تَصاحى نَديم الحان مِن نَشوة السُكرِ

تَصاحى نَديم الحان مِن نَشوة السُكرِ

فَحيّا عَلى الأَلحان بِالحَمد وَالشُكرِ

فَحيّا عَلى الأَلحان بِالحَمد وَالشُكرِ

The tavern's boon companion sobered from drunken ecstasy.

The companion woke from the intoxication of wine

Then, amid melodies, he offered greetings with praise and thanks.

And greeted the tunes with praise and thanks

وَشَوَّقه سَجع الحَمائم لِلحِمى

وَشَوَّقه سَجع الحَمائم لِلحِمى

فَأَوصى بِهِ أَوصابه في الهَوى العذري

فَأَوصى بِهِ أَوصابه في الهَوى العذري

And the doves' cooing stirred his longing for the sanctuary,

And the cooing of doves aroused his passion for his beloved

so he charged his afflictions with its care in chaste love.

To whom he entrusted his companions in innocent love

وأشجاه بَرق الأَبرقين فَقَلبه

وأشجاه بَرق الأَبرقين فَقَلبه

تقلّبهُ أَيدي الغَرام عَلى الجَمرِ

تقلّبهُ أَيدي الغَرام عَلى الجَمرِ

And lightning at al-Abraqayn grieved him; his heart

And the flashing of lightning stirred him

is turned upon the embers by the hands of passion.

As the hands of passion turned him over embers

وَمَرّ بِهِ الرَكب الحِجازيُّ فَاِغتَدى

وَمَرّ بِهِ الرَكب الحِجازيُّ فَاِغتَدى

يُهاديه بِالأَشجان مِن حَيث لا يَدري

يُهاديه بِالأَشجان مِن حَيث لا يَدري

And the Hijazi caravan passed him and began

And the Hejazi caravan passed him by so he followed

to offer him gifts of sorrow, without his knowing.

Greeting it with yearning from where it did not know

فَيا حادِياً لِلرَكب بِالرَكب شادِياً

فَيا حادِياً لِلرَكب بِالرَكب شادِياً

رُوَيداً وَدَع ذِكر النَوى وَاِغتنم أَجري

رُوَيداً وَدَع ذِكر النَوى وَاِغتنم أَجري

O camel-driver of the caravan, singing among its company,

So O guide of the caravan by the caravan depart

go gently, leave off mention of separation, and seize the reward I offer.

Slow down and forget the past, be hopeful of my reward

وَسر بي إِلى سربٍ أَضاعوا مَوَدَّتي

وَسر بي إِلى سربٍ أَضاعوا مَوَدَّتي

فَيا لَيت شِعري مَن أحلَّ لَهُم هَجري

فَيا لَيت شِعري مَن أحلَّ لَهُم هَجري

And lead me to a herd that squandered my affection;

And walk with me to a troop that lost my affection

oh, would that I knew who permitted them to abandon me!

Oh, if only I knew who made their estrangement lawful to them

صَبَرتُ فَما أَحلى اِصطِباري عَلَيهم

صَبَرتُ فَما أَحلى اِصطِباري عَلَيهم

وَلَكنّهُ عَنهُم أَمرُّ مِن الصَبرِ

وَلَكنّهُ عَنهُم أَمرُّ مِن الصَبرِ

I endured—how sweet my patience toward them!

I was patient so how sweet was my patience with them

Yet away from them it is bitterer than aloes.

Yet with them it was more bitter than patience

وَأصمى البُكا إِنسان عَيني وَهَل أَتى

وَأصمى البُكا إِنسان عَيني وَهَل أَتى

سِواه عَلى الإِنسان حينٌ مِن الدَهرِ

سِواه عَلى الإِنسان حينٌ مِن الدَهرِ

And weeping has slain my eye's pupil; has there passed

And I deafened my crying eyes, has there come

over humankind any span of time without it?

A time other than it in life to try man?

وَقاسيت ما لَو أَنَّ في الخَلق بَعضَهُ

وَقاسيت ما لَو أَنَّ في الخَلق بَعضَهُ

لَأَلهاهُمُ خَلع العذار عَن العُذرِ

لَأَلهاهُمُ خَلع العذار عَن العُذرِ

And I suffered what, had mankind borne even part of it,

And I endured what if it were upon people generally

casting off the bridle would have distracted them from excuses—

They would be divested of reproach upon reproach

بِكُلّ رَشيق القَدّ هاروت لَحظه

بِكُلّ رَشيق القَدّ هاروت لَحظه

لِسَلب النُهى يَتلو بِنا آية السحرِ

لِسَلب النُهى يَتلو بِنا آية السحرِ

because of every graceful figure, whose gaze is Harut,

By every slender, swaying glance, Harut's eye

reciting over us a verse of sorcery to steal our reason.

Takes away resolve reciting magic to us

فَنُح يا حَمام الأيك إِن قُلوبَنا

فَنُح يا حَمام الأيك إِن قُلوبَنا

غَزَتها جُيوش الحُبّ بِالبيض وَالسُمرِ

غَزَتها جُيوش الحُبّ بِالبيض وَالسُمرِ

So lament, O doves of the grove, for our hearts

So fly away O doves of the valley, our hearts

have been invaded by love's armies, with bright swords and brown spears.

Have been invaded by the armies of love, white and brown

وَيا مُخجل الأغصان لين قَوامه

وَيا مُخجل الأغصان لين قَوامه

دَلالاً وَلَكن قَلبه قدّ مِن صَخرُ

دَلالاً وَلَكن قَلبه قدّ مِن صَخرُ

And O you whose supple stature shames the branches,

And O one who shames the branches, gentle of figure

in coquettish grace, yet whose heart is hewn from rock.

Alluring, but his heart is indeed hard

يُعاقبني مِنكَ البعاد عَلى الوَفا

يُعاقبني مِنكَ البعاد عَلى الوَفا

مُعاقبة الجاني المصرّ عَلى الوزرِ

مُعاقبة الجاني المصرّ عَلى الوزرِ

Separation from you punishes me for fidelity,

He punishes me with your distance for loyalty

as an offender persisting in sin is punished.

Like the obstinate sinner is punished for his crime

وَقالوا شَهِدنا حَرب بَدر عَواذِلي

وَقالوا شَهِدنا حَرب بَدر عَواذِلي

فَهَلّا رَأوني مِنكَ في شُهدا بَدرِ

فَهَلّا رَأوني مِنكَ في شُهدا بَدرِ

And my reproachers said, "We witnessed the battle of Badr."

And they said: we witnessed the battle of Badr, audacious ones

Then why did they not see me among Badr's martyrs, slain by you?

Why did they not see me with you on the day of Badr?

ضَرَبت عَن العُذّال صَفحاً وَطالَما

ضَرَبت عَن العُذّال صَفحاً وَطالَما

عَلَوت الأَعادي بِالمهنّدة البترِ

عَلَوت الأَعادي بِالمهنّدة البترِ

I turned away from the reproachers; and how often

I turned away from the unjust with forgiveness and often

have I bested enemies with cleaving Indian blades!

I overcame enemies with the sharp, cutting sword

أَلا في سَبيل اللَه مُهجة عاشق

أَلا في سَبيل اللَه مُهجة عاشق

إِذا اِشتَدَّ عُسر مِنهُ أَيقَن بِاليُسرِ

إِذا اِشتَدَّ عُسر مِنهُ أَيقَن بِاليُسرِ

Behold, a lover's lifeblood is offered in God's cause;

Lo! In the path of God the passion of a lover

when his hardship grows severe, he is certain of ease.

When hardship intensifies, is certain of ease

فَيا مَن غَدا في كُلّما يدّعي السِوى

فَيا مَن غَدا في كُلّما يدّعي السِوى

مِن الحُبّ كَالعَنقاء في المهمهِ القفرِ

مِن الحُبّ كَالعَنقاء في المهمهِ القفرِ

O you who have become, in all that others profess

So O you who pretends in all he claims to be devoted

of love, like the Anqa in the barren wilderness,

To love, like the ostrich in the dreadful, empty desert

دَعِ الناس فيما أَنتَ لِلّه مُخلص

دَعِ الناس فيما أَنتَ لِلّه مُخلص

وَإِن تَلقَ ضَيماً فَاِنتصر بِأَبي النَصرِ

وَإِن تَلقَ ضَيماً فَاِنتصر بِأَبي النَصرِ

leave people be in what you devote sincerely to God;

Leave people to what you are sincerely devoted to God

and if you suffer injustice, seek victory through Abu al-Nasr.

And if you meet injustice, then seek victory in the aid of the victor

سَميّ اِبن عَبد اللَه مَن جاءَ بِالهُدى

سَميّ اِبن عَبد اللَه مَن جاءَ بِالهُدى

وَأَثنى عَلَيهِ اللَه في مُحكَم الذكرِ

وَأَثنى عَلَيهِ اللَه في مُحكَم الذكرِ

Namesake of the son of Abd Allah, who brought guidance

Name the son of Abdullah who came with guidance

and whom God praised in the unequivocal Revelation.

And Allah praised him in the decisive scripture

فَأَكرم بِها مِن نسبة لمحمّدٍ

فَأَكرم بِها مِن نسبة لمحمّدٍ

تَسلسل مِنها الفَضل لِلسَيّد البكري

تَسلسل مِنها الفَضل لِلسَيّد البكري

How noble is this connection to Muhammad,

So honor, from an ancestry to Muhammad

from which excellence has passed down to Sayyid al-Bakri!

Nobility has continued, from him to the noble elders

هُوَ الحبر بحر العلم برّ التُقى الَّذي

هُوَ الحبر بحر العلم برّ التُقى الَّذي

رَوى العلم عن آبائِهِ السادة الغُرِّ

رَوى العلم عن آبائِهِ السادة الغُرِّ

He is the scholar, the sea of knowledge, the land of piety, who

He is the spiritual guide, ocean of knowledge, dutiful and pious

transmitted knowledge from his forefathers, the illustrious masters.

Who quenched thirst for knowledge from his noble fathers

همام بِباب الحَقّ نالَ حَقائِقاً

همام بِباب الحَقّ نالَ حَقائِقاً

بِها سُرّت الأَسرار مِن عالم السرِّ

بِها سُرّت الأَسرار مِن عالم السرِّ

A noble man, at the gate of the Truth he attained realities

Precise in the gates of truth, Hammam obtained mysteries

from the realm of mystery, gladdening the innermost secrets.

Through which the secrets were delighted, from the world of mystery

وَفي المَشهد القُدسي الرَفيع مَقامه

وَفي المَشهد القُدسي الرَفيع مَقامه

حَوى رفعة الذات المشرَّفة القَدرِ

حَوى رفعة الذات المشرَّفة القَدرِ

And in the holy presence, whose station is lofty,

And in the holy, lofty station, his position

he attained the eminence of a person ennobled in rank.

Contained self-elevation, ennobled in worth

لَكَ اللَه يا مَن أمَّ ساحة فَضلِهِ

لَكَ اللَه يا مَن أمَّ ساحة فَضلِهِ

فَأَهدى إِلَيهِ حلية النَظم وَالنَثرِ

فَأَهدى إِلَيهِ حلية النَظم وَالنَثرِ

God help you, O you who sought the court of his bounty,

For you, O God, the one who led the field of his grace

then offered him the ornament of verse and prose!

And guided this garment of prose and verse to him

لَأَنتَ كَمَن باهى الحَليم بِجَهله

لَأَنتَ كَمَن باهى الحَليم بِجَهله

وَإِلا كَمَن أَهدى الجَواهر لِلبَحرِ

وَإِلا كَمَن أَهدى الجَواهر لِلبَحرِ

You are indeed like one who vies with the wise through his ignorance,

You are unlike one who boastfully gives pearls to the ocean

or else like one who offers jewels to the sea.

Or else like one who gives jewels to the sea

وَيا سَيّداً لِلّه أَخلَص سرّه

وَيا سَيّداً لِلّه أَخلَص سرّه

بِما نالَ من مَولاه في السرّ وَالجَهرِ

بِما نالَ من مَولاه في السرّ وَالجَهرِ

And O master who devoted his inner self sincerely to God,

And O master sincerely devoted to God

through what he received from his Lord, in secret and openly,

In private and public, his secret he has kept pure

دَعاكَ لِبَيت اللَه حَجّ بلغتهُ

دَعاكَ لِبَيت اللَه حَجّ بلغتهُ

بِلَيلة أَجر قَد حَكَت لَيلَة القَدرِ

بِلَيلة أَجر قَد حَكَت لَيلَة القَدرِ

a pilgrimage called you to God's House; you reached it

The call to God's house on a night you completed pilgrimage

on a night of reward that truly resembled the Night of Decree.

A night whose reward recited the night of decree

فَلَبّيت حَتّى من مِنىً فُزت بِالمُنى

فَلَبّيت حَتّى من مِنىً فُزت بِالمُنى

وَطُفت بِبَيت اللّه مُنشَرح الصَدرِ

وَطُفت بِبَيت اللّه مُنشَرح الصَدرِ

So you answered the call, until from Mina you won your wishes,

So you declared until you attained all wishes at Mina

and circled God's House, your breast expanded with joy.

And circled the house of God, expanded of heart

وَلمّا بلَغت الفَوز مِن كُلّ غايَةٍ

وَلمّا بلَغت الفَوز مِن كُلّ غايَةٍ

لَدى طيبة المُختار طيّبة النَشرِ

لَدى طيبة المُختار طيّبة النَشرِ

And when you had attained success in every goal,

And when you attained success from every aspiration

at the Chosen One's Taybah, sweet in fragrance,

In the good company of the Chosen, the good tidings

سَرَيت بِخَير الصَحب مِن كُلِّ ماجد

سَرَيت بِخَير الصَحب مِن كُلِّ ماجد

لِنَحو الحمى كَالبَدر بِالأَنجُم الزُهرِ

لِنَحو الحمى كَالبَدر بِالأَنجُم الزُهرِ

you journeyed by night with the finest companions, each a noble man,

You walked with the best companions, every glorious one

toward the sanctuary, like the full moon among radiant stars.

Towards the sanctuary, like the full moon among brilliant stars

وَلمّا شَمَمنا نَفحة القُرب مِنكُم

وَلمّا شَمَمنا نَفحة القُرب مِنكُم

سرت مَع نسيمات اللقا بِشَذا العطرِ

سرت مَع نسيمات اللقا بِشَذا العطرِ

And when we breathed in a waft of your nearness,

And when we sensed the nearness of your fragrance

drifting with reunion's breezes, fragrant with perfume,

We walked with the breeze of meeting, the scent of perfume

قَدمتم فَيا للّه درُّ مُبَشّر

قَدمتم فَيا للّه درُّ مُبَشّر

أَتانيَ بِالبُشرى فَهَلّلت بِالبشرِ

أَتانيَ بِالبُشرى فَهَلّلت بِالبشرِ

you arrived—God bless the bearer of good tidings

You arrived, by God the house of good news!

who came to me with glad news, so I cried out in delight!

And I cheered with the tidings, ecstatic with joy

وأَضحَت بِكُم بَيروت يانِعَة الرُبى

وأَضحَت بِكُم بَيروت يانِعَة الرُبى

كَما أَصبَحَت بِالأُنس باسِمَةَ الثَغرِ

كَما أَصبَحَت بِالأُنس باسِمَةَ الثَغرِ

And, through you, Beirut's hills grew lush,

And with you, Beirut became plentiful, wholesome land

as her lips smiled with the joy of companionship.

As it greeted with fellowship, smiling maw

فَلا زِلت يا نَجل الأَفاضل كَعبَةً

فَلا زِلت يا نَجل الأَفاضل كَعبَةً

تَطوف بِها الأَقوام في حرم الذكرِ

تَطوف بِها الأَقوام في حرم الذكرِ

So may you ever remain, O son of the eminent, a Kaaba

So I did not cease to be O son of the virtuous, like the Kaaba

around which peoples circle in the sanctuary of remembrance.

Crowds circle around it, sanctified by mention

وَلا زالَ باري الخَلق يثني مُؤرِّخاً

وَلا زالَ باري الخَلق يثني مُؤرِّخاً

عَلى حجّك المَبرور بِالحَمد وَالشُكرِ

عَلى حجّك المَبرور بِالحَمد وَالشُكرِ

And may the Creator of all beings never cease to praise, recording its date,

And the Creator has continued praising the chronicler

your accepted pilgrimage with praise and thanks.

For your accepted pilgrimage, with praise and thanks