month of Rabi, after the month of the birth
In the month of Rabīʿ after the birth month,
Of our master, the Guide, the favored Prophet.
Of our master guide the prophet who is drawn near.
قُدومٌan arrival لَقَدindeed كنّاwe used to محالاًimpossible نعدُّهُconsider it
قُدومٌ لَقَد كنّا محالاً نعدُّهُ
وَلَيسَتand were not لَهُtoward it الأَفكارُthoughts يَوماًever تقرّبُdrawing near
وَلَيسَت لَهُ الأَفكارُ يَوماً تقرّبُ
An arrival we had indeed reckoned impossible,
An arrival we never imagined we would count it,
And which our thoughts never once approached.
Thoughts never drew near it one day.
قُدومٌan arrival بِهِconcerning it جاءَcame البشيرُthe herald مبشّراًbearing glad tidings
قُدومٌ بِهِ جاءَ البشيرُ مبشّراً
لَناto us مِنfrom دِمَشقDamascus الشّامِal-Sham للبِشرِwith gladness يَصحَبُbringing along
لَنا مِن دِمَشق الشّامِ للبِشرِ يَصحَبُ
An arrival for which the herald came bearing glad tidings
An arrival in which the good tidings came announcing,
To us from Damascus of al-Sham, bringing gladness with him.
To us from Damascus in Syria, accompanying the human.
وَلَمّاand when أَتىcame فيهِconcerning it البشيرُthe herald فَمَنكِبٌthen a shoulder
وَلَمّا أَتى فيهِ البشيرُ فَمَنكِبٌ
يُزاحِمُهُjostles it مِنّاfrom among us لِمَلقاهُto meet him مَنكِبُa shoulder
يُزاحِمُهُ مِنّا لِمَلقاهُ مَنكِبُ
And when the herald came with news of it, one shoulder
When the herald came in it, shoulders bumping,
Was jostled by another among us in the rush to meet him.
Ours competing to meet his.
قُدومٌan arrival لِنَجلِof the son of الكزبريِّal-Kuzbari إِمامناour imam
قُدومٌ لِنَجلِ الكزبريِّ إِمامنا
إِمامِthe imam of دِمَشقَDamascus مَنْthe one who لَهُto him الفضلُexcellence يُنسَبُis ascribed
إِمامِ دِمَشقَ مَنْ لَهُ الفضلُ يُنسَبُ
The arrival of al-Kuzbari's son, our imam,
An arrival for the son of al-Kuzbarī, our Imām,
The imam of Damascus, to whom excellence is ascribed.
Imām of Damascus whom virtue is attributed.
هُوَhe is الحَبرُthe learned scholar بَحرُthe ocean of العلمِknowledge وَهوَand he is فَقيهُهاits jurist
هُوَ الحَبرُ بَحرُ العلمِ وَهوَ فَقيهُها
مُحَدِّثهاits hadith scholar المَشهورُthe renowned وَهوَand he is المُهذّبُthe refined one
مُحَدِّثها المَشهورُ وَهوَ المُهذّبُ
He is the learned scholar, an ocean of knowledge, and its jurist,
He is the scholar, sea of knowledge and its jurist,
Its renowned hadith scholar, refined in character.
Its famous hadith scholar, the refined.
هُوَhe is العارِفُthe gnostic النّسّاكُthe devout worshipper ذوpossessed of الزّهدِasceticism وَالتّقىand piety
هُوَ العارِفُ النّسّاكُ ذو الزّهدِ وَالتّقى
هُوَhe is العالِمُthe scholar النحريرُthe consummate expert وَهوَand he is المؤدَّبُthe well-mannered one
هُوَ العالِمُ النحريرُ وَهوَ المؤدَّبُ
He is the gnostic, the devout worshipper, endowed with asceticism and piety.
He is the gnostic ascetic of piety and devoutness,
He is the masterful scholar, and he is well-mannered.
The precise scholar and the well-mannered.
عَلىwith حُسنِfine تَحريرٍscholarly exposition بِأَعذَبِwith the sweetest مَنطِقٍspeech
عَلى حُسنِ تَحريرٍ بِأَعذَبِ مَنطِقٍ
بِبَهجَةِwith the splendor of تَحقيقٍrigorous inquiry يَعزُّis rare وَيغرُبُand is extraordinary
بِبَهجَةِ تَحقيقٍ يَعزُّ وَيغرُبُ
With fine scholarly exposition in the sweetest speech,
Of excellent drafting with sweetest diction,
With splendid rigorous inquiry, rare and extraordinary.
With the splendor of investigation he is hard to attain and withdraw.
عَلىwith حُسنِfine خَلقٍphysical form بِالجَمالِwith beauty مُزيَّنٌadorned
عَلى حُسنِ خَلقٍ بِالجَمالِ مُزيَّنٌ
علىwith حسنfine خُلقٍcharacter بِالكمالِto perfection يهذّبُis refined
على حسن خُلقٍ بِالكمالِ يهذّبُ
Of handsome form, adorned with beauty,
Of excellent character adorned with beauty,
Of fine character, refined to perfection.
Of excellent nature he disciplines.
عَلىwith حُسنِgracious حِلمٍforbearance لِلوقارِto dignity مُقارِنٍjoined
عَلى حُسنِ حِلمٍ لِلوقارِ مُقارِنٍ
بِإِتقانِwith soundness of رأيٍjudgment لِلأَناةِwith deliberation يصحَبُkeeps company
بِإِتقانِ رأيٍ لِلأَناةِ يصحَبُ
With gracious forbearance joined to dignity,
Of excellent patience, accompanying dignity,
With sound judgment that keeps company with deliberation.
With proficiency of opinion, accompanying deliberation.
بِعزَّةِwith the dignity of نَفسٍa soul تَمتَطيrides العزَّhonor وَالعُلىand the heights
بِعزَّةِ نَفسٍ تَمتَطي العزَّ وَالعُلى
وَقَدand indeed رَفَعَتit has raised شَأناًstature لَهُfor him المَجدُglory منصبُa station
وَقَد رَفَعَت شَأناً لَهُ المَجدُ منصبُ
With a proud soul that rides honor and the heights,
With pride that mounts glory and sublimity,
And has raised his stature; glory is his station.
Elevating his status, majesty established him.
لَقَدindeed زارَhe visited بَيروتاًBeirut وَشرَّفَand honored أَرضَهاher land
لَقَد زارَ بَيروتاً وَشرَّفَ أَرضَها
فَقامَتso she rose عَلىabove الدُّنياthe world تَتيهُvaunting herself وتعجَبُand marveling
فَقامَت عَلى الدُّنيا تَتيهُ وتعجَبُ
He indeed visited Beirut and honored her land,
He visited Beirut and honored its land,
So she rose above the world, vaunting herself and marveling.
The world bewildered and shocked.
وَأَلبَسَهاand clothed her مَجداًin glory وَأَحياand revived رُبوعَهاher quarters
وَأَلبَسَها مَجداً وَأَحيا رُبوعَها
فَرَبعٌso one quarter غَداgrew يَزهوradiant وآخرُand another يُخصِبُgrows fertile
فَرَبعٌ غَدا يَزهو وآخرُ يُخصِبُ
And he clothed her in glory and revived her quarters,
Dressing it in glory, enlivening its expanse,
So one quarter grew radiant, and another grew fertile.
One plot flourishing, another fertile.
وَحَلَّand alighted بِهاin her كالشَّمسِlike the sun حَلَّتalighted سَماءَهاher sky
وَحَلَّ بِها كالشَّمسِ حَلَّت سَماءَها
وَبيand with me كَوكَبٌa star لَمdid not يَحكِهِmatch it الدّهرَthroughout time كَوكَبُa star
وَبي كَوكَبٌ لَم يَحكِهِ الدّهرَ كَوكَبُ
And he alighted in her like the sun alighting in her sky,
In it he settled like the sun settled its sky,
And with me is a star that no star has ever matched.
A star time never erased like stars.
فَخِلتُso I deemed سَماءَthe sky of الشَّمسِthe sun بَيروتBeirut موقناًcertain
فَخِلتُ سَماءَ الشَّمسِ بَيروت موقناً
وَحاشايَand far be it from me أَنّيthat I فيin الّذيwhat خِلتُI deemed أَكذِبُshould lie
وَحاشايَ أَنّي في الّذي خِلتُ أَكذِبُ
So I deemed Beirut the sun's sky, certain of it,
I deemed Beirut’s sky the sun, assured,
And far be it from me to lie in what I deemed.
And I forbid that what I deemed is a lie.
وَزارَand he visited بِهاin her يَحيىYahya الحَصورَthe chaste يسارُهُspeaks privately with him
وَزارَ بِها يَحيى الحَصورَ يسارُهُ
بِجامِعِهاin her mosque المَشهورِthe renowned بِالذّكرِfor remembrance يُرغَبُis sought out
بِجامِعِها المَشهورِ بِالذّكرِ يُرغَبُ
And there he visited Yahya the Chaste, speaking privately with him,
In it he visited Yahya al-Hasur, his left side,
In her famed mosque, sought out for remembrance.
At its famous mosque of mention sought.
كَذاlikewise الشّيخُthe shaykh شَمسُShams (sun) الدّينal-Din (the faith) أَعنيI mean شَهيدهاher martyr
كَذا الشّيخُ شَمسُ الدّين أَعني شَهيدها
بِزاوِيَةٍat a lodge تُعزىis attributed إِليهِto him وتُنسَبُand is ascribed
بِزاوِيَةٍ تُعزى إِليهِ وتُنسَبُ
Likewise Shaykh Shams al-Din—I mean her martyr—
And Sheikh Shams al-Din, meaning its martyr,
At a lodge attributed and ascribed to him.
With a corner attributed and ascribed to him.
كَذاlikewise اِبنُIbn (son of) عِراقٍIraq وَالشّويخand the little shaykh الَّذيwho اِبنُهُhis son
كَذا اِبنُ عِراقٍ وَالشّويخ الَّذي اِبنُهُ
غَدوتI became لَهُto him سِبطاًa daughter's son يُعدُّis counted ويُحسَبُand reckoned
غَدوت لَهُ سِبطاً يُعدُّ ويُحسَبُ
Likewise Ibn Iraq and al-Shuwaykh, whose son
And Ibn ʿIrāq and the Sheikh whose son
I came to be counted and reckoned a grandson of through a daughter.
Became a grandson counted and reckoned.
وَزارَand he visited بِهاin her شَيخاًa shaykh يُضافis associated لِسربةwith Sarbah
وَزارَ بِها شَيخاً يُضاف لِسربة
بِسورٍat a wall عَلَيهاaround her لِلحِمايَةِfor protection يُضربُis erected
بِسورٍ عَلَيها لِلحِمايَةِ يُضربُ
And there he visited a shaykh associated with Sarbah,
He visited a Sheikh associated with Serpah,
At a wall raised around her for protection.
With a fence over it for protection built.
وَزارَand he visited الرِّجالَthe Men الأَربَعينَthe Forty عَليهمُupon them
وَزارَ الرِّجالَ الأَربَعينَ عَليهمُ
يُصَبّis poured مِنَof الرّضوانِdivine favor وَبْلٌa downpour وصَيِّبُand pouring rain
يُصَبّ مِنَ الرّضوانِ وَبْلٌ وصَيِّبُ
And he visited the Forty Men, upon whom
And the forty men over whom
A downpour and torrent of divine favor are poured.
Blessing and sweet rain pour from contentment.
وَأُمّand Umm (mother of) حَرامٍHaram عَمّةٌa paternal aunt لِاِبنof Ibn (son of) مالكٍMalik
وَأُمّ حَرامٍ عَمّةٌ لِاِبن مالكٍ
خَديمِthe servant of رَسولِthe Messenger of اللَّهGod وَهوَand he is المُحبَّبَthe beloved
خَديمِ رَسولِ اللَّه وَهوَ المُحبَّبَ
And Umm Haram, a paternal aunt of Ibn Malik,
And Umm Harām the aunt of Ibn Mālik,
Servant of God's Messenger—and he is beloved.
Servant of the Messenger of Allah and the beloved.
وَزارَand he visited أَباAbu (father of) العبّاسَal-Abbas أَعنيI mean مَقامَهُhis shrine
وَزارَ أَبا العبّاسَ أَعني مَقامَهُ
هوَhe is الخضِرُal-Khidr الحيُّthe living one النبيُّthe Prophet المُقرّبُthe favored one
هوَ الخضِرُ الحيُّ النبيُّ المُقرّبُ
And he visited Abu al-Abbas—I mean his shrine.
And Abu al-ʿAbbās — I mean his tomb —
He is al-Khidr, the living, favored prophet,
He is al-Khidr alive, the prophet brought near.
لَدىbeside نَهرِهاher river السلسالِsmoothly flowing طابَwas sweet زُلالُهُits clear water
لَدى نَهرِها السلسالِ طابَ زُلالُهُ
وَسالَand it flowed لُجَيناًas silver وَهوَwhile it يَحلوgrows sweet وَيَعذُبُand becomes delightful
وَسالَ لُجَيناً وَهوَ يَحلو وَيَعذُبُ
Beside her smoothly flowing river, whose clear water was sweet,
At its Silsilah River, its freshness was wholesome,
And flowed as silver, sweet and delightful.
Flowing smoothly, sweet and pleasant.
وَقَدand indeed زارَhe visited أَوزاعيَّهاher al-Awza'i العارِفَthe gnostic الّذيwhose
وَقَد زارَ أَوزاعيَّها العارِفَ الّذي
لَهُbelonging to him قَدindeed فَشاhad spread فيthrough الشَّامِal-Sham وَالغربِand the West مَذهَبُa school
لَهُ قَد فَشا في الشَّامِ وَالغربِ مَذهَبُ
And he visited her al-Awza'i, the gnostic whose
He visited its gnostic, spread in Syria and the west his denomination,
School had spread through al-Sham and the West.
A great Imam prominent in hadith,
إِمامُan imam عَظيمٌgreat فيin الحَديثِhadith مُقدَّمٌforemost
إِمامُ عَظيمٌ في الحَديثِ مُقدَّمٌ
لَهُfor him أَثبَتواthey affirmed التقديمَprecedence فيهِin it وَأَوجَبواand deemed obligatory
لَهُ أَثبَتوا التقديمَ فيهِ وَأَوجَبوا
A great imam, foremost in hadith,
Given priority in it, and they made it obligatory.
They affirmed his precedence in it and declared it obligatory.
Partial English translation: 73 of 74 Arabic lines translated.
Sol 6.1