ظَبيٌ بثوب الهوى تردَّى

ظَبيٌ بثوب الهوى تردَّى

يكاد باللحظ أن يُقَدَّا

يكاد باللحظ أن يُقَدَّا

A gazelle, wrapped in passion’s robe,

A gazelle has draped himself in love’s robe,

with a glance nearly rends one to shreds.

Almost cleft in two by a glance.

يمشي كما حرَّكتْ شَمَالٌ

يمشي كما حرَّكتْ شَمَالٌ

غُصْناً من البان قد تندَّى

غُصْناً من البان قد تندَّى

He walks as a north wind might stir

He walks as a north wind sways

a dew-drenched bough of the ben tree.

A dew-moistened branch of the bān tree.

كأنما اللحظ إذ رماه

كأنما اللحظ إذ رماه

أنبت في وجنتيه وَرْدا

أنبت في وجنتيه وَرْدا

As though the gaze, the moment it struck him,

As though the glance, when it struck him,

made roses bloom upon his cheeks.

Made roses bloom upon his cheeks.

كتَبتْ إليك يدي وطَرْفي جائلٌ

كتَبتْ إليك يدي وطَرْفي جائلٌ

في الخطّ والمملي عليَّ فؤادي

في الخطّ والمملي عليَّ فؤادي

My hand wrote to you, my eye roaming

My hand wrote to you while my gaze wandered

over the script, while my heart dictated to me.

Over the writing, while my heart dictated to me.

وجميعُ أعضائي وفكري كلُّه

وجميعُ أعضائي وفكري كلُّه

مستجمِع الإصدارِ والإيراد

مستجمِع الإصدارِ والإيراد

And every limb of mine, and all my thought,

And all my limbs and all my thought

were wholly mustered for the ebb and flow of words.

Were wholly intent on sending forth and bringing in.

فشُغِلتُ عن تبليغ شيخك ساهياً

فشُغِلتُ عن تبليغ شيخك ساهياً

فيه السلام وكان ذاك مرادي

فيه السلام وكان ذاك مرادي

Thus, preoccupied, I heedlessly failed to convey

So, absentmindedly, I neglected to convey to your shaykh

in it greetings to a sheikh, though that was my intent.

Greetings in it—and that had been my intention.

قد يترك الإنسان حاجَة نفسه

قد يترك الإنسان حاجَة نفسه

فتفوت سهواَ وهي بالمِرصاد

فتفوت سهواَ وهي بالمِرصاد

A man may leave his own need unattended,

A person may neglect a need of his own,

and lose it inadvertently, though it lies in wait.

And it slips away through forgetfulness, though it lies in wait.

والساغِب الظمآن يَنسَى شُرْبَه

والساغِب الظمآن يَنسَى شُرْبَه

للماء وهو إليه صبٌّ صادي

للماء وهو إليه صبٌّ صادي

Even one famished and parched forgets to drink

And the hungry, thirsty man forgets to drink

water, though he yearns for it, athirst.

Water, though he is lovesick for it and parched.

والعذر يكفِينيه عندك بعد ذا

والعذر يكفِينيه عندك بعد ذا

علمي بأنك عالم بودادي

علمي بأنك عالم بودادي

The excuse that suffices me before you, then,

And what suffices as my excuse with you, after this,

is knowing that you know my affection.

Is knowing that you know my affection.

فإذا أتاك الشِّعْر عني بالذي

فإذا أتاك الشِّعْر عني بالذي

ضمَّنْتُه من نور عذرٍ بادي

ضمَّنْتُه من نور عذرٍ بادي

So when this verse comes to you from me with what

So when the poem comes to you from me, bearing what

I placed within it—the light of an evident excuse—

I put within it—the light of a manifest excuse—

فاقْرَ السلام على الإمام مقبِّلاً

فاقْرَ السلام على الإمام مقبِّلاً

للترب عني رائحاً أو غادي

للترب عني رائحاً أو غادي

then convey greetings to the Imam, kissing

Then convey greetings to the Imam, kissing

the dust on my behalf, evening or morning.

The dust on my behalf, whether going in the evening or morning.

فهْوَ الذي بجميله وجزيله

فهْوَ الذي بجميله وجزيله

نلنا المنى مخضرَّةَ الأعواد

نلنا المنى مخضرَّةَ الأعواد

For through his gracious and abundant favor

For he is the one through whose kindness and bounty

we won our hopes, their branches flourishing green.

We attained our wishes, their boughs green.

صلّى عليه الله مصطفِيا له

صلّى عليه الله مصطفِيا له

وكفاه شِرَّه أعُينِ الحُسَّاد

وكفاه شِرَّه أعُينِ الحُسَّاد

May God bless him, having chosen him,

May God bless him, singling him out for favor,

and shield him from the evil of envious eyes.

And shield him from the malice of envious eyes.