عَلِّلُونِي بِالْوَصْلِ قَبْلَ الْمَمَاتِ

وَبِذِكِْر أَيَّامِنَا السَّالِفَاتِ

Justify me with connection before death,

Soothe me with union before death takes me,

And with the remembrance of our past days,

And with the memory of our bygone days,

إذْ ضَرَبْنا لِلأُنْسِ أيامَ لَهْوٍ

بَينَ تِلكَ الريَاضِ والْجنَّاتِ

When we spent leisurely days of intimacy,

When we set aside days of amusement for sweet intimacy,

Between those gardens and orchards.

Amidst those verdant meadows and gardens;

إِنَّ فِي ذِكْرِها التِذاذاً لِمَنْ أَمْ

سَى حَليفَ الأَشْواقِ وَالزَّفَراتِ

Remembering them is pleasurable for one who forgot,

For in their remembrance lies a sweet delight for one who

The intimate of yearnings and sighs.

Has become an ally of profound yearnings and deep sighs.

يَا رَعَى اللهُ لَيْلَ وَصْلِ سَحَبْنَا

فيهِ ذَيْلَ السرورِ واللَّذَّاتِ

O God protect the night of our union,

May God protect that night of union when we trailed

When we drew out the tail of bliss and pleasures,

The hem of our garments in joy and sweet delights,

مَعْ فَتَاةٍ كَأنَّها الشَّمْسُ حُسْناً

ذَاتِ دَلٍّ فَيَا لَهَا مِنْ فَتَاةِ

With a maiden as beautiful as the sun,

With a maiden whose beauty rivaled the radiant sun,

With a languishing glance - what a maiden!

Possessing such coquetry—oh, what a wondrous maiden!

بَيْنَ أَدْوَاحِ رَوْضَةٍ رَاضَهَا ال

لَّهُ بِسَحِّ السَّحائِبِ الْهَاطِلاتِ

Between the shelters of a garden its Lord watered,

Amidst the grand trees of a meadow nurtured by

With pouring rainclouds.

God with the pouring of heavy, rain-bearing clouds.

أَرَّجَ الْمُزْنُ نَوْرَهَا فَأَتَانَا ال

رِّيحُ مِنْهُ بِأَعْطَرِ النَّسَمَاتِ

The jasmine diffused its light so the breeze brought us,

The rain clouds perfumed its blossoms, and so the

The most fragrant scent from it.

Wind brought us from it the most fragrant of breezes.

هَتَفَتْ وُرْقُهَا بِأَفْنانِِها الْمُلْ

دِ النَّشَاوَى فَأَشْبَهَتْ قَيْنَاتِ

Its leaves called out with their bending branches,

Its doves cooed upon its tender and supple

Resembling singing slave-girls.

Branches, intoxicated, resembling singing girls.

غَرَّدَتْ عَرْبَدَتْ عليْهَا وَهَبَّتْ

تَسْتَميلُ القُلوبَ بِالنَّغَمَاتِ

The turtle-doves cooed, warbled over it and fluttered,

They sang, reveled upon them, and rose,

Trying to captivate hearts with melodies.

Swaying hearts with their enchanting melodies.

بَاتَ يَحْدُو بِنَا الْحُبُورُ وَبِتْنَا

نَتَعَاطَى لَذائِذَ الرشَفَاتِ

The singers entertained us all night, and we stayed awake,

Joy spent the night urging us onward, and we spent the night

Savoring the most delightful drinks.

Exchanging the sweet delights of nectarous sips.

وَأَدَرْنَا مِنَ الرًّضَابِ كُؤُوساً

مَا أُحَيْلَى الرًّضَابَ فِي السَّمُرَاتِ

We passed around cups of wine,

We passed around cups filled with sweet nectar—

How wonderful wine is for night gatherings!

How sweet is that nectar during the evening talks!

خَمْرَةٌ أَطْفَأَتْ لَهِيبَ فُؤَادِي

نَقْلُهَا وَرْدُ رَوْضَةِ الْوَجَنَاتِ

A wine that quenched the flame in my heart,

A wine that extinguished the blazing flames of my heart,

Transferred from the meadow of gardens.

Its appetizer the blooming roses of the garden of cheeks.

إنَّ فِي رَشْفِهَا شِفَاءٌُ لِمَنْ قَدْ

قَرْطَسَتْهُ الْعُيُونُ بِاللَّحَظَاتِ

In its drinking is a cure, for whoever

Indeed, in sipping it lies a cure for the one whom

Has been pierced by glances.

Piercing eyes have struck directly with their glances.

لَمْ نَزَلْ نَقْطِفُ الْمَسَرَّاتِ حَتَّى

نَشَرَ الْفَجْرُ فِي الدُّجَى رَايَاتِ

We did not stop plucking flowers, until

We ceased not to pluck the fruits of joy until

Dawn raised its banners in the darkness.

The dawn unfurled its bright banners in the dark.

وَشَدَا طَائِرُ الصَّبَاحِ فَقُمْنَا

وَفُؤَادِي يَذُوبُ مِنْ زَفَرَاتِي

And the bird of morning trilled, so we got up

The bird of the morning sang out, and so we rose,

While my heart melted from my sighs.

With my heart melting away from my deep, sorrowful sighs.

مَنَحَتْنِي عِنْدَ الْوَدَاعِ عِنَاقاً

فَحَكَيْنَا تَخَالُفَ اللّامَاتِ

She gave me an embrace at the farewell,

She granted me at the moment of farewell an embrace,

And we complained of the discordance of parting.

And we mimicked the crossing strokes of the Lam-Alif letters.

وَمَضَتْ وَالْفِرَاقُ يَنْحَتُ قَلْبِي

وَنَجِيعِي يَسِيلُ فِي عَبَرَاتِي

She left while separation carves up my heart,

She departed, as separation began chiseling away at my heart,

And my sobbing flows out in my tears.

And my heart's blood flowed freely in my tears.

لَيْلَتِي غُلَّتِي اشْتَفَتْ فِيكِ لَوْ طُلْ

تِ كَمَا كُنْتِ قَبْلُ فِي الْحُجُرَاتِ

My night of intimacy with you was too short - if only

O my night! My thirst was quenched in you, if only you had

It continued as it was before, in the chambers.

Lasted longer, just as you once were in the chambers.

قَدْ طَوَتْكِ أَيْدِي السُّرُورِ وَقِدْماً

نَشَرَتْكِ الشِّدَادُ منْ غَمَرَاتِي

The hands of bliss folded you, but then

The hands of joy have folded you away, while in the past

Adversity unveiled you from my abundance.

Harsh trials unfurled you from my deepening agonies.

فَتَحَوَّلْتِ فِي الدُّجَى قَدْرَ إِبْهَا

الْقَطاةِ مِنْ قَيْدِ فَيْءِ القَنَاةِ

You changed in the darkness to an ephemeral state,

You passed in the darkness, lasting no longer than the thumb

From the bond of a palace's shelter.

Of a sandgrouse, or the fleeting measure of a spear's shadow.

لَمْ يكُنْ بَيْنَ ذَا وَذَا غَيْرُ يَوْمٍ

أَيْنَ أنْتِ مِنْ تِلْكَ الْمَاضِيَاتِ

There was just a day between this and that -

There was nothing between this joy and that sorrow but a single day,

Where are you now, from those bygone days?

Where are you now among those bygone days?

خَلِّ عَنْ ذَا الْهَوَى وَعَدِّ جِيَادَ الْ

قَوْلِ فِي مَطْمَحِ السُّرَاةِ الثِّقَاتِ

Refrain from this passion and spur on the steeds of poetry,

Leave aside this earthly passion, and direct the steeds of

Towards the hopes of the trusty horsemen.

Speech toward the lofty aspirations of trustworthy, noble men.

فَإِلَى كَمْ تُرَى صَرِيعَ ظِبَاءٍ

وَإِلَى كَمْ تَهِيمُ بِالْفَتَيَاتِ

For how long will you be slaying gazelles,

For how long will you be seen as a fallen victim of gazelles?

And crazed with chasing girls?

And how long will you wander deeply infatuated with maidens?

نَهْنِهِ النَّفْسَ فِي هَوَاهَا فَكَمْ أَجْ

دَى اتِّبَاعُ الْهَوَى مِنَ الْعَثَرَاتِ

Indulge the soul in its passions - how many

Restrain your soul in its desires, for how often has it

Pitfalls there are in pursuing passions!

Brought about stumbles and falls to follow one's passion.

وَاعْصِ شَرْخَ الشَّبَابِ مَا اسْطَعْتَ وَاعْلَمْ

أَنَّ رَيْبَ الْمَنُونِ لاَ بُدَّ آتِ

Make use of the prime of youth while it shines, and know

Disobey the urges of your prime youth as much as you can, and know

That the life of a youth is like fresh herbage,

That the uncertainties of death are inevitably arriving.

وَتَجَافَى عَنِ الْقَبَائِحِ وَاعْلَمْ

أَنَّ عُمْرَ الْفَتَى كَغَضِّ النَّبَاتِ

While it is thriving and verdant,

Turn far away from disgraceful deeds, and know

Suddenly it withers at the hands of oppressors.

That a young man's life is just like a tender plant:

بَيْنَمَا هُوَ يَانِعٌ ذُو رُوَاءٍ

إِذْ بِهِ قَدْ ذَوَى بِأَيْدِي الْجُنَاةِ

Or the breeze strips it away little by little,

While it is ripe, verdant, and full of splendid beauty,

Until it becomes like crushed straw.

Suddenly it has withered away by the hands of gatherers;

أَوْ بَرَاهُ النَّسِيمُ شَيْئاً فَشَيْئاً

فاسْتَحالَ كَالْخِشْلِشَخْتَ الصِّفَاتِ

And remember the Day of Resurrection when

Or the gentle breeze has worn it down bit by bit,

Your misdeeds will be recited back to you.

Until it became like dry, withered stalks, emaciated in its traits.

وَتَذَكَّرْ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ إِذْ يُتْ

لَى عَلَيْكَ الْمَسْطُورُ بِالزَّلاَّتِ

The day when every nursing mother will forsake

And remember the Day of Resurrection, when there shall be

Her nursling in overwhelming sorrow.

Read aloud to you what was written down of your slips.

يَوْمَ تَنْقَضُّ كُلُّ ذَاتُِ رَضَيعٍٍ

عَنْ رَضِيعٍمِنْ كَثْرَةِ الْحَسَرَاتِ

The day when no father will avail his son,

A day when every nursing mother will drop

Nor he avail him, even a little.

Her nursing infant out of overwhelming anguish.

يَوْمَ لاَ يَجْزِي وَالِدٌ عَنْ وَلِيدٍ

لاَ وَلاَ هُوَ عَنْهُ قِيدَ نَوَاةِ

The day when no friend will benefit a friend,

A day when a father will not avail his child,

However righteous he was in life.

No, nor will the child avail him even the weight of a date pit.

يومَ لاَ يُغْنِي عَنْ خَليلٍ خَليلٌ

كَانَ بَرًّا بِهِ زَمانَ الْحَيَاةِ

The day when souls will be recompensed either with

A day when a friend will not enrich or aid a friend,

The cushions of high stations, or the heat of hellfire.

Even if he had been devoted to him during the time of life.

يومَ تُجْزى النُّفوسُ إِمَّا بِفِرْدَوْ

سِ الْعُلاَ أَوْ بِلَفْحَةِ الدَّرَكاتِ

Therein people will enter hellfire

A day when souls are recompensed, either with the high

While others will look upon the Most Generous.

Paradise, or with the scorching fire of the lower depths.

فَهُنَاكَ يَصْلَى الْجَحِيمَ أُنَاسٌ

وَيَرَى آخَرونَ أَكََْرمَ ذَاتِ

My God, I did not ask stingily -

For there, some people will burn in Hellfire,

Enfold me, my Master, in the sea of salvation!

While others will gaze upon the Most Noble Essence.

يَا إِلَهِي وَمَا سَأَلْتُ بَخِيلاً

زُجَّ بِي سَيِّدِي بِحَارَ النَّجَاةِ

The day when there is no shade but Yours, my Lord,

O my God! And I have never asked a miserly one;

You Who have no need for me or my good deeds.

Plunge me, O my Master, into the vast seas of salvation.

يومَ لاَ ظِلَّ غَيْرُ ظِلِّكَ رَبِّي

يَا غَنِيّاً عَنّيِ وَعَنْ حَسَنَاتِي

And allow Your sinful servant Ibn Zakour, my God,

On a day when there is no shade but Your shade, O my Lord,

The lofty ranks.

O You who are in no need of me or my good deeds!

وَأَتِحْ عَبْدَكَ الْمُسِيءَ ابْنَ زَاكُو

رٍ إِلَهِي أَعَالِي الدَّرَجَاتِ

Overlook my sins, for I am full of sins

And grant Your sinning servant, Ibn Zakur,

That barred me from the pavilions of heaven.

O my God, the very highest of spiritual degrees.

وَاعْفُ عَنِّي فَإِنِّي ذُو ذُنُوبٍ

زَحْزَحَتْنِي عَنْ مَهْيَعِ الْغَرَفَاتِ

And excuse my parents and family

And forgive me, for I am a man burdened with sins

For their major misdeeds.

That have pushed me away from the clear path to the heavenly chambers.

وَتَجَاوَزْ عَنْ وَالِدِي وَأَهْلِي

وَشُيُوخِي كَبَائِرَ السَّيِّئَاتِ

And forgive the Muslim men and women,

And overlook the transgressions of my parents, my family,

The faithful men and women,

And my teachers, forgiving their major sins.

وَعَنِ الْمُسْلِمِينَ وَالْمُسْلِمَاتِ

وَعَنِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَالْمُؤْمِنَاتِ

For the sake of Your most noble of creations,

And forgive the Muslim men and the Muslim women,

And Your Messenger, the Bringer of signs.

And the believing men and the believing women.

بِنَِيِّكُمْ أشْرَفِ الْخَلْقِ طُرّاً

وَرَسُولِكُمْ صَاحِبِ الآيَاتِ

The Prophet of the Pond and Intercession on the day of

By Your Prophet, the most noble of all creation entirely,

Great turmoil, the shelter for people in afflictions.

And Your Messenger, the bearer of the miraculous signs.

صاحِبِ الْحَوْضِ وَالشَّفَاعَةِ يَوْمَ ال

رَّوْعِ كَهْفِ الأَنَامِ فِي الْعَرَصَاتِ

Bless him, O Lord, and bestow upon him

The owner of the Fount and of intercession on the day of

The most perfect greetings and prayers.

Terror, the refuge of mankind in the gathering plains.

صَلِّ يَارَبِّ ثُمَّ سَلِّمْ عَلَيْهِ

بِأَتَمِّ السَّلاَمِ وَالصَّلَوَاتِ

And upon his family and companions, the caves

Send blessings, O Lord, and then grant him peace,

Of generosity, the dawns of guidance.

With the most complete and perfect peace and blessings.

وَعَلَى آلِهِ وَأَصْحابِهِ الْغُ

رِّ الْكِرَامِ الصِّبَاحِ أَيِّ هُدَاةِ

No gleaming sword has been drawn from its sheath,

And upon his family and his companions, the bright,

And no doves have cooed in the wilderness.

The noble, the radiant, the most excellent of guides.

مَا انْتَضَي مِنْ غِمْدِ الدَّيَاجِيرِ بَرْقٌ

وَتَغَنَّتْ حَمَائِمٌ فِي فَلاَةِ

As long as lightning is drawn from the sheath of darkness,

And as long as doves sing in a desert wasteland.