تَذكَّر بالحِمى رشأً أَغنّا
وَهاجَ له الهوى طَرَباً فغنّى
He reminisced about a pasture where a lover once sang,
And passion stirred in him, so he sang in rapture.
وحنَّ فؤادُه شَوقاً لنجدٍ
وأَينَ الهندُ من نجدٍ وأَنّى
His heart yearned with longing for Najd,
But how far is India from Najd and where!
وغنَّت في فروع الأَيكِ ورقٌ
فجاوبها بزفرتِه وأَنّا
The leaves on the branches sang
And he answered their song with his sighs.
وَطارحَها الغَرامَ فحين رنَّت
له بتنفُّس الصُعداء رنّا
Passion made them pour out their song,
With the panting breath of the hilltops.
وأَورى لاعجَ الأَشواق منه
بريقٌ بالأبيرق لاح وَهنا
The glint of passion showed in his eyes
As brightness flashes on polished swords.
معنّىً كلَّما هبَّت شَمالٌ
تذكَّر ذلك العيش المهنّا
Whenever the north wind blew,
It reminded him of that happy life.
إذا جنَّ الظَلامُ عليه أَبدى
من الوَجدِ المبرِّح ما أَجَنّا
When darkness descended upon him
It revealed the cheer his fervor had kindled.
سَقى وادي الغَضا دَمعي إذا ما
تهلّل لا السحاب إذا اِرجَحنّا
My tears watered the valley of sadness
When no clouds were pouring rain.
فَكَم لي في رُباهُ قضيبَ حُسنٍ
تفرَّد بالملاحة إِذ تثنّى
How excellent are the charms of his beauty,
Unique in its elegance when he walks bending.
كَلِفتُ به وما كُلِّفت فرضاً
فأَوجبَ طرفُه قَتلي وسنّا
I am enthralled with him though not by duty,
So his glance necessitates my death and sharpens it.
وأَبدى حبَّه قَلبي وأَخفى
فصرَّح بالهوى شَوقاً وكنّى
His love showed in my heart but he hid it,
Avowing passion, hints in his speech.
تفنَّنَ حسنُه في كُلِّ معنىً
فصار العَيشُ لي بهواه فنّا
His beauty perfected itself in aspects manifold,
So that life, because of his love, became art.
بدا بدراً ولاح لنا هلالاً
وأَشرق كوكباً واِهتزَّ غصنا
He appeared a full moon, a crescent shining,
A star rising, a waving branch.
وَثَنّى قدّه الحسن اِرتياحاً
فهام القَلبُ بالحَسن المُثنّى
The charm of his beauty bent his slender shape,
And my heart swooned for that bending loveliness.
ولو أَنَّ الفؤاد على هَواه
تمنّى كان غايَةَ ما تَمَنّى
If my heart could fulfill its wish for him
That would be the extent of all it desired.
بَكيتُ دماً وحنَّ إِليه قَلبي
فخضَّب من دَمي كفّاً وحَنّا
I wept blood for him and my heart yearned,
So my hand was dyed with my blood and softened.
أَلا يا صاحبيَّ ترفَّقا بي
فإنَّ البينَ أَنصبني وعنّا
O my friend, have mercy on me!
For separation has exhausted me and spurned me.
وَلَم تُبقِ النَوى لي غيرَ عزمٍ
إذا حفَّت به المحنُ اِطمأَنّا
Nothing is left for me but determination,
When disasters engulf it, it finds repose.
وأُقسِمُ ما الهَوى غرضي ولكن
أُعلِّل بالهَوى قَلباً مُعنّى
I swear it’s not passion that is my aim,
But I justify a suffering heart.
وأَصرفُ بالتأنّي صَرفَ دَهري
وأَعلم أَن سيظفرُ من تأَنّى
I turn the course of fate with deliberation,
Knowing that slow perseverance succeeds.
وأَدفعُ فادحاتِ الخطب عنّي
بِتَفويضي إذا ما الخَطبُ عنّا
With my reliance I ward off the blows of calamity,
When disasters assail and misfortunes befall.
وَلا واللَهِ لا أَرجو ليُسري
وَعُسري غيرَ من أَغنى وأَقنى
By God, I hope for ease and hardship only
From Him who enriches and suffices.
وَما قَصدي بتحبيرِ القَوافي
سوى لفظٍ أُحبِّرُه وَمَعنى
I do not aim, in versifying poetry,
At anything but words I make radiant and meanings.
لأَستَجني ثمارَ القول مَدحاً
لمن أَضحى بطيبةَ مُستَجِنّا
I seek to reap the fruits of speech in praise
Of one who sacrificed himself in virtue.
وَمَدحُ محمَّدٍ شَرفي وفخري
وَهَل شَرَفٌ وَفَخرٌ منه أَسنى
Praising Muhammad is my pride and glory,
And what pride and glory can surpass this?
إِمامُ الأنبياء وَخَيرُ مولىً
به سَعِد الوَرى إِنساً وجِنّا
The Imam of prophets and the best of guardians,
Through him humankind and jinn were made fortunate.
رَقى بكماله رُتبَ المَعالي
وحلَّ من العُلى سهلاً وحَزنا
With his perfection he reached the highest ranks,
And rose gently and firmly to the Highest Assembly.
هدى اللَهُ الأَنامَ به وأَهدى
لمن والاه إِيماناً وأَمنا
God guided mankind through him and guided
To faith and safety those loyal to him.
وَكَم قد نالَ من يُسراهُ يسراً
أَخو عُسرٍ ومن يُمناه يُمنا
How much ease he brought to those he favored,
A brother of hardship, and how much good fortune to those he blessed!
وَكَم وافاهُ ذو كربٍ وحُزنٍ
ففرَّج كربَه وأَزال حُزنا
How much woe from those in distress and grief
He relieved, dispelling their anguish and sorrow!
وَأَغنى بائساً وَكَفاه بؤساً
وأَنجد صارخاً وأَصحَّ مُضنى
He enriched the destitute and spared them deprivation,
Answered the desperate and healed the suffering.
ختامُ جميع رسل اللَه حقّا
وَمبدأ كلِّ إِحسانٍ وحُسنى
The seal of all God's messengers in truth,
And source of all benefaction and goodness.
بمولده أَضاءَ الكونُ نوراً
وأَشرقَ في البسيطةِ كُلُّ مغنى
When he was born the universe shone with light,
And every singer in the desert burst into song.
وَفاخرت السماءَ الأَرضُ لمّا
غدت بقدومِه السامي تُهنّى
The heaven prided itself over the earth when
It became honored by his noble arrival.
فَخارٌ لا يساويهِ فخارٌ
مَناطُ النَجم من أَدناهُ أَدنى
A pride that no other pride can equal,
He is the furthest star in the highest orbit.
تَبيدُ له اللَيالي وهو باقٍ
وَيَفنى الواصِفون وليس يَفنى
Nights perish while he remains,
And those who praise him pass away though he is eternal.
لمعجزِهِ أَقرَّ الضدُّ عجزاً
وَظلَّت عنده الفُصحاء لُكنا
In the face of his miracles inability confessed defeat
And the eloquent in his presence were muted.
مَثاني تقشعرُّ له جُلودٌ
وَيَغدو كُلُّ قَلبٍ مطمئنّا
Skins shudder hearing his miracles
And every heart trusts him morn and eve.
فَيولي كلَّ مَن والاهُ ربحاً
وَيُعقب كلَّ من ناواه غبنا
All who follow him profit
While every opponent meets loss and harm.
وَزالَت مُعجزاتُ الرُسل معهم
وَمعجزُ أَحمِدٍ يَزدادُ حُسنا
The miracles of prophets faded with them,
Yet his miracles continue to grow more beautiful.
هُوَ المختارُ من أَزلٍ نَبيّاً
وَما زالَت له العَلياء تُبنى
He was chosen as prophet from eternity,
And the Highest Assembly continues to be built around him.
براهُ واِصطَفاهُ اللَهُ قِدماً
وَأَعلاهُ وأَسماهُ وأَسنى
God nurtured him early and chose him,
Elevated him, named him, and exalted him.
وَأَرضعَه ثُديَّ المجد دَرّاً
وآواه من العَلياء حضنا
He suckled the breast of Glory with delicacy,
And the Most High sheltered him in an embrace.
وَصيَّره حَبيباً ثم أَسرى
به لَيلاً فقرَّبه وأَدنى
He made him His Beloved then journeyed with him by night,
Drawing him close and lowering the distance.
كذلك كُلُّ محبوب يوافي
أَحبَّته إذا ما اللَيلُ جَنّا
That is how every lover meets his beloved,
When night spreads its cover and grows still.
سَما السبعَ الطِباق وبات يَسمو
إلى رُتبٍ هناكَ له تسَنّا
He ascended past the seven layers of heaven, continuing
To ranks specially prepared for him there.
فراح يجرُّ أَذيالَ المَعالي
وَيسحبُ فوق هام المجد رُدنا
He went on to trail the train of greatness,
And drag glory above the summit of glory.
فمن كمحمَّدٍ إن عُدَّ فخرٌ
سَما بالفخر منفرداً وضِمنا
So who can compare to Muhammad in superiority?
He reached the pinnacle of pride, alone or together.
أَجلُّ المرسَلين عُلاً وَقَدراً
وأَرجحهُم لدى التَرجيح وَزنا
Most high-ranked of the messengers in status and worth,
Most weighty among them when merits are weighed.
وأَعظمُهم لدى البأساء يُسراً
وأَسمحُهم إذا ما جاد يُمنى
Greatest of them in easing the difficulties of the wretched,
Most generous when his hand distributes fortune.
وأَشرفُ من تقلَّد سيفَ حقّ
وهزَّ مثقَّفَ الأَعطاف لَدنا
Noblest of those who carried the sword of truth
And shook the starry girdle with his hands.
فَجلّى في رِهان الفضل سَبقاً
وَجلّى عن سَماء الحقِّ دَجنا
He demonstrated his precedence in the trial of virtue
And shone radiantly from heaven's horizon.
وَطهَّر بالمواضي رجسَ قومٍ
جفته قلوبُهم حسداً وضِغنا
He cleansed the land of the dishonor of people
Whose hearts had dried up from envy and grudges.
وخُيِّرَ فيهمُ أَسراً ومَنّاً
فأَطلق أَسرَهم وعفا ومَنّا
He was given authority over them to punish and pardon,
So he released their captives and forgave and favored them.
وراموا منه إِحساناً وفضلاً
فأَوسعهم بنائله وأَغنى
They sought his benevolence and grace,
So he treated them generously and enriched them.
وَكَم للهاشميِّ جميلَ وصفٍ
عليه خناصرُ الأشهاد تُثنى
How many fine qualities the Prophet possesses,
Recited in books spread open!
وَماذا يبلغُ المُثني على من
عليه إلَهُهُ في الذِكرِ أَثنى
What can the one who praises him say about one
Whom his own God has praised in speech?
أَلا يا سيِّد الكونين سَمعاً
لداعٍ سائلٍ أَمناً ومنّا
Hear, O Master of Both Worlds, a supplicant pleading,
Hopeful of protection and favor!
وَغوثاً يا فدتكَ النَفسُ غَوثاً
فقد شفَّ الأَسى جِسمي وأَضنى
Help! My soul be sacrificed for you, help!
For endless sorrow has wasted my body.
فَما في الخلقِ أَسرعُ منك نَصراً
لملهوفٍ وأَسمعُ منكَ أذنا
None hastens aid faster than you
To the anguished, or hears more keenly than you.
وَها أَنا فيك قد أَحسنتُ ظَنّي
فحاشا أَن تخيِّبَ فيكَ ظنّا
So it would be shameful if my hopes in you were dashed.
How can a servant fear the tricks of fate
وَكَيفَ يَخافُ ريبَ الدهر عَبدٌ
تَكونُ له من الحدثانِ حِصنا
When you are his fortress against afflictions?
I aim to free myself from a time
أَرومُ فكاك أَسري من زَمانٍ
عَلقتُ بكفِّه الشلّاءِ رَهنا
That has fettered my wrists with shackles.
And I hope for your aid against an enemy -
وَأَرجو النَصرَ منكَ على عدوٍّ
متى اِستقبلتُه قَلبَ المِجَنّا
Whenever I turn to face him, resolute.
I have relied on you in my captivity and for victory,
رَكنتُ إليكَ في أَسري ونَصري
وَحَسبي جاهُك المأمول رُكنا
Content with your glorious rank as my pillar.
Through you I have ample towering hopes -
وَكَم لي فيكَ من أَملٍ فسيحٍ
ستُنجحُهُ إذا ما الدَهرُ ضنّا
You will fulfill them if fate becomes miserly.
Separation has been prolonged, and increased my longing
وَقَد طالَ البِعادُ وَزاد شوقي
إليكَ وعاقَني دهري وأونى
For you, while my fate opposed me and withdrew.
Replace my home's remoteness with nearness,
فأَبدلني بِبُعدِ الدار قُرباً
وبوِّئني بتلكَ الدارِ سُكنى
And settle me in that home as a dweller.
Intercede for me on the day I am resurrected,
وَجُد لي بالشَفاعة يَومَ حشري
وأَسكنّي من الجنّاتِ عَدنا
And house me among the gardens of Eden.
Upon you blessings from your Lord, perpetual,
عَلَيكَ صَلاةُ رَبِّك ما تَغنّى
حمامُ الأيك في فَنَنٍ وحَنّا
As long as the doves in the branches coo and yearn.
And on your family - the best family,
وآلِك وَالصحابةِ خيرِ آلٍ
وَصَحبٍ ما شدا شادٍ وغنّى
And your companions - the finest company, loyal and true.
