تَذَكَّرَ أَيّامَ اللّوى فَبَكى وَجداً
وَفَرَّقَتِ الأَشواق مِن جَوفِه الكبدا
He recalled the days of passion, so he wept intensely,
And yearning had torn his inner self to pieces.
وَأَفرَطَ فيهِ الشّوق وَجداً وَلَوعةً
وَمِنهُ بِناءُ العمرِ وَالحيل قَد هُدّا
Passion, grief and anguish did overwhelm him,
And the pillars of his life and stratagems had collapsed.
وَقَد شابَ هدبُ العَينِ وَاِسوَدَّ دَمعُها
وَقَد كانَ مُبيَضّاً فَقَد صارَ مُسودّا
The eyelids had become white with age and its tears had turned black,
Though they were white before, now they had become dark.
وَمِنهُ لَقَد وَلّى وَماتَ شَبابُهُ
فَكَفَّنه مِن شيبِ لمّتِهِ بردا
From it his youth had declined and died,
So old age shrouded it in the garb of chillness.
وَقَد مَرَّ فيهِ ذِكرُ طيبةَ فَاِغتَدى
خَدين هِيام لا يَقِرُّ وَلا يَهدا
The memory of the dunes of Tibah made him lose control,
With cheeks of an obsessed lover who finds no rest or guidance.
يُكَتِّمُ مِن خَوفِ الشّماتَةِ وَجدَهُ
وَجالدَ حتّى صَيَّر الجلد الجِلدا
He concealed his passion fearing the gloating of enemies,
Until he made skin callous in place of skin.
وَمِن بَينِ أَحشاه حَريق صَبابَةٍ
يُهَيِّجهُ تِذكارهُ البان أَو نَجدا
And from his inner self there was a blazing ember of youth,
Stirred up by the memory of meadows or stone-carved idols.
إِذا نامَتِ السّمّارُ هوّم جالِساً
وَجافى لِفَرطِ الوَجدِ تَوسيدهُ الخدّا
When the night grew still he sat up sleepless,
Abstaining from pillowing his cheek due to the excess of grief.
وَكَيفَ يَنامُ اللّيلَ مَن كانَ هائِماً
وَقَد مَلأ التذكارُ أَعيُنَهُ سُهدا
How can one sleep at night when obsessed with love,
And reminiscence has filled his eyes with wakefulness?
بِحَيثُ مُقاساةُ التّولُّهِ وَالهَوى
أَضَرَّت بِهِ حَتّى تَجاوَزَتِ الحدّا
To the extent that suffering anguish and passion
Had harmed him until they had exceeded all limits.
فَأَصبَحَ مُلتَفَّ الضّلوعِ عَلى جَوى
يُذيبُ بَقايا الرّوحِ وَالنّفسَ الكدّا
So he became twisted of ribs due to the fire of love,
Melting away the remnants of soul and the most wretched self.
حَبيس هَوىً صَالَت عَلَيهِ يَدُ النّوى
وَقَد قنطتهُ أَن يُفكَّ وَأَن يُفدى
Imprisoned by an obsession upon which the hand of affection had been extended,
And by fate he had been made to despair of deliverance and emancipation.
رَمَت فيهِ عَن قَوسِ المَهالكِ فَاِرتَمى
وَأقعد لَم يَسطع لِأَحبابِهِ رَدَّا
It had aimed at him the bow of perdition so he fell down,
And made him sit down immobilized, unable to help his loved ones.
طَريح لَدى بَيروتَ سالَت جُروحُهُ
وَقَد جَعَلوا في طيبةٍ لَهمُ مَهدا
Lying wounded in Beirut, his injuries pouring forth,
While they had made for him in Tibah a final resting place.
بِماذا يرَجّى القربَ مَنْ ذاكَ حالُهُ
وَقَد أفعمَ التّقديرُ شِقّته بُعدا
With what can proximity be hoped for by one whose state is thus,
And the decree of destiny had distanced him with utmost separation?
إِذا اِستَعمَل الآمالَ في مَسلَكِ الرّجا
تَمدُّ عَوادي الدّهر مِن دونِهِ حدّا
If one employs hopes in the path of wishing,
The calamities of fate flow without end.
سَقَى اللَّه مِن عَيني ملثّ دُموعِها
مَعاهد لَم أَنقُض لِذِمّتها عَهدا
May Allah water from my eyes whose copious tears
Have flowed over covenants I have never violated.
بِحَيث صَبا نَجد سحيراً إِذا سَرى
يُقَبِّل في أَكنافِها الشّيحَ وَالرّندا
To the extent that passion roamed at night, kissing
In its folds the withered and forgotten tree.
وَطيبَ أَوانٍ كُنت أَجني بِهِ الصّفا
وَأَرشفُ مِن كَأسِ الأَماني بِهِ شَهدا
And the time when I enjoyed intimacy,
And sipped from the cup of hopes a sweet nectar.
مَضى فَذَكت نارُ الصّبابَةِ وَالجَوى
بِقَلبي كَأَنّي ما وَجدتُ لَه بَردا
It has passed, so the ember of youthful passion and anguish
Ignited in my heart as if I had never found solace.
لَكِ اللَّه يا ريحَ الحِجازِ إِذا سَرى
يُجدِّدُ في قَلبي لِنارِ الجَوى وَقدا
To you O breeze of the Hijaz when it blows,
Renewing in my heart the embers of anguish and kindling.
وَهَبَّ عَلى أَرجاءِ طيبَة موهناً
يُصافِحُ فيها النّورَ إِنْ بانَ وَاِمتَدّا
Bestow on the environs of Tibah, wherever you turn,
A radiance that spreads out continuously.
تحمَّل لِخَيرِ الخَلقِ أَفضَل مُرسَلٍ
مِنَ الوالِهِ المُشتاقِ أَشرف ما يُهدى
Convey to the best of creations, the most virtuous messenger,
From an ardent lover the most noble gift that can be presented.
نَبِيّ هوَ النّورُ الّذي مِنهُ كُوِّنت
وَأُوجِدتِ الأَكوان فَهوَ لَها المَبدا
A prophet who is the light from which
The cosmos was created, so he is the source of its existence.
وَكانَ نَبِيّاً قَبلَ أَن كانَ آدمٌ
وَآدمُ ما نالَ الوجودَ وَلا اِعتَدّا
He had been a prophet before Adam,
While Adam had not yet attained existence and power.
نَبيٌّ أَقَرَّ اللَّهُ ربّيَ نورَهُ
بِأَصلابِ آباءٍ تَسامَوْا بِهِ مَجدا
A prophet whom my Lord had decreed his light
In the loins of noble fathers who had attained glory through him.
وَخَير بُطونٍ مِن كرائِمَ طُهِّرَت
وَنالَت بِهِ العلياءَ وَاليمنَ وَالسّعدا
And the best of wombs purified,
Attaining through him sublime status, good fortune and bliss.
وَأَرحامُها ضَمّتهُ وَهيَ جَواهِرٌ
فَيا فَخرَها إِذ ضَمَّتِ الجَوهَرَ الفَردا
Their wombs had carried him while they were gems,
So what an honor for them when they carried that unique gem!
تَنَقّل مِن صلبٍ شَريفٍ لِمِثلِهِ
وَفي جَبهَةِ الآباءِ ربّي لَهُ أَبدى
He moved from one noble loin to another like it,
And my Lord eternally decreed for him in the ancestry of fathers.
إِلى أَن تَبَدّى لِلوجودِ وَأَزهَرَت
بِمَولِدِه الأَكوانُ وَاِمتَلأت رُشدا
Until he appeared into existence and the universes blossomed
With his birth and became filled with righteousness.
تَباشَرَتِ الأَملاكُ وَالأَرضُ وَالسّما
بِمَولِدِهِ وَالخلق طرّاً ولو أَعْدَا
The angels and the earth and the sky
Congratulated each other upon his birth, and even if they counted they could not enumerate.
وَقَد خَرَّتِ الأَصنامُ عَن بَيتِ رَبّنا
وَإِيوان كِسرى شُقَّ بَل بَعضُهُ هُدّا
The idols fell down from the House of our Lord
And the palace of Chosroes cracked, or even collapsed.
وَصَيَّرهُ شَمسَ النّبوّةَ ربّه
فَيا تعسَ أَعمى القَلبِ إِذ كانَ لَم يُهْدى
His Lord made him the sun of prophethood,
So shame on the blind of heart when he is not guided!
وَأَرسَلهُ الرّحمنُ لِلخَلقِ رَحمَةً
فَكَم نِقمَة عَنهم بِهِ اللَّه قَد رَدّا
And the Merciful sent him as a mercy for creations,
So how many deprivations did Allah repeal from them because of him!
وَأَيَّدهُ بِالمُعجِزاتِ وَبَعضها
لَقَد دامَ كَالقُرآنِ في الدّهرِ وَاِمتَدّا
And He supported him with miracles, some of which
Have endured over time like the Quran.
وَمِنها اِنشِقاقُ البدرِ نِصفَينِ في السّما
وَإِحياؤُهُ بِنتاً لَقَد هَلَكت وَأدا
Among them is the splitting of the moon into two halves in the sky,
And his bringing back to life a young girl who had perished.
وَفي كَفِّهِ البيضاءِ قَد سَبَّحَ الحَصا
وَمِنها لَهُ شَكوى البَعير وَقَد ندّا
And in his white palm pebbles glorified God,
And among them is the she-camel's complaining after it had been hamstrung.
وَحَنَّ عَلَيه الجِذعُ عِندَ فِراقهِ
فَواعَدَهُ يَحبوهُ في الجنَّة الخُلدا
And a tree trunk showed affection for him when he departed,
So he promised it would be delighted to see him in Paradise eternally.
وَجاءَت لَهُ الأَشجارُ ساجِدَةً وَقَد
تَمَشَّت تَقدُّ الأَرضَ في مَشيِها قَدّا
Trees came to him in prostration, walking
With their trunks lowered to the ground ahead of his walking.
نَبِيٌّ عَظيمُ القَدرِ لِلرّسلِ سَيِّد
وَسَمّاهُ مَولاهُ لِرفعِهِ عَبدا
A great prophet, the master of prophets,
And his Master named him His servant in order to elevate him.
وَفينا بِأَمرِ اللَّهِ قَد قامَ داعِياً
إِلى الحقِّ يَهدينا وَقَد بَذَل الجُهدا
And among us he stood up calling
By Allah's command to the truth, guiding us after having exerted great effort.
وَأَيَّد دينَ اللَّه قَطعاً بِحجَّةٍ
وَسَيفٍ يَقدّ الأَرضَ وَالحَجر الصّلدا
And he supported the religion of Allah decisively with proof
And with a sword that cuts across the earth and solid stone.
بِصَحبٍ هُمُ الآسادُ في كلِّ مَعركٍ
أَذلُّوا إِذا صالوا الضّياغِمَ وَالأُسْدا
With companions who are lions in every battle,
Subduing whenever they meet adversaries and predators.
وَباعوا بِهِ الأَرواحَ نَصراً لِدينِهِ
وَكانوا لَهُ جُنداً وَأَنعِمْ بِهِم جُندا
They sacrificed their souls in support of his religion,
And were soldiers for him; so excellent soldiers!
فَيا أَشرَفَ الرُّسلِ الكرامِ وَخَيرِهم
وَخاتمهم بَعثاً وَأَوَّلَهم مَبدا
O greatest of prophets, best and last of them in mission,
And most magnanimous, most excellent in ancestry.
وَأَكبرهم نَفساً وَأَسناهم ذُرى
وَأَرحمهم قَلباً وَأَرأَفهم كبدا
Most merciful in heart, most compassionate in disposition,
Most resolute, most generous in giving.
وَأَثبَتهم جَأشاً وَأَطوَلهم يداً
وَأَوسَعِهم حِلماً وَأَرفَعِهم مَجدا
Most patient, most exalted in glory,
Most knowledgeable of Allah, most God-fearing.
وَأَعرَفِهم بِاللَّه وَأَتقاهمُ لَهُ
وَأَخشاهُمُ مِنهُ وَأَكثرهم زُهدا
Most apprehensive of Him, most ascetic,
Greatest in intercession on the Day of Judgment.
وَأَعظَمِهم يَوم القِيامِ شَفاعَةٍ
فَأَنتَ شَفيعٌ سيّدي لَم تَنلِ الرَّدّا
You are my intercessor, my master, who will never be rejected,
So intercede for me on the Day of Congregation, for I have
فَكُن شافِعي يَومَ الزّحام فَإنَّ لي
ذُنوباً عِظاماً لا أُحيطُ بِها عدّا
Enormous sins that I cannot enumerate.
Worries have overwhelmed me, unbearable even for mountains,
دَهَتني هُمومٌ ما الجِبالُ تُطيقُها
وَلَو حُمِّلت بَعضاً لَأَوسَعَها هدّا
And if a portion were loaded on them, they would collapse.
A grave, terrible one has weighed me down,
وَأَثقَلَني مِنها فَظيعٌ وَهائِلٌ
لَقَد فَتَّت الأَحشاءَ وَالحيلَ قَد هدّا
Tearing my inner self to pieces and stratagems to bits.
In it my home has reached a state of ruination,
وَفيهِ دِياري لِلخرابِ مَآلُها
وَقَد شَمّت الأَضدادَ مَولايَ والأعدا
While adversaries have gloated over my master and foes.
And the enemy has therein a foothold, as has been said,
وَلِلضدِّ فيهِ مِثلما قيلَ مَدخَل
وَإِنّي لأَرجو اللَّه أَن يُهلِكَ الضِّدّا
Though I hope Allah will destroy the enemy.
Intercede, O beloved of Allah, pray to Him
تَشفّع حَبيب اللَّهِ بِاللَّه عِندهُ
أَغِثني أَغِثني إِنَّني كِدتُ أَن أَردى
Help me, help me! I am about to be vanquished.
You are the door to Allah, our entry is through you,
وَإِنّك بابُ اللَّهِ مِنهُ دُخولنا
وَحاشا يَنال الصدَّ مَن منهُ قَد عَدّى
Far from rejection is he who loves you and draws near to you.
There is no good except through you as intercessor to Him,
وَلا خَيرَ إِلّا أَنتَ واسِطة لَهُ
وَلَم يَكُ إِلّا فيكَ وَإِدراكُنا القَصدا
And we cannot attain the goal except through you.
In you, O best end to the opening, Hassan is reflected,
وَفيكَ اِبنُ فَتحِ اللَّهِ حسنُ خِتامِهِ
تَأمّله يا خَير مَن عُرفه أَسدى
So consider him, O best of those known for generosity!
May Allah send prayers and peace upon you every instant,
وَصَلّى عَليك اللَّه في كلِّ لَمحَةٍ
وَسَلَّم تَسليماً تَوالى ولا حدّا
In succession, without end.
For the duration of time, equal to all that exists,
مَدى الدّهر تِعدادَ الّذي هوَ كائِن
وَما كانَ أَو يَأتي وَأَضعافهُ عَدّا
And that which was or will come, even multiplied.
The same for your Family—all of them,
كَذاكَ عَلى الآلِ الكرامِ جَميعِهم
وَصَحبٍ غَدَوْا مثلَ النُّجومِ بِهِم نُهدى
And the companions who were guided by them, becoming stars.
For the duration of time, whenever south or north winds blow,
مَدى الدَّهرِ ما هَبَّت جنوبٌ وَشَمأَلٌ
وَما السُّحب قَد سَحَّتْ بِوابِلها حدّا
And clouds pour down with their rain, without end.
