حادي الركب لا تحث المطيا

فكفاها شوق يسوق البطيا

O guide of the caravan, do not hasten the camel,

For longing itself drives the slow camel.

خلها تمتطي الحزون وغدها

بعدها بالحمي مهادا وطيا

Let it ride the saddened one, and tomorrow

After it, the sands will be a bed and a wrap.

لا تزدها على جوادها ودعها

الآن تهوي بين الوهاد هويا

Do not give it more than its ability, leave it be

Now it wanders between the valleys plummeting.

أن بين الضلوع منها إلى الردى

بعين الزرقاء داء دويا

For in its ribs to the land of ruin

Is an illness that rumbles like blue eyes.

ضمر مكالفقسي ترمي بشعث

فوقها كالسهام مرمى قضيا

It has malicious determination, throwing its dishevelled hair

Over it like arrows with intended targets.

بلبلتهم كأس السرى فتنثنوا

نشوة ما سقوا بها البابليا

Their nightingales drank from the cup of the Pleiades, so they leaned

In ecstasy like none have made the Babylonians lean.

نشروا ذكر من أتوه وأضغت

فأعادت ثوب الفلا مطويا

They spread the name of their visitors and listened closely

So it brought back the robe of virtue folded up.

وتغنوا به فأغنى سراها

عن براها زمامها المرخيا

And they sang of it, so it made its secret wealth

Needless of any clear proof, releasing its tied reins.

حسبها من ظما تكابد في الفقر

غدا رؤية المنازل ريا

It is enough for it to endure poverty in verse

Tomorrow, seeing the dwellings will be a pasture.

ومناخاً رحباً وظلاً ظليلاً

ونباتاً رطباً وماء رويا

And a vast meadow, shaded shade

And moist plants and plentiful water.

ثم رقتهم جسيماًإذا ما

بلغت ركبي مطاها النبيا

Then when my caravan reaches

Its furthest destination, they softened.

ثم رقتهم إلى الحرم الزاهي

من حله مكانا عليا

Then they softened to the brilliant sanctuary

That He made an exalted, towering place.

وخلاها ذم فقد أرضت القوم

وأوفوا بها المكان الرضيا

And they left it with dispraise, for it pleased the people

And they fulfilled it with the satisfactory place.

حرم ضم ذلك المصطفى الهادي

البشير المطهر الهاشميا

A sanctuary that enveloped that guiding Prophet

The bearer of good news, the cleanser, the Hashimite

حيث تلقى مهابط الوحي فيه

بجتلى وفده سناها المضيا

Where the descents of revelation upon him were received

Openly, and the passage of his years, gone.

حرم كان جبرائيل بوحي الله

يأتيه بكرة وعشيا

A sanctuary where Gabriel brought him God's revelation

Morning and evening.

حرم حل فيه أعلى البرايا

شرفاً شامخاً واصلاً زكيا

A sanctuary where the highest of creations dwelled

With towering nobility and ancestry most pure.

رحمة الله في الوجود على الخلقق

هداهم بها الصراط السويا

God's mercy upon people in existence

Guided them with it to the straight path.

فاستجاب الذي براه سعنيا

وتولي الذي قضاة

So he who saw him as innocent responded

And turned to Him who judges.

فغدا من أطاعه وأتاه

راضياً عند ربه مرضيا

Thus tomorrow, he who obeyed and came to Him

Will be content with his Lord, pleasing.

وهوي من عصاه في درك

النار وكانوا بها أحق بريا

And he who disobeyed Him plummets

Into the heat of Hell, and they were most deserving of it.

ما أفادت قربة أبي لهب

شيئاً وتبت يداه عبداً عصيا

No benefit did the devotion of Abee Lahab bring

Anything, and his hands perished, disobedient.

وأفادت عناية الخالق الرومي

والفارسي والحبشيا

But the care of the Creator benefited

The Romans, the Persians and the Ethiopians.

صاحب المعجزات يشبه أخفا

خها لرائيه كوكباً دريا

The owner of miracles resembles his brother

To the beholder, like a brilliant star.

خاتم الرسل كان آدم طيناً

في ابتداء خلقه وكان نبيا

The seal of the messengers was Adam, clay

In the beginning of his creation, and was a prophet.

خصه الله بالكمال فاندى الخلق

طراً يداً وأفضى نديا

God endowed him with perfection, so humanity shone

Aloof, handed and most generous.

واصطفاه على البرايا وآتا

ه كتاباً مطهراً عربيا

And He chose him over all of creation and gave him

A book made pure, in Arabic.

حسبه رفعة سراه إلى الأقصى

ومنه أم السماء رقيا

It is enough for him, the loftiness of his ascent to the Farthest

And from it, the Sky's Mother climbed high.

وكفاه عموم دعوته للخلق

فرقاً في المعجزات جليا

And enough for him, the comprehensiveness of his call to creation

Evident, distinguished in miracles.

وأجلت له الغنائم والله

تولي فيهن قسماً سويا

And gains were made legitimate for him, and God

Assumed for him in them an equal distribution.

وغدت مسجد له الأرض والترب

طهوراً أن عزماء وفيا

And the earth and soil became a mosque for him

Purified, if resolved and loyal.

وحباه مع اللواء مقام المسجد

في بعثه وحوضاً رويا

And granted him, along with the banner, the station of the mosque

In his mission, and a pond from which to drink.

وعموماً من الشفاعة لم يبين

من المسلمين خلقاً شقيا

And comprehensive intercession for whom he did not make

Of the Muslims, a single wretched being.

ليت شعري هل لي إليه معاد

فلعي أجلو الفؤاد العديا

I wish I knew, is there for me a return to Him

So I meet Him, elating my longing heart?

ولعلي أنضو ثياب هوى النفس

وألقى الإله منها عربا

And perhaps I shed the garb of the soul's passions

And meet my God stripped bare.

وأن الحظ أيقظه يد التوفيق

لم أنو عن حماه مضيا

And that fate awakened him, the hand of accord

Had I not turned away from His sanctuary.

وأنادي طرفي تمتعلدي القرب

بدار قضيت عنها مليا

And I call my eyes, enjoy the nearness

Of a home from which I have been long absent.

هذه نعمة أتتك وقد كنت

فقيرا لها فعدت غنيا

This is a blessing that came to you when

You were poor for it, and so you became rich.

وأهنى النفس التي أصبح الدهر

بها بعد طول حتف حفيا

And it comforted the soul which the days

Made die at long last an easy death.

هذه بغيتي فإن مت من قبل

فكم مغرم قضي مقضيا

This is my purpose - so if I die beforehand

Then how many ardently in love have met their fate.

فعليه السلام ما قدح الصبح

بجنح الدجا زناداً وريا

So upon him be peace for as long as the dawn

Stirs the wings of night with a burning wick.

وصلاة الإله تسرى عليه

ما تنثني القضيب ليناً وريا

And may God's prayers flow upon him

As long as the pliant rod bends gently and willingly.