سِر حَلَّ حَيثُ تَحَلُّهُ النُوّارُ

وَأَرادَ فيكَ مُرادَكَ المِقدارُ

The secret unfolds where the lights illuminate,

Travel, and may blossoms settle wherever you alight,

And the Divine Decree intended for you its intent.

And may Destiny decree for you exactly what you desire.

وَإِذا اِرتَحَلتَ فَشَيَّعَتكَ سَلامَةٌ

حَيثُ اِتَّجَهتَ وَديمَةٌ مِدرارُ

And when you travel, salutations bid you farewell,

And when you depart, may safety be your escort,

Wherever you turn, and blessings flow plentiful.

Wherever you turn, attended by a pouring cloud.

وَأَراكَ دَهرُكَ ما تُحاوِلُ في العِدى

حَتّى كَأَنَّ صُروفَهُ أَنصارُ

And time shows you what you attempt against foes,

May Time show you the fate you seek for your foes,

As if its turns were your helpers and allies.

Until it seems its very shifts are your allies.

وَصَدَرتَ أَغنَمَ صادِرٍ عَن مَورِدٍ

مَرفوعَةً لِقُدومِكَ الأَبصارُ

You rode forth the finest steeds from an abundant spring,

May you return from the spring with the richest spoils,

With sights raised awaiting your arrival afar.

With all eyes raised high to watch for your coming.

أَنتَ الَّذي بَجِحَ الزَمانُ بِذِكرِهِ

وَتَزَيَّنَت بِحَديثِهِ الأَسمارُ

You, whom time boasts of in its chronicles,

You are he whom Time exults to mention,

And its annals are adorned with your tales.

And with whose tales the nightly gatherings are adorned.

وَإِذا تَنَكَّرَ فَالفَناءُ عِقابُهُ

وَإِذا عَفا فَعَطائُهُ الأَعمارُ

If it denies, its requital is demise,

If he turns hostile, annihilation is his punishment;

If it pardons, its gifts are lifetimes.

And if he pardons, his gift is life itself.

وَلَهُ وَإِن وَهَبَ المُلوكُ مَواهِبٌ

دَرُّ المُلوكِ لِدَرِّها أَغبارُ

Though kings may grant you their bounties,

He possesses gifts—though kings may give freely—

The kings' pearls are but dust to your jewels.

Beside whose flow the bounty of kings is mere dust.

لِلَّهِ قَلبُكَ ما يَخافُ مِنَ الرَدى

وَيَخافُ أَن يَدنو إِلَيكَ العارُ

Your heart fears no harm from fate,

To God belongs your heart, holding no fear of death,

But fears disgrace may draw near you.

Yet fearing that dishonor might draw near you.

وَتَحيدُ عَن طَبَعِ الخَلائِقِ كُلِّهِ

وَيَحيدُ عَنكَ الجَحفَلُ الجَرّارُ

You differ from all creations' nature,

You stand apart from the nature of all creation,

As titans differ from you, submissive in your presence.

Just as the vast army swerves from your path.

يا مَن يَعِزُّ عَلى الأَعِزَّةِ جارُهُ

وَيَذِلُّ مِن سَطَواتِهِ الجَبّارُ

O you who brings low the arrogant neighbor,

O you whose neighbor is honored above the mighty,

And humiliates the tyranny of the unjust ruler.

And by whose assaults the tyrant is brought low.

كُن حَيثُ شِئتَ فَما تَحولُ تَنوفَةٌ

دونَ اللِقاءِ وَلا يَشِطُّ مَزارُ

Wherever you may be, no far distance

Be where you wish, for no desert waste can intervene

Can hinder the meeting, no shrine is too far.

To bar our meeting, nor is any distance too far.

وَبِدونِ ما أَنا مِن وِدادِكَ مُضمِرٌ

يُنضى المَطِيُّ وَيَقرُبُ المُستارُ

Without what I secretly harbor of love for you,

Even with less than the love I harbor for you,

The camel is saddled and the veil lifted.

The mounts are worn lean, and the distant goal draws near.

إِنَّ الَّذي خَلَّفتُ خَلفي ضائِعٌ

مالي عَلى قَلَقي إِلَيهِ خِيارُ

What I left behind me is lost,

Truly, those I left behind are lost and wasting,

I have no preference over my anxiety for it.

And in my anxiety for them, I have no choice.

وَإِذا صُحِبتَ فَكُلُّ ماءٍ مَشرَبٌ

لَولا العِيالُ وَكُلُّ أَرضٍ دارُ

And when you are present, then every water is potable,

When in your company, every water is sweet to drink,

And every land is home, were it not for dependents.

Were it not for my kin, and every land a home.

إِذنُ الأَميرِ بِأَن أَعودَ إِلَيهِمِ

صِلَةٌ تَسيرُ بِشُكرِها الأَشعارُ

The Emir granted me to return to them -

The Prince’s leave for me to return to them

A bond sailing on the winds of verse.

Is a favor whose thanks the poems shall carry forth.