إِنَّ رِجَالاً زَيَّنُوا الْحِلْيَهْ

حَلاَّهُمُ الزَّمَانُ بِالْحِلْيَهْ

Indeed, men who adorned themselves with virtues,

Indeed, there are men who adorned themselves with virtue's ornament,

Time adorned them with virtues.

Whom time itself embellished with the fairest decoration,

حِلْيَةِ يَاقُوتِ الرَّشَادِ وَنَا

هِيكَ بِهَا مِنْ حِلْيَةِ الْعِلْيَهْ

The virtues of the guidance of rubies and delight,

The ornament of the ruby of true guidance, and

These, how superior to the virtues of highness.

How sufficient it is as an adornment for the highest elite.

كَسَاهُمُ اللهُ لَبُوسَ هُدىً

لَمَّا الْتَقَى أَلْحَفَهُمْ زِيَّهْ

God clothed them in the garb of guidance,

God clothed them in the vestments of true guidance,

When the most splendid of appearances met them.

And when they met, He wrapped them in its pure attire.

وَمِنْ سُلاَفِ الْوُدِّ أَلْهَمَهُمْ

فَأَصْبَحُوا قَدْ أَخْمَدُوا رِيَّهْ

And from the benevolence of old, He inspired them,

From the choicest wine of divine love He inspired them,

Thus they extinguished all wickedness.

Until they fully quenched their spiritual thirst.

ناَهِيكَ مِنْ قَوْمٍ حَوَوْا شَرَفاً

إِذْ رَفَضُوا الدُّنْيَا كَمَا الزِّنْيَهْ

Not to mention a people who cherished nobility,

What an exceptional people, who gathered all honor,

When they spurned the worldly life like an adulteress.

Since they rejected the worldly life as one rejects grave sin.

وَسَلَّمُوا الأَمْرَ لِخَالِقِهِمْ

وَاتَّخَذُوا مَرْضَاتِهِ قِنْيَهْ

And they surrendered the command to their Creator,

They surrendered all their affairs to their Creator,

And took His pleasure as their treasure.

And took His divine pleasure as their greatest possession.

وَبَذَلُوا فِي الأَمْرِ طَاقَتَهُمْ

إِذْ فَاتَهُمْ أَنْ يَقْرَبُوا نُهْيَهْ

And they exerted in the matter their full strength,

They exerted their utmost effort in devotion,

When abstention from prohibitions eluded them.

As they utterly refrained from approaching His prohibitions.

غِذَاؤُهُمْ ذِكْرُ حَبِيبِهِمُ

وَرُبَّمَا قَامَتْ بِهِ الْبِنْيَهْ

Their nourishment was the remembrance of their Beloved,

Their sustenance is the remembrance of their Beloved,

And sometimes they would stand through the night with it.

By which alone their physical frames were often sustained.

سُبْحَانَ مَنْ سَقَاهُمُ كََرماً

مِنْ فَضْلِهِ مَا اسْتَعْذَبُوا سَقْيَهْ

Glory to Him who quenched their thirst with bounty,

Glory to Him who graciously gave them to drink,

With His favor, from which they drank the sweetest water.

From His bounty, a draught they found profoundly sweet.

سُبْحَانَ مَنْ بِالزُّهْدِ صَدَّهُمْ

عَنْ عَرَضِ الدُّنْيَا بِلاَ مِرْيَهْ

Glory to Him who, with asceticism, protected them

Glory to Him who through asceticism turned them away

From involvement with the life of this world without doubt.

From the fleeting goods of this world, without any doubt.

فَعَرَضُ الدُّنْيَا قَلَوْهُ وَفِي

زَخَارِفِ الأُخْرَى لَهُمْ غُنْيَهْ

So the life of this world is stingy, while in

They despised the transient offerings of this life, and in

The adornments of the Hereafter they have riches.

The splendors of the Hereafter they found their true wealth.

فَعَرَضُ الدُّنْيَا بِأَعْيُنِهِمْ

كَعَقْرَبٍ تَلْدَغُ أَوْ حَيَّهْ

Thus the life of this world is in their eyes

For the fleeting goods of this world appeared in their eyes

Like a scorpion that stings, or a snake.

Like a stinging scorpion or a venomous snake.

خُطُورُهُ وَقْتاً بِبَالِهِمُ

مُسْتَوْجِبٌ فِي عُرْفِهِ فِدْيَهْ

The idea of it worries their minds at times

Even a momentary thought of it crossing their minds

Deserving, in their view, ransom.

Required an expiation, according to their spiritual way.

حِنَّ إِلَى أَطْلاَلِ حُبِّهِمُ

حَنِينَ غَيْلاَنٍ إِلَى مَيَّهْ

They yearn for the ruins of their Beloved’s love

Yearn deeply for the remaining traces of their love,

With a yearning like that of a gazelle for water.

Like the passionate yearning of Ghaylan for his beloved Mayya.

فَمَنْ يَحُمْ حَوْلَ مَحَبَّتِهِمْ

يَنَالُ مِنْ طَعْمِ الرَّدَى حِمْيَهْ

So whoever guards against their love

For whoever circles around the sanctuary of their love,

Attains from the taste of bliss a protection.

Will gain a shield of protection from the taste of ruin.

سَلْ بِهِمُ الرَّحْمَانَ تَقْطِفُ مِنْ

رَحْمَتِهِ الآمَالَ وَالْبُِغْيَهْ

Ask Allah, through their status, to pluck

Beseech the Merciful through their grace, and you shall pluck from

Hopes and desires from His mercy.

His boundless mercy your deepest hopes and desires.

وَاطْلُبْ رِضَا اللهِ بِجَاهِهِمْ

تَحْظَ بِهِمْ إِنْ كُنْتَ ذَا نِيَّهْ

And seek Allah’s pleasure through their rank,

Seek the pleasure of God through their exalted rank,

If you have the intention, you will gain through them.

And you will win their favor if your intention is pure.

مَنْ سَأَلَ اللهَ بِجَاهِهِمُ

تُقَبَّلَ اللهُ بِهِمْ سَعْيَهْ

Whoever asks Allah through their status,

Whoever petitions God by their noble standing,

Allah will accept through them his effort.

God will surely accept his effort through their grace.

إِنَّ سُؤَالاً بِجَلاَلَتِهِمْ

يَحُولُ بَيْنَ الْقَطْعِ وَالْمُدْيَهْ

Verily, asking through their majesty

Indeed, an entreaty made by their majesty

Turns away total destruction and fines.

Stands as a shield between the severing and the blade.

إِنَّ سُؤَالاً بِمَكَانَتِهِمْ

يَكُونُ مِنْ كُلِّ أَسىً رًقْيَهْ

And asking through their station

Indeed, an entreaty made by their high station

Becomes a relief for every grief.

Serves as an incantation against every kind of sorrow.

وَاسْمَعْ أَحَادِيثَ كَرَامَتِهِمْ

مَرْوِيَّةً عَمَّنْ لَهُ دِرْيَهْ

And listen to accounts of their miracles

Listen closely to the tales of their miraculous grace,

Transmitted from those who have knowledge.

Transmitted by those possessed of profound knowledge.

إِنَّ سَمَاعاً لِمَفَاخِرِهِمْ

يَكْسُو قُلُوباً قَدْ قَسَتْ خِشْيَهْ

Verily, hearing of their virtues

Indeed, listening to the accounts of their glories

Dresses hearts that have hardened in reverence.

Drapes hearts that have grown hard in a mantle of awe.

إِنَّ سَمَاعاً لِمَنَاقِبِهِمْ

يَصِيرُ الْمَنْكُوبُ ذَا نَشْيَهْ

Verily, hearing of their outstanding qualities

Indeed, listening to the recitals of their virtues

Uplifts the stricken with ambition.

Transforms the deeply afflicted into one intoxicated with joy.

إِنَّ الْتِذَاذاً بِحَدِيثِهِمُ

وَحَقِّهِمْ مِنْ أَشْرَفِ الْمُنْيَهْ

Verily, delighting in their narrations

Indeed, finding pure delight in their discourse,

And rights is among the finest of wishes.

I swear by their right, is among the noblest of desires.

بِجَاهِهِمْ رَبِّي لَدَيْكَ وَمَنْ

طَوَّقَهُمْ إِذْ شِئْتَهُمْ حِلْيَهْ

Through their status, my Lord, to You

By their rank with You, my Lord, and by the one who

And whoever adorned them when You willed their adornment.

Crowned them, when You desired them to be an ornament—

نَبِيِّنَا خَيْرِ الْوَرَى مَنْ أَتَى

إِلَيْهِ جِبْرِيلٌ كَمَا دِحْيَهْ

Our Prophet, best of creation, came to whom

Our Prophet, the best of all creation, to whom

Gabriel came, as feathers to birds.

Gabriel came appearing in the form of Dihyah,

أَزْكَى صَلاَةٍ مِنْكَ دَائِمَةٍ

عَلَيْهِ مَا أَهْدَى لَنَا هَدْيَهْ

The most virtuous prayer from You is constant

Grant the purest, everlasting blessings from Yourself

Upon him—as long as You guide us.

Upon him, as long as his guidance continues to lead us.

جَازَ الذِي أَبْدَى شَمَائِلَهُمْ

بِجَنَّةِ الْفِرْدَوْسِ فِي حِلْيَهْ

He who expressed their attributes

Reward the one who brought their noble traits to light,

Passed into the Gardens of Al-Firdaws in adornment.

With the highest Paradise of Firdaws, adorned in splendor:

أَبُو نُعَيْمٍ مَنْ سَمَا وَعَلاَ

أَبُو نُعَيْمٍ نَاعِمُ النِّيَّهْ

Abu Nu`aym—one who reached lofty heights,

Abu Nu'aym, the one who ascended and was exalted,

Abu Nu`aym—serene in intention.

Abu Nu'aym, the master of pure and sincere intent,

أَبُو نُعَيْمٍ مَنْ غَدَا حَسَناً

مُذْ حَسَّنَ اللهُ بِهِمْ وَشْيَهْ

Abu Nu`aym—one who became virtuous

Abu Nu'aym, whose state became beautiful,

Since Allah beautified him through them.

Since God beautified his literary tapestry through them.

أَبُو نُعَيْمٍ مَنْ حَوَى شَرَفاً

نَعَّمَهُ الرَّحْمَانُ بِالرُّؤْيَهْ

Abu Nu`aym—one in whom nobility resides,

Abu Nu'aym, who gathered immense honor,

Blessed by the Merciful with vision.

May the Merciful bless him with the ultimate Vision.

وَاغْفِرْ لَنَا اللَّهُمَّ خَالِقَنَا

مَا قَدْ جَنَاهُ الْبَغْيُ وَالْفِرْيَهْ

And forgive us, O Allah, Creator ours,

And forgive us, O God, our Creator,

What wrongdoing and sin we have committed openly or in secret.

The sins committed through transgression and falsehood,

وَمَا اَقْتَرَفْنَا بِبَطَالتَنِاَ

وَلَهْوِنَا بِالْجَهْرِ وَالْخُفْيَهْ

And aid the Commander of the Faithful against

And whatever we have perpetrated in our idleness,

Those who intend to oppress them in transgression.

And our vain amusements, both in public and in secret.

وَانْصُرْ أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ عَلَى

مَنْ رَامَ أَنْ يُوسِعَهُمْ بَغْيَهْ

And let endure, O Lord, his excellent qualities,

And grant victory to the Commander of the Faithful over

For they are the essence of guidance and purity.

Whoever desires to engulf them in oppression.

وَأَدِمِ اللَّهُ مَحَاسِنَهُ

إِذْ هِيَ مِنْ رَأْسِ الْهُدَى نِقْيَهْ

And protect him, O Lord, with every beauty,

And may God perpetuate his excellent virtues,

And quench his thirst from the Basin of Abundance.

For they are pure extracts from the very fountain of guidance.

وَاحْفُفْهُ يَارَبِّ بِكُلِّ سَنىً

وَاسْقِهِ مِنْ حَوْضِ الْمُنَى أَرْيَهْ

And grant success, O Allah, to his advisors,

And surround him, O Lord, with every brilliant light,

And guide, our Lord, his opinion.

And quench his thirst with honey from the basin of true desires.

وَوَفِّقِ اللَّهُ بِطَانَتَهُ

وَسَدِّدَنْ يَا رَبَّنَا رَأْيَهْ

And reform the nobility, our masters,

And may God grant success to his close advisors,

For in their guidance we have need.

And always make his judgment sound, O our Lord.

وَأَصْلِحِ الأَشْرَافَ سَادَتَنَا

إِنَّ لَنَا فِِي رُشْدِهِمْ بِغْيَهْ

And inspire in them, O Allah, resolves

And rectify the affairs of the noble descendants, our masters,

As beauty is inspired in gazelles.

For in their righteousness lies our deepest aspiration.

وَأَسْنِدِ اللهُ لَهَمْ هِمَماً

مَا أُسْنِدَ الْحُسْنُ إِلَى الظَّبْيَهْ

And the reciter of this ode in melody

And may God support them with lofty resolutions,

That removes hardness from a closed heart.

As surely as beauty is attributed to the graceful gazelle.

وَقَارِئِ الْحِلْيَةِ ذَا نَغَمٍ

تُزِيلُ عَنْ قَلْبِ صَدٍ غَيَّهْ

And the composer of poetry on their glory—

And the reciter of the Hilyah, whose melodious voice

Reform them both, and the family and children.

Removes the rust of error from a darkened heart,

وَرَاقِمِ الشِّعْرِ بِمَجْدِهِمُ

أَصْلِحْهُمَا وَالأَهْلَ وَالصِّبْيَهْ

Whoever protects the Muslims from harm,

And the poet who inscribes verses in their glory—

Then shorten for him, our Lord, protection.

Rectify them both, along with their families and children.

وَمَنْ حَمَى لِلْمُسْلِمِينَ أَسىً

فَاقْصُرْ عَلَيْهِ رَبَّنَا حِمْيَهْ

And whoever is rotten from their hatred and transgressed,

And whoever shields the Muslims from affliction,

Clothe him, O Lord of Highness, in a shroud.

Envelop him entirely, our Lord, in Your protection.

وَمَنْ غَثَى مِنْ حِقْدِهِمْ وَغَلاَ

طَوِّقْهُ يَا رَبَّ الْعُلاَ غَثْيَهْ

And make the harm of the harmful with his foolishness rebound upon him,

And whoever sickens with hatred toward them and goes to extremes,

And water him from Your might with the worst of drinks.

Collar him, O Lord of High Exaltation, with his own sickening malice.

وَاجْعَلْ أَذَى الْمُؤْذِي بِلَبَّتِهِ

وَسَقِّهِ مِنْ بَأْسِهِ شَرْيَهْ

By the status of the sun of creation, our master

And turn the harm of the abuser back into his own throat,

Muhammad, most pure of creation in prohibition.

And make him drink the bitter colocynth of his own cruelty.

بِجَاهِ شَمْسِ الْخَلْقِ سَيِّدِنَا

مُحَمَّدٍ أَزْكَى الْوَرَى نَهْيَهْ

May Allah send blessings upon him as long as

By the rank of the sun of creation, our master,

Tears of reverence flow from peoples' eyes.

Muhammad, the purest of all humanity in intellect.

صَلَّى عَلَيْهِ اللهُ مَا هَطَلَتْ

دُمُوعُ أَقْوَامٍ مِنَ الْخِشْيَهْ

And upon his Family, Companions, and those who follow them,

May God bless him as long as there pour down

And whoever is contained in books of virtues.

The tears of people weeping in divine awe,

وَالآلِ وِالصِّحْبِ وَتَابِعِهِمْ

وَمَنْ حَوَتْهُ كُتُبُ الْحِلْيَهْ

And upon his family, his companions, and their followers,

And everyone whose name is preserved within the books of the Hilyah.