أَعَن وَميضِ سَرى في حُندُس الظُلم
أَم نِسمَة هاجَت الاِشواق من أضم
Is it the glimmer of Sirius in the darkness of night,
Or a gentle breeze that stirred up longing from within me,
فَجَدَّدَت لي عَهدا بِالغَرامِ مَضى
وَشاقَني نَحو اِحبابي بِذي سِلم
And renewed for me a passion of love now past,
Drawing me on towards my love on a safe path?
دَعا فُؤادي مِن بَعد السَلو اِلى
ما كُنتُ أَعهد في قَلبي مِن القدم
My heart called out, after solace,
To what I had long known within it from old.
وَهاجَني لِحَبيب عِشق مَنظَرَه
يَمحو وَيُثبت ما يَهواه مِن عدمى
And roused me to love's fervour for my darling,
Whose sight destroys and creates all that he desires.
يَمحو سَلوى كَما يَمحو اِساءَتِهِ
حَسبي لَهُ فَعَذابي فيهِ كَالنَعيم
He destroys my solace even as He forgives His wrongs to me,
To Him it suffices that my torment in Him is like bliss.
رامَ الوُشاةَ سَلوى عَن مَحَبَّتِهِ
وَلَم أَوف لَهُم عَذلا وَلَم أَرُم
Those who wish me ill sought to wean me from my darling's love,
But I did not heed their rebukes, nor cast aspersions.
كَيفَ اِستَنار الجَوى يا مَن تَمَلَّكَني
وَشاهد العِشق في العُشّاقِ كَالعِلم
How can the heart be illuminated, O You who possess me,
When passion in lovers is like sure knowledge?
فَيا لَهُ مُعرِضا عني وَمُعتَرِضا
بَينَ الفَراغِ وَقَلبي وَهُو متهمى
So there He is, turning from me, standing in my way,
While I stand between emptiness and my heart, and He is suspicious.
حَسبي مِنَ الحُبِّ ما أَفضى اِلى تَلفى
وَما لَقيتُ مِنَ الآلامِ وَالسَقمِ
It suffices me of love what led me to ruin,
And what sorrows and sickness I endured.
أَنّى رَدَدت عَنانى عَن غِوايَتِه
وَقُلتُ يا نَفس خلى باعِث النَدم
How can I rein in my desire for Him,
And say to my soul: “Leave what causes regret!”
وَلَذَّت بِالمُصطَفى رَب الشَفاعَة اِذ
يَدعو المُنادي فَتحي الناس من رحم
And I delighted in imploring the Chosen One,
When the caller calls out: “O people, seek pardon!
طه الَّذي قَد كَسا اِشراقَ بِعثَتِه
وَجه الوُجودِ سَناء الرُشدِ وَالكَرَم
It is Taha, whose light dawned with his mission,
Adorning the face of existence with rectitude and nobility.
طه الَّذي كللت انوا سنته
تيجان أُمَّتِه فَضلا عَلى الامَم
It is Taha, whose sublime qualities
Crowned his nation with superiority over all peoples.
نِعم الحَبيب الَّذي من الرقيب بِهِ
وَهُوَ القَريبُ لِراجى المَجدِ وَالنِعَم
What an excellent beloved, who through vigilance over me
Is ever near, for one hoping for glory and bounty.
روحى الفِداء وَمن لي اِن كون لَهُ
هذا الفِداء وَموجودى كَمُنعَدِم
Would that my spirit could be sacrificed for Him -
But what am I, that I could make such a sacrifice, when my being is as nothing?
وَما هِيَ الروحُ حَتّى أَفتَديهِ بِها
وَهي البغاث يَغارُ الظُلمُ وَالظلم
The spirit - what is it, that I could sacrifice it for Him,
When it is the elixir before which darkness and injustice vanish?
وَالعُمرُ أَفنَت ثِقال الوُزر لمحته
وَبَدَّدَتهُ صُروفُ الدَهرِ بِالتُّهَم
My life - its heavy burdens have been erased by time,
Scattered by the turns of fate and suspicions.
أَينَ الرَشادُ الَّذي أَعدَدتُهُ لِغَد
غَويت عَنهُ فَزلت بِالهَوى قَدمى
Where is the guidance which I prepared for tomorrow?
I strayed from it, stumbling in desire and passion.
من لي بترب رحاب لَو أَفوزُ بِها
كَحلت عينا أَفاضَت دَمعُها بِدَم
Who will lead me to the courtyards of His sanctuary, that entering them
Might soothe eyes pouring forth tears of blood?
من لي بِاِطلالِ بان عز مَنظَرِها
تَسقى بَطَل من الآماق مُنسَجِم
Who will lead me to the ruins of the Abode of Might, the sight of which
Revives the hero's heart from utter despair?
تحط أَثقال وُزر لا تَقومُ بِها
شَم الرَواسي من راس وَمُنهَدِم
Removing the heavy burdens of sin that cannot be borne,
When the pillars shake from head to crumbling base.
فَكَم يَتبَع زَلال فاض من يَدِه
أَروي الاِوام وَأَسقى مِنهُ كُل ظَمىء
How abundant is the stream pouring from His hand,
With which I quench the thirsty, and give drink to each thirsty soul.
وَالجذع أَن لَهُ من بَعدِهِ جزعا
لما رَأى عَنهُ مَولى العرب وَالعُجم
And for the sapling, how it showed such anguish after it
Saw the Master of Arabs and non-Arabs move away.
لانَت لَهُ الصَخرَة الصَمّاءِ طالِعَة
مُذ مَسَّها سَيِّدُ الكَونَينِ بِالقَدَم
The desolate rock face rang out to Him
Ever since the Lord of the two worlds touched it with His step.
فَيا لَها مُعجِزات ما لَها عَدَد
أَفلِها منا يَدا نار عَلى عَلم
Oh, the miracles it displays have no number,
Should it not have for us a fiery hand raised on a banner?
وَلا يُحيطُ بِهِ مَدحى وَلَو جَعَلت
جَوارِحي أَلَسنا يَنطُقنَ بِالحُكمِ
My praise cannot encompass Him, even if I made
My limbs tongues speaking words of wisdom.
وَاِنَّما أَرتَجى مِن مَدحِهِ قبسا
يَهدي الصِراطُ وَيَشفى الروحُ من أَلَم
I only hope through praising Him to gain an illumination
Lighting the path, and healing the soul of suffering.
وَكَيفَ لي بِاِتِّعاظِ النَفسَ آمِرَتي
بِالسوءِ ناهيتي عَن مَورِدِ النِعَم
How can I be admonished when my base soul
Commands evil and prevents me from arriving at bounty?
فَما اِلتِماسي عَن خَيرِ يَقرُبُني
زُلفى السَعيم وَلا تَسقى بِمُنتَظِم
My seeking out good does not draw me near
The abundant rain, nor am I watered from a flowing stream.
لكِن لي أُسوَةأَشفى بِها وَصَبي
حُسن اِرتِباطي بِحَبلِ غَير مُنفَصِم
But I have an exemplar that heals me when I suffer,
The excellent connection to an unbreakable rope.
وَمِنَّةُ اللَهِ دين وَصفِهِ قيم
بِحُجَّتي اِن أَخَف يَومَ اللُقا يقم
The blessing of a religion whose traits are sublime,
My proof when fears mount on the Day of Meeting.
وَما سِوى فوزكوني بَعضُ أُمَّتِه
ذُخرا أَفوزُ بِهِ مِنَ زلة الوَصم
Apart from Your allowing me to be among Your nation,
A treasure through which I attain deliverance from disgrace.
اِلّا اِلتِماسي عَفوا بِالشَفاعَةِ لي
مِن خاتِمِ الرُسُلِ خَيرُ الخَلقِ كُلُّهُم
I have nothing but to seek forgiveness through his intercession,
The Seal of Messengers, the best of all creation.
مَددت كَف الرَجا أَرجو مراحمه
وَقَد حَلَّلت بِهِ في بَهرَة الحرم
I extend my palm in hope of his compassion,
And I gained access through him to the Sacred Precinct.
أَقولُ حينَ أَوافى الحَشر في خَجل
اِن الكَبائِرَ أَنسَت ذِكرَهُ اللِمَم
I will say, when I come timidly to the Gathering:
“Great sins have caused me to forget caution.”
يا خَيرُ من اِرتَجى اِن لَم تَكُن مَددى
وَاِزلَتي يَومَ وَضع القِسطِ وَالدِمى
"O finest of those from whom I seek aid, if I have no support from You,
And I slip on the day just deeds and blood ties are repaid."
فَاِشفَع بِحُبِّ الَّذي أَنتَ الحَبيبُ لَهُ
لَولاكَ ما أَبرَزَ الدُنيا مِنَ العَدَم
"Intercede, through the love of Him whose beloved You are,
Without You, He would not have brought the world out of nothingness."
عَلَيكَ أَزكى صَلاةُ اللَهِ ما اِفتُتِحَت
أَدوارُ دَهر وَما وَلَّت بِمُختَتَمِ
Upon You are the most pure prayers of God, for as long as
Eras have commenced and ended in conclusion.
