سَلاَمٌ مُخْجِلٌ عَرَفَ الْغَوَالِي

عَلَى حَسَنِ الْمَنَاقِبِ وَالْخِلاَلِ

A shameful greeting knew the deep nights,

A humble greeting bearing the scent of precious perfumes,

Of the virtues and faults of the Prince of the Knowers,

Upon the one of beautiful virtues and noble traits,

أَمِيرِ الْعَارِفِينَ أَبِي عَلِيٍّ

مَنَارِ الرُّشْدِ نِبْرَاسِ الْجَلاَلِ

My master Abu Ali,

The prince of the gnostics, Abu Ali,

The minaret of righteousness, the torch of glory.

The beacon of true guidance, the lantern of majesty.

رِجَالُ الْوَقْتِ يَا مَوْلاَيَ مِنْكُمْ

بِمَنْزِلَةِ العِيالِ منَ الرِّجالِ

O my Master, the people of this age are to you,

The men of this era, O my master, in relation to you,

Like children to men.

Are but mere dependents compared to true men.

أَلا إِنَّ ابْنَ زَاكورٍ دَهاهُ

فِراقُ ذُراكُمْ مَغْنَى الْمَعالِي

Indeed the son of Zakour, his separation from you,

Truly, Ibn Zakour has been stricken by

Deprived splendor of its loftiness.

Parting from your summits, the abode of high virtues.

وَبُعْدٌ إِثْرَ قُرْبٍ هَاجَ وَجْدِي

فَما أَشْجَى النَّوَى عَقِبَ الوِصَالِ

And distance after nearness perturbed my passion,

And distance after closeness has stirred my passionate longing,

So how agonizing is the farewell after union!

For how sorrowful is separation following union!

تَعَفَّنَ مِنْ وَدَاعِكَ خِلْطُ صَبْرِي

فَحُمَّ الْبَالُ مِنْ فَرْطِ الْخَبَالِ

My patience was corrupted from bidding you farewell,

The humor of my patience has festered from your farewell,

So calamity broke out from excessive confusion.

And my mind grew feverish from excessive affliction.

فَأَعْوَزَنِي الْمَسيرُ غَدَاةَ يَوْمِي

رَجَاءَ الْبُرْءِ مِنْكَ مِنَ اعْتِلالِ

My journey the next morning incapacitated me,

Thus the journey eluded me this morning,

With hope of recovering from illness through you.

Hoping for a cure from you for my illness.

وَفِي غَدِنَا أَسِيرُ بِلاَ وَادَاعٍ

فِرَاراً مِنْ ثُمَالِهِ يَا ثِمَالِي

And tomorrow I will depart without a farewell,

And tomorrow I shall depart without saying farewell,

Fleeing from its agony, O my agony!

Fleeing from the bitter dregs of parting, O my sanctuary.

وَلَوْ نُعْطَى الْخِيَارَ لَمَا افْتَرَقْنَا

وَلَكِنْ لاَ خِيَارَ مَعَ اللَّيَالِي

If we were given the choice, we would not have parted,

Had we been given the choice, we would never have parted,

But there is no choice with the nights.

But there is no choice to be had against the passing nights.

عَلَيْكَ قَضِيَّةُ الإِحْسَانِ تُتْلَى

إِلَى يَوْمِ انْفِصَالٍ بِاتِّصَالِ

Upon you is recounted the case of benevolence,

Upon you, the narrative of benevolence shall be recited,

Until the day of everlasting connection and separation.

Until the day our separation is joined by reunion.