إِذَا أَنا لَمْ أُوثِرْ هَوَايَ عَلَى عَزْمِي

فَنَفْسِيَ فِي طَوْعِي وَأَمْرِيَ فِي حُكْمِي

If I do not prefer my desire over my determination,

My soul is obedient to me, and my matter is under my control.

وَإِنْ أَنَا أَرْجَأْتُ الأُمُورَ إلَى غَدٍ

طَعَنْتُ بِغَرْبِ الْعَجْزِ فِي ثُغْرَةِ الْحَزْمِ

And if I postpone matters until tomorrow,

I have stabbed determination with the lack of resolve in its vulnerable spot.

وَإِنَّ أَحَقُّ الْنَّاسِ بِاللَّوْمِ لامْرُؤ

يَضِلُّ طَريقَ الرُّشْدِ وَهُوَ عَلَى عِلْمِ

And the most deserving of blame is the man

Who loses the path of righteousness while he is knowledgeable.

كَتَمْتُ اشْتِيَاقِي وَالْنُّحُولُ يَنِمُّ بِي

كَأنِّي أَحَلْتُ الْكَتْمَ مِنِّي عَلَى جِسْمِي

I concealed my longing though the sadness was increasing in me,

As if I made concealment inherent in my body.

وَقُلْتُ لِجَفْنِي إِنْ دُعِيتَ لِعَبْرَةٍ

فَسَاعِدْ بِهَا مَطْلُ الْغَنِيِّ مِنَ الظُّلْمِ

And I said to my eyelids, if you are invited to tears,

Then aid the extended injustice of the unjust one.

وَلِمْ لاَ وَقَدْ حَلَّ الرِّكَابُ بِيَثْرِبٍ

وَبُؤْتُ بِشَحْطِ الدَّارِ مِنْهَا عَلَى رَغْمِ

Why not, when the riding animals halted in Yathrib

And I was brought to the outskirts of the house from it unwillingly.

تَذَامَرَ أَقْوَامٌ إِلَيْهَا وَضَمَّرُوا

مُخَيَّسَةً تَهْوِي بِأَجْنِحَةِ الْعَزْمِ

Some people whispered to it and plotted,

Sneaking with the wings of determination.

وَقَامَ خِضَمُّ الْمَاءِ دُونَ مَرَامِهِمْ

فَلَمْ يَحْفِلُوا مِنْهُ بِهَوْلٍ وَلاَ لَطْمِ

And the turbulence of the water stood in their way,

But they did not care about any panic or alarm from it.

إِذَا الْنَّفْسُ أبْدَتْ فِيهِ ظَنًّا بِحَسْمِهِ

تَقُولُ لَهَا الأَشْوَاقُ أَلْقِهِ فِي الْيَمِّ

When the soul shows any notion of overcoming it,

Yearning says to it: Cast it in the sea.

فَمَا كَانَ إِلاَّ أَنْ أَتَوْا مَعْهَدَ الْهُدَى

وَشِيكاً كَمَا أَغْفَيْتَ فِي سِنَةِ الْحُلْمِ

And it was not long before they came to the abode of guidance

And soon, just as you fell asleep in the year of forbearance.

وَفَازوا بِمَا حَازُوا كِرَاماً فَإِنَّمَا

زِيَارةُ خَيْرُ الْخَلْقِ مِنْ أَعْظَمِ الْغُنْمِ

And they won what they won honorably, for verily

Visiting the best of creation is the greatest gain.

كَأَنِّي بِقَوْمِي حِينَ حَلُّوا حِلاَلَهَا

وَأَعْيُنُهُمْ إِذْ ذَاكَ أجْفَانُهَا تَهْمِي

It is as if I see my people when they arrived at its plains

And their eyes at that time lowered to kiss its soil.

يُكِبُّونَ لِلأَذْقَانِ فِي عَرَصَاتِهَا

سَلاماً وَتَقْبيلاً عَلى ذَلِكَ الرَّسْمِ

Bowing down to the ground in its expanses,

Giving greetings and kisses to that symbol.

فَيُعْفَى عَنِ الأَوْزَارِ فِي ذَلِكَ الْحِمَى

وَتُغْتَفَرُ الآَثَامُ فِي ذَلِكَ اللَّتْمِ

So sins are pardoned in that sanctuary

And wrongdoings are forgiven in that embrace.

فَلِلَّهِ دَرُّ الْقَوْمِ فِيهَا وَقَدْ غَدَوْا

ضُيُوفاً بِمَثْوَى سَيِّدِ الْعُرْبِ والْعُجْمِ

So praise be to the people therein, and they came

As guests to the abode of the master of the Arabs and non-Arabs.

أَقَامَ لَهُمْ حَيّاً أَمَاناً مِنَ الرَّدَى

وَقَامَ مَقَامَ الْغَيْثِ فِي شِدَّةِ الأَزْمِ

He gave them safety during his life and protection from harm,

And took the place of rain during severe drought.

وَحَلُّوا بِهِ مَيْتاً فَكَانَ قِرَاهُمُ

خِفَارَةَ ذِي رَوْعٍ وَتَأمِينَ ذِي جُرْمِ

And though he has passed away, their staying in it

Was like guarding against commotion and securing against crime.

رَسُولٌ أَتَى حُكْمُ الْكِتَابِ بِمَدْحِهِ

وَأَثْنَى عَلَيْهِ اللَّهُ بِالصِّدْقِ وَالْحِلْمِ

A messenger came whom the judgment of the Book praised

And God commended him for his honesty and forbearance.

أَحَبُّ مِنَ الْمَحْيَا وأَجْدَى مِنَ الْحَيَا

وَأَهْدَى لِمَنْ ضَلَّ الْسَّبيلَ مِنَ النَّجْمِ

More beloved than life but better than living,

And more guiding for one who has lost the way than the stars.

قَريعٌ صَمِيمُ الْمَجْدِ فِي آلِ هَاشِمٍ

أُولِي الْقَسَمَاتِ الْغُرِّ وَالأُنُفِ الْشُّمِّ

He is the honest, honorable, and noble among the family of Hashim,

Possessors of courage, nobility, and high status.

أَتى رَحمَةً وَالنَّاسُ فِي مدلهمة

يوحون في غي ويعدون في إثم

He came with mercy while people were in confusion,

Harboring mischief and committing sins.

فصدق من قادته سَابِقَةُ الْهُدَى

وَسَاعَدَهُ الإسْعَادُ فِي سَالِفِ الْحُكْمِ

So those whom guidance led aright were honest with him,

And good fortune helped him as in earlier times.

وَصَدَّ عَنِ الآيَاتِ مَنْ سَبَقَتْ لَهُ

شَقَاوَتُهُ فِي سَابِقِ الْقَدَرِ الْحَتْمِ

And it barred from the signs those for whom

Misery in earlier fate had been destined.

وَأَعْجَزَ مَنْ أَعْمَى الضَّلاَلُ يَقِينَهُ

عَمَى قَدْ تَحَدَّى مِنْ مُعَاجِزِهِ الْعُقْمِ

And it frustrated those whose certainty was blinded

By misguidance which challenged his miracles of convincing speech.

فَرَوَّى لُهَامَ الْجَيْشِ مِنْهُ بِأَنْمُلٍ

جَرَى الْمَاءُ فِي أَثْنَائِهَا سَائِغَ الطَّعْمِ

So it quenched the thirst of the army with a gesture,

And water flowed among them, fresh and pleasant to drink.

وَلَمَّا دَعَا بالْبَدْرِ شُقَّ لِحِينهِ

وَأَقْبَلَ مِنْهُ الشِّقُّ يَهْوِي إِلَى الْكُمِّ

And when he invoked the moon, it split for his timing,

And part of it came forth plummeting to the horizon.

وَكَلَّمَهُ ضَبُّ الْفَلاَةِ مُخَاطِباً

وَمُسْتَفْهِماً فِي الْقَوْلِ تَكْلِيمَ ذِي فَهْمِ

And the lizard of the desert spoke to him, addressing

And questioning with the speech of one of wisdom.

وَخَاطَبَهُ الْصَّخْرُ الْجَمَادُ مُحَدِّثَاً

وَحَذَّرَهُ مَا فِي الذِّرَاعِ مِنَ السُّمِّ

And the inanimate rock warned him, speaking to him,

And cautioned him of the poison in the forearm.

وَفِي الْخَتْمِ مِنْهُ لِلنَّبِيئِينَ آَيةٌ

رَأَيْنَا بِهَا مَعْنَى الْبدَايَةِ فِي الختم

And from him there is a sign for the prophets in the seal,

We saw through it the meaning of the beginning in the end.

سرى نوره في أوجه نبوية

مقدسة ينميه أكرم من ينمي

Its light flowed through the faces of the sanctified prophets

Nurtured by the Most Generous who nurtures.

وَلَمْ تَشْكُ ثِقْلَ الْحَمْلِ آمِنَةُ الرِّضَا

وَلاَ دُهِيَتْ مِنْهُ بِكَرْبٍ وَلا غَمِّ

And Amina, content with God's decree, was not burdened

By its weight, nor troubled by distress or worries.

وَفِي لَيْلَةِ الْمِيلاَدِ مِنْهُ بَدَتْ لَهَا

شَوَاهِدُ لَمْ تَخْطُرْ لِنَفْسِ وَلاَ وَهْمِ

And on the night of his birth there appeared to her

Things that never occurred to a soul or perception.

وَبَشَّرَهَا الأَمْلاَكُ أَنَّ وَلِيدَهَا

إِمَامُ النَّبِئِينَ الْكِرَامِ أُولِي الْعَزْمِ

And the angels gave her glad tidings that her newborn

Is the Imam of the prophets, the honorable ones of resolve.

إلَى أَنْ تَفَرَّى اللَّيْلُ عَنْ نُورِ وَجْهِهِ

كَمَا شَفَّ سُحْبٌ عَنْ سَنَا قَمَرٍ تِمِّ

Until the night uncovered the light of his face,

As clouds uncover the brilliance of a perfect moon.

فَخَرَّتْ لَهُ الأَصْنَامُ صَرْعَى وَزُلْزِلَتْ

بِمَكَّتِهَا أَجْرَامُ أَجْبَالِهَا الشُّمِّ

So the idols fell prostrate and the bodies of its mountains

Were shaken at his sanctity and grandeur.

فَرَامَ اسْتِرَاقَ السَّمْعِ رَائِدُ عَائِفٍ

مِنَ الْجِنِّ فَانْقَضَّتْ لَهُ شُهُبُ الرَّجْمِ

The scout of Al-'Aif wanted to eavesdrop,

So shooting stars were unleashed upon him.

وإِيوَانُ كِسْرَى أَسْرَعَتْ شُرُفَاتُهُ

وَقَدْ عَايَنَتْ مَا عَايَنَتْهُ إِلَى الْهَدْمِ

And the palace of Kisra hastened its towering heights

To destruction, after witnessing what it witnessed.

وَأَخْبَرَ شِقٌّ أَنَّ فِي الأَرْضِ عِنْدَهَا

طُلُوعَ نَبِيٍّ طَاهِرِ الأَبِ وَالأُمِّ

And a Christian informed that the earth near it

Contains the rise of a pure prophet in lineage and in mother.

رَسُولٌ مِنَ الرَّحْمَانِ يَدْعُو إلَى الْهدَى

وَيَدْعُو إِلَى دَارِ السَّلاَمَةِ وَالسِّلْمِ

A messenger from the Merciful calling to guidance,

And calling to the abode of safety and peace.

فَلِلَّهِ مِنْهَا لَيْلَةٌ بَرَكَاتُهَا

سَحَائِبُهَا تَنْهَلُّ بِالنِّعَمِ الْعُمِّ

So praise be to God for that night, its blessings

Are clouds raining abundant favors.

أَشَادَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ بِفَضْلِهَا

فَأَحْيَى سَبِيلاً دَارِساً لأُوِلي الْعِلْمِ

The Commander of the Faithful lauded its virtue,

And revived an extinct tradition for the people of knowledge.

وآَثَرَ تَقْوَى اللَّهِ مِنْهَا فَلَمْ يَكُنْ

بِمُشْتَغِلٍ عَنْهَا بزيرٍ وَلاَ بَمِّ

He preferred fearing God on that night, so he was not

Distracted from it by any trade or selling.

تَقِيٌّ حَذَا حَذْوَ الْخَلاَئِفِ وَاقْتَدَى

بِهِمْ مِثْلَ مَا خُطَّ الْكِتَابُ عَلَى الرَّسْمِ

He is devout, following the footsteps of the Caliphs, and mimicking them

Exactly as the Book has outlined.

إِذا هَمَّ أَمْضَى عَزْمَهُ وَإِذَا سَطَا

فَلاَ عِدَّةٌ تُغْنِي وَلاَعُدَّةٌ تَحْمِي

If he is determined to carry out his resolve, then he does so,

And if he is rigorous, then no number benefits or protects.

وَإِنْ جَدَّ يَوْماً لَمْ يَبِتْ دُونَ غَايَةٍ

وَإِنْ جَادَ مَا ذُو الْعُسْرِ يَوْماً بِمُهْتَمِّ

And if he exerts effort one day, he does not stop short of his goal,

And if he is generous, no difficult day taxes his care.

وَإِنْ طَلَبَ الصَّعْبَ الْمُمَنَّعَ نَالَهُ

بمُدْرَكَةِ الأَقْصَى وَمَنْزِلِةِ الْعُصْمِ

And if he seeks the difficult, unattainable, he attains it

With reaching far and the status of protection.

إِذَا مَا دَجَا رَوْعٌ فَغُرَّةَ يُوسُفٍ

تُضِيءُ بِهَا الآَفَاقُ فِي الْحَادِثِ الْجَهْمِ

When terror and the magnificent beauty of Joseph appears,

The horizons in that awful event shine with it.

وَإِنْ زَمَنٌ يَوْماً عَرَتْهُ زَمَانَةٌ

فَرَاحَتُهُ بُرْءُ الزَّمَانِ مِنَ السُّقْمِ

And if one day an era troubles him,

Then its comfort is the era's cure from illness.

فَيَا نَاصِرَ الإِسْلاَمِ دُمْ فِي حُلَى الْعُلَى

وَجَارُكَ فِي أَمْنٍ وَقُطْرُكَ فِي سِلْمِ

So O helper of Islam, remain in the necklaces of loftiness,

While your neighbor is safe and your land is peaceful.

وَلاَ بَرِحَتْ آثَارُكَ الْغُرُّ تَكْتَسِي

بَدَائِعَ مِمَّا صَاغَ فِي وَصْفِهَا نَظْمِي

And the outstanding traces of your virtue do not cease

To don the wonders of what my poetry has portrayed.

وَإِنِّي بِنُعْمَاكَ الَّتِي مَلأَتْ يَدِي

فَأَصْبَحْتُ مِنْ إِحْسَانِهَا وَافِرَ الْقَسْمِ

And I, with your favors which have filled my hands,

Have become abundant in shares from its benevolence.

لأَخْلَقُ مِنْ جَفْنِي الْمُسَهَّدِ بِالْكَرَى

وَأَلْيَقُ بِالسِّرِّ الْمَصُونِ مِنَ الْكَتْمِ

So from my tearful eyes I will create

What is most befitting for the secret guarded from disclosure.