حروب النّوى والقرب فيك سجال

حروب النّوى والقرب فيك سجال

يدال علينا تارة وندالُ

يدال علينا تارة وندالُ

The wars of distance and nearness over you take turns:

In the wars of separation and nearness to you, victory alternates;

now victory is granted over us, and now we prevail.

at times we are defeated, and at times we prevail.

ألم يأن تلفي لبينك غايةً

ألم يأن تلفي لبينك غايةً

فتُدرَكُ آمال وتَحسُن حال

فتُدرَكُ آمال وتَحسُن حال

Is it not time that you set an end to your separation,

Is it not time you found an end to your parting,

so hopes may be attained and fortune grow fair?

so hopes may be fulfilled and our state improve?

لقد حلَّ قلبي من وصالك جنة

لقد حلَّ قلبي من وصالك جنة

نعمتُ عليها لو يدوم وصال

نعمتُ عليها لو يدوم وصال

Through union with you, my heart alighted in a garden;

Indeed, through union with you, my heart has entered a paradise;

I delighted in it—if only union would endure.

I knew bliss there—if only union would endure!

ولو خفَّ شجوى لمحةً طرتُ نحوكم

ولو خفَّ شجوى لمحةً طرتُ نحوكم

ولكن أعباءَ الفراقِ ثٍِقَال

ولكن أعباءَ الفراقِ ثٍِقَال

Had my longing lightened for a single glance, I would have flown toward you,

Were my grief to lighten for an instant, I would fly toward you;

but the burdens of separation are heavy.

but the burdens of separation are heavy.

وإنِّي وقد بنتُم لفي كفِّ حادثٍ

وإنِّي وقد بنتُم لفي كفِّ حادثٍ

قضى رمقٌ منه وضاق مجال

قضى رمقٌ منه وضاق مجال

Now that you have gone far away, I am in the grip of a calamity

And since you departed, I am indeed in the grip of a calamity;

by which my last breath has come to an end, and all room has narrowed.

life's last flicker has died of it, and room to move has shrunk.

فحَلَّل حزني فيك وهو محرّم

فحَلَّل حزني فيك وهو محرّم

وحرَّم صبري عنك وهو حلال

وحرَّم صبري عنك وهو حلال

It has made my grief for you lawful, though it was forbidden,

It has made my grief for you lawful, though forbidden,

and forbidden my patience away from you, though it was lawful.

and forbidden my patience without you, though lawful.

إذا عَمِيت أنباؤُكم فتنفّسي

إذا عَمِيت أنباؤُكم فتنفّسي

جوابٌ ودمعُ المقلتين سؤال

جوابٌ ودمعُ المقلتين سؤال

When news of you is hidden from me, my sighing

When news of you grows obscure, my sighing

is an answer, and the tears of my eyes a question.

is an answer, and the tears of both eyes a question.

أبعدك والإيناسُ قربُك وحده

أبعدك والإيناسُ قربُك وحده

تروقُ رياضٌ أو تَرِقُّ شمال

تروقُ رياضٌ أو تَرِقُّ شمال

After you—when your nearness alone is companionship—

After you—when your nearness alone brings comfort—

can gardens delight me, or a north wind soften?

can gardens delight, or a north wind grow gentle?

وأت الَّذي قد فقت بذلاً وفطنة

وأت الَّذي قد فقت بذلاً وفطنة

وحسب المعالي فطنة ونوال

وحسب المعالي فطنة ونوال

You are the one who has surpassed all in generosity and discernment;

And you are the one who has excelled in generosity and discernment;

the sum of high virtues is discernment and largesse.

and discernment and bounty suffice for lofty distinction.

رحلت إلى مثوى النبوَّة والهدى

رحلت إلى مثوى النبوَّة والهدى

فبورك مقصود وبرّ مقال

فبورك مقصود وبرّ مقال

You journeyed to the resting place of Prophethood and guidance;

You journeyed to the abode of prophethood and guidance;

blessed be your destination, and fulfilled your avowed intent.

so blessed be the destination, and may the utterance prove true.

وأدَّيت فرضَ الحجَّ حزماً ولم تكن

وأدَّيت فرضَ الحجَّ حزماً ولم تكن

كمن أغفلته شرَّةٌ وصيال

كمن أغفلته شرَّةٌ وصيال

Resolutely you performed the obligatory pilgrimage, and were not

And you fulfilled the obligation of pilgrimage with resolve, and were not

like one made heedless by violent appetite and aggression.

like one made heedless by reckless passion and aggression.

ومن خانَهُ في مقصدِ الخير عقلُهُ

ومن خانَهُ في مقصدِ الخير عقلُهُ

ففي رجله مما جناه عقال

ففي رجله مما جناه عقال

Whoever is betrayed by his reason while seeking the good

And whoever is betrayed by his reason in seeking good,

has, in what he has brought upon himself, a fetter on his foot.

has his leg hobbled by what he has wrought.

إذا جال في علم العقائد خاطرٌ

إذا جال في علم العقائد خاطرٌ

تركت يمينٍ الخصم وهي شمال

تركت يمينٍ الخصم وهي شمال

Whenever a thought ranges through the science of creeds,

When a thought ranges through the science of doctrine,

you leave the opponent’s right hand as helpless as his left.

you leave the opponent's right hand turned into a left.

وصرَّفت فكراً يقذف الدرَّ بحرُهُ

وصرَّفت فكراً يقذف الدرَّ بحرُهُ

دراكاً وأقصى فكر غيرك آل

دراكاً وأقصى فكر غيرك آل

You have directed a thought whose sea casts forth pearls

And you exercised thought whose sea casts forth pearls

in succession, while the utmost thought of anyone else is a mirage.

in succession, while the furthest reach of another's thought is a mirage.

إذا بهرت شمسُ الظَّهيرة ناظراً

إذا بهرت شمسُ الظَّهيرة ناظراً

فليس يبالي أن يغيب هلالُ

فليس يبالي أن يغيب هلالُ

When the noonday sun dazzles one who looks upon it,

When the noonday sun dazzles a beholder,

it cares nothing that the crescent moon should disappear.

he does not care if a crescent moon disappears.

أعدتَ دليلَ الحقِّ حسن إبانة

أعدتَ دليلَ الحقِّ حسن إبانة

فصلتَ بسيفٍ قد علاه صقال

فصلتَ بسيفٍ قد علاه صقال

You restored the proof of truth with beautiful clarity,

You set forth truth's proof anew with fine clarity,

settling the matter with a sword polished bright.

then charged with a sword gleaming with polish.

فكلُّ كلامٍ رائقٍ ومحققٍ

فكلُّ كلامٍ رائقٍ ومحققٍ

إليك مُمَالٌ أو ع ليك محال

إليك مُمَالٌ أو ع ليك محال

Thus every elegant and well-established discourse

So every elegant and substantiated discourse

inclines toward you—or, if against you, is impossible.

is directed toward you or referred to you.

ولا غرو أن حزتَ السِّباق ديانةً

ولا غرو أن حزتَ السِّباق ديانةً

فللدِّين والدنيا مدىً ورجال

فللدِّين والدنيا مدىً ورجال

No wonder that you have won the race in devotion:

No wonder you took the lead in piety;

religion and worldly life each have their field and their champions.

for religion and worldly life have their course and their men.

يُذَكِّرُنِيكَ الفضلُ مهما ذكرتُهُ

يُذَكِّرُنِيكَ الفضلُ مهما ذكرتُهُ

وفي كلِّ شيء مشبه ومثال

وفي كلِّ شيء مشبه ومثال

Virtue reminds me of you whenever I mention it,

Excellence reminds me of you whenever I mention it;

for in everything there is some likeness and exemplar.

and in everything are a likeness and an image.

ولم يسلنِي شيءٌ فأنساك عنده

ولم يسلنِي شيءٌ فأنساك عنده

وإن برّ آلٌ أو توفّر مال

وإن برّ آلٌ أو توفّر مال

Nothing has consoled me so that I might forget you in its presence,

And nothing has consoled me enough to make me forget you,

even if family prove devoted or wealth abound.

even if kin are dutiful or wealth abundant.

ولو جاز لي دعوى السُّلِّو ادَّعيتُهُ

ولو جاز لي دعوى السُّلِّو ادَّعيتُهُ

عزاءً ولكنَّ السّلو محال

عزاءً ولكنَّ السّلو محال

Were I permitted to claim forgetfulness, I would claim it

Were I allowed to claim forgetfulness, I would claim it

as consolation—but forgetfulness is impossible.

for consolation—but forgetting is impossible.

ففي كلِّ ودٍّ غير ودِّك ريبةٌ

ففي كلِّ ودٍّ غير ودِّك ريبةٌ

وفي كلِّ خلّ ما خلاك مقال

وفي كلِّ خلّ ما خلاك مقال

In every affection other than yours there is cause for doubt,

For in every affection but yours there is doubt,

and every friend but you is open to reproach.

and every friend but you is open to criticism.