مَا لِلْأَحِبَّةِ أَسْيَافَ الْجَفَا اخْتَرَطُوا

أَيْنَ الْعُهُودُ وَمَا فِي الْقَلْبِ قَدْ رَبَطُوا

Why have the beloved unsheathed the swords of estrangement?

What ails the beloveds, that they have unsheathed the swords of estrangement? Where are the covenants, and the bonds they tied within the heart?

Where are the covenants and what have they bound in their hearts?

Nor is it like the vow of a close friend whose friendship I thought eternal, for upon its head the gray hairs of age have now appeared.

وَلاَ كَعَهْدِ خَلِيلٍ خِلْتُ خُلَّتَهُ

دَائِمَةً فَبَدَا فِي رَأْسِهَا الشَّمَطُ

I kept the covenant of a friend yet he abandoned our intimacy

They set the blade of their abandonment upon my ribs when they banished me, and stripped bare the branches of my hopes.

So treachery appeared atop his head like horns.

And with the staff of longing for them, they struck my vital core; what harm would it have been if they struck with union the one they struck?

أَشْلَوْا عَلَى أَضْلُعِي مِخْرَاطَ هَجْرِهِمُ

إِذْ أَبْعَدُونِي وَأَغْصَانَ الْمُنَى خَرَطُوا

They wielded on my ribs the chisel of their estrangement

I would ransom them with my life, though my entrails burn from their abandonment, whether they were just in this or tyrannical.

When they distanced me and lopped off the branches of bliss.

In truth, they have acted justly, for they are the paragons of fairness, and justice itself comes seeking them out, stumbling in its haste.

وَخَبَطُوا بِعَصَا أَشْوَاقِهِمْ كَبِدِي

مَا ضَرَّ لَوْ خَبَطُوا بِالْوَصْلِ مَنْ خَبَطُوا

They battered my liver with the stick of their passion—

But I was distant, so their affection distanced itself from me, and a sign of its hidden secrets became apparent to my eyes.

How I wish they had battered with union those they battered!

They banished me, even though I had found solace in their nearness; I excused them, for I had violated what they had stipulated.

أَفْدِيهِمْ وَلَظَى الأَحْشَاءِ مُوقَدَةٌ

مِنْ هَجْرِهِمْ عَدَلُوا فِي ذَاكَ أَوْ قَسَطُوا

I ransom them though the embers of my entrails blaze

Because they are pure, their inner selves are sweet; they exuded fragrance, and my foulness caused them harm.

With their estrangement. Did they do justice in that or apportion?

Finding me impure, they cast me out, thus drawing me near to a grief whose judgment appeared excessively harsh.

حِلاًّ لَقَدْ أَقْسَطُوا وَالْمُقْسِطُونَ هُمُ

وَالْقِسْطُ نَحْوَهُمْ قَدْ جَاءَ يَخْتَبِطُ

Indeed they did justice and the just are they,

If only a fragrant breeze from Al-Yusi would intercede for me to gain their favor, they would be pleased with me despite their wrath.

And justice towards them has come, intending to bind.

Rather, in his approval lies their approval, a truth witnessed by his guidance, his generosity, and his gentle character.

لَكِنْ جَفَوْتُ فَجَافَتْنِي مَوَدَّتُهُمْ

وَقَدْ بَدَا لِي مِنْ أَسْرَارِهَا شَرَطُ

But I was unkind so their affection was unkind to me

And by his support for the faith when its landmarks were obliterated, while the tides of affliction were surging to excess.

And their secrets have revealed to me a condition.

And the abodes of knowledge, at whose watering places neither cupbearer nor advance scout from the virtuous could be found.

وَأَبْعَدُونِي وَقَدْ آنَسْتُ قُرْبَتَهُمْ

عَذَرْتُهُمْ فَلَقَدْ أَبْعَدْتُ مَا شَرَطُوا

They distanced me though I felt intimacy with them close—

He who holds the kindled flame of righteous guidance, and provides a tethering ground for the noble steeds of piety and patience.

I excused them, for I was far from what they stipulated

He who offers a garden to gather the blooming flowers of forbearance, and a place to collect the shining jewels from the necklace of knowledge.

لِأَنَّهُمْ سَلِمُوا طَابَتْ سَرَائِرُهُمْ

فَأَرَّجَتْ فَأَذَاهُمْ مِنِّي الثَّعَطُ

Since they were safe, their consciences were purified,

May his shining presence endure for us and for the religion of God, for without you, no pattern for the faith would have been engraved.

So it annoyed them that I was offensive to them.

فَاسْتَقْذَرُونِي فَأَقْصَوْنِي فَقَرَّبَنِي

مِنَ الأَسَى مَا بَدَا فِي حُكْمِهِ الشَّطَطُ

Thus they scorned me and excluded me and brought me near

The grief whose judgment was so immoderate.

لَوْ نَفْحَةٌ مِنْ شَذَا الْيُوسِيِّ تَشْفَعُ لِي

إِلَى رِضَاهُمْ رَضُوا عَنِّي وَإِنْ سَخِطُوا

If only a scent of Yusuf’s shirt would intercede for me

To please them—if they are angry, they would be pleased with me.

بَلْ فِي رِضَاهُ رِضَاهُمْ وَهْوَ مَا شَهِدَتْ

بِهِ الْهُدَى وَالنَّدَى وَالْخُلُقُ السَّبِطُ

Rather, their pleasure is in His pleasure, and that is what

Wisdom, dew, noble manners and generosity witnessed.

وَنُصْرَةُ الدِّينِ وَالأَعْلاَمُ طَامِسَةٌ

مِنْهُ وَأَمْرُ الْجَوَى مِنْ أَمْرِهِ فُرُطُ

It witnessed the triumph of religion and the darkening

Of banners, and the command of passion is under its control.

وَأَرْبُعُ الْعِلْمِ لَمْ يُلْفَ بِمَنْهَلِهَا

مِنَ الأَفَاضِلِ لاَ سَاقٍ وَلاَ فَرُطُ

The four branches of knowledge have not been

Circled by the eminent, neither elite nor commoner.

مَنْ عِنْدَهُ لِضِيَاءِ الرُّشْدِ مُقْتَبَسٌ

وَلِجِيَادِ التُّقَى وَالصَّبْرُ مُرْتَبَطُ

He who has lit from its light the lamp of guidance

And tied to excellence the steeds of piety and patience,

وَلِأَزَاهِرِ نَشْرِ الْحِلْمِ مُقْتَطَفٌ

وَلِجَوَاهِرِ سِمْطِ الْعِلْمِ مُلْتَقَطُ

And plucked the flowers spreading the wisdom’s growth

And picked the jewels containing the essence of knowledge,

دَامَتْ لَنَا وَلِدِينِ اللهِ غُرَّتُهُ

فَالدِّينُ لَوْلاَكَ لَمْ يُنْقَشْ لَهُ نَمَطُ

May his glory for us and Allah’s religion remain

For without you, religion would have no composed pattern.