ما بين جفني والأحبة برزخُ
سِنةُ الكرى فكأن ذلك فَرسَخُ
Between my eyelids and my loved ones is a barzakh
The years of sorrow are like a faraskh
لو حزته لحظيت منه بمقلةٍ
حوراء تخلِسُ لحظهن وتسلخ
If I could glimpse it, I would see a houri
A maiden freeing her glance and uncovering
يا قلب ثق إن الحبيب مخيَّرٌ
سكناه عندك وهو نحوك يصرخ
O heart, trust that the Beloved has chosen
To dwell in you and He cries out for you
مولىً نأى عن عرش سدّة ملكه
متنزّلاً ولعهده لا يَفسخ
A Lord has come down from the throne of His kingdom
Condescending, His covenant will not be broken
قد جاءنا في فترةٍ من كفرنا
والعقل ساهٍ والعداة توبِّخ
He came to us in an age of our disbelief
Reason confused, transgressors rebuked
وهو الإله المرتضَى والمرتجى
وابن الإله تواضعاً لا يشمخ
He is the chosen and hoped-for God
And the humble Son of God does not lord it over others
هذا يسوع ابن العليِّ وعزمه
قد قدَّ أعداه برمحٍ يَشدخ
This is Jesus the son of the Most High, whose resolve
Has armed him with a piercing lance
قد مدَّ من فوق الصليب يمينه
وشمالُه بدمائه متلطِّخ
He stretched out his right hand from atop the cross
His left hand stained with his blood
حتى إذا قَتل العداةَ بقلته
ولجنبه بالسمهرية يَزلَخ
Until, when he killed the transgressors with his agony
And his side was pierced with the spear
قد ضمه الجدث الحديث بأمره
ولكل فعلٍ غايةٌ لا تُفسَخ
The new tomb embraced him by his command
For everything an end that cannot be undone
وبثالث الأيام قام بفعله
وبحكمه من غير قرنٍ ينفخ
On the third day he rose by his own power
And by his judgment without a trumpet sounding
متأيداً متسلطاً ومظفّراً
بعدوه فهو الهزبر الأشدخ
Victorious, dominant, and triumphing
Over his enemy, he is the firmest conqueror
قد حط عن مرأى محياه الثرى
والشمس تَخنِسُ من ضياه وتُنسَخ
He descended from the sight of the soil of life
And the sun hides from his brilliance and is unmade
والكون أشرق يوم مغرب قبره
فاعجب لغربٍ صار شرقاً يَنضخ
The universe shone on the eve of his tomb
Marvel at an occident that became a brilliant orient
نُجُبُ البشارة قد تراءت غارةً
تدعو وآدمُ بالبلاء موسَّخ
The bringers of good tidings appeared suddenly
Calling, and Adam soiled by tribulation
فارتاع آدم من بشارته التي
ما ظنها إذ بُحَّ مما يصرخ
Adam startled at the tidings they brought
Which he did not expect when they cried out
فدعا بنيه الأنبيا والأوليا
لبشارةٍ منها نهاه يَزمَخ
He called his sons, the prophephets and the saints
For tidings that stirred him to his core
شمس الهدى بزغت عليهم بغتةً
في بقعةٍ كانت لديهم تَزنَخ
The sun of guidance rose upon them unexpectedly
In a place that had been dark to them
فاللَه ربٌّ واحدٌ في ذاته
وبطبعه وله الخلائق تَرضخ
God is one Lord in His essence
And in His nature, and creatures bow down before Him
آبٌ وإبنٌ روح قدسٍ منهما
أقنومُه يرضاه من لا يَشمخ
Father, Son, Holy Spirit from them both
His hypostasis pleasing to those who do not rebel
فالإبن وافى منقذاً من مريمٍ
فخلاصنا منها يروق ويُطْبَخ
The Son fulfilled as savior from Mary
So our salvation from her is pleasing and well-prepared
من ضاقت السبع السموات العلا
عنه ومريم فيه أرضٌ سَربَخ
The highest heavens were too narrow for Him
Yet Mary's womb was a spacious earth
أضحت به حُبلى بسرٍّ مُعجزٍ
بين الأنام وعرضُها لا يُلطَخ
She became pregnant with Him by a wondrous mystery
Among mankind, her honor unstained
فاعجب لنارٍ ضمَّها عُلَّيقَةٌ
لم تحترق وغصونها لا تُفضَخ
Marvel at a fire held by a palm branch
That did not burn and its branches are unharmed
فاللَه نارٌ حل في أحشائها
وختومُها تبقى ولا تتوسَّخ
For God is a fire that dwelt in her womb
And her seal remains unmoved and undefiled
فلذاك خُصَّت بالمديح وإنما
بمديحها الشيطان حقّاً يُمسَخ
Therefore she is distinguished with praise
Surely by her praise Satan is utterly disgraced
من كان يلهو بالملاهي راغباً
عن مدحها فهو الأصم الأصلخ
Whoever plays with diversions, desiring them
Instead of praising her is deaf and wretched
حبي لها يُهدي معاني وصفها
ويصوغها فالمدح عندي البرزخ
My love for her inspires the meanings describing her
And casts them into verse, for praising her is the barzakh for me
