نويتI resolved مسيريmy journey نحوtoward قبرthe tomb of محمدٍMuhammad
نويت مسيري نحو قبر محمدٍ
ليتقِنَso that it may perfect قلبيmy heart مدحَهpraise of him ولسانيand my tongue
ليتقِنَ قلبي مدحَه ولساني
I resolved to make my journey toward Muhammad's tomb,
I set my course towards Muhammad's tomb
so that my heart and my tongue might perfect his praise.
So my heart learns his praise and my tongue his eulogy
نعيبيmy cawing بحمدwith praise of اللَهGod منهfrom him موفرabundant
نعيبي بحمد اللَه منه موفر
وحسبيand sufficient for me عزميmy resolve بعدafter طولlong duration of هوانhumiliation
وحسبي عزمي بعد طول هوان
My cawing, praise be to God, comes from him in abundance,
I blame myself, praise be to Allah, for neglecting him
and my resolve suffices me after long humiliation.
My resolve now suffices after prolonged disgrace
ندمتI regretted علىover التقصيرfalling short إذwhen كنتI was قادراable
ندمت على التقصير إذ كنت قادرا
علىto أننيthat I أسعىstrive لكسبِto gain مكانِa place
على أنني أسعى لكسبِ مكانِ
I regretted falling short when I was able
I regret falling short when I was able
to strive to gain a place.
To seek a place near him that I might occupy
نوائبmisfortunes of دهريmy lifetime عوقتنيheld me back عنfrom المُنىhopes
نوائب دهري عوقتني عن المُنى
وماand not ليfor me لدفعِto ward off الحادِثاتcalamities يَدانtwo hands
وما لي لدفعِ الحادِثات يَدان
The misfortunes of my lifetime kept me from my hopes,
Misfortunes in my life hindered me from my wish
nor have I two hands to ward off calamities.
And I had no means to counter circumstances
نمتgrew حُرقُburning pangs of الأَشواقِlongings بينbetween أضَالعيmy ribs
نمت حُرقُ الأَشواقِ بين أضَالعي
ولبّيتُand I answered داعيthe caller of الوجدlonging حينَwhen دَعانيhe called me
ولبّيتُ داعي الوجد حينَ دَعاني
The burning pangs of longing grew between my ribs,
The fires of yearning burned within my ribs
and I answered the caller of longing when he called me.
And I responded when the confidant called to me
نسيمَO breeze الصَّباthe east wind أهلis there? ليfor me إلىto قبرِthe tomb of أحمدٍAhmad
نسيمَ الصَّبا أهل لي إلى قبرِ أحمدٍ
وصولٌaccess فإنَّfor indeed البُعدَdistance عنهfrom him شَجَانيgrieved me
وصولٌ فإنَّ البُعدَ عنه شَجَاني
O east wind, is Ahmad's tomb within my
The breeze of morn summoned me to Ahmad's grave
reach? For distance from him has grieved me.
For remoteness from him wounds me
نُزوعيmy yearning إلىtoward ذاكَthat الجَنابnoble precinct ولمand have not أقمset out
نُزوعي إلى ذاكَ الجَناب ولم أقم
إليهtoward it كألفاظٍlike words بغيرwithout مَعانيmeanings
إليه كألفاظٍ بغير مَعاني
My yearning for that noble precinct, while I have not set out
My inclination towards that noble one, though I did not stand
toward it, is like words without meanings.
At his side beyond words devoid of meanings
نَبذتُI cast aside منfrom اللذاتpleasures ماwhat كنتُI was حاملاcarrying
نَبذتُ من اللذات ما كنتُ حاملا
إليهtoward it لأنbecause العجزinability عنهregarding it نهائيfinal
إليه لأن العجز عنه نهائي
I cast aside such pleasures as I had been carrying
I cast away such joys I once pursued
toward it, because my inability to attain it is final.
Since achieving them is impossible for me
نهايةthe ultimate end of سؤليmy wish العفوpardon عماfor what جنيتُهI committed it
نهاية سؤلي العفو عما جنيتُه
بجهليthrough my ignorance وربّand the Lord of العالمينthe worlds يَرانيhe sees me
بجهلي وربّ العالمين يَراني
My ultimate wish is pardon for what I committed
I end my plea for pardon for my ignorant sins
in my ignorance, and the Lord of the worlds sees me.
With the Lord of the Worlds seeing me
نفىbanished النومَsleep عنfrom عينيَّmy two eyes خوفُfear of عواقبيmy eventual outcomes
نفى النومَ عن عينيَّ خوفُ عواقبي
فياso, O ربِّmy Lord جُدbe generous ليto me فيin غدٍtomorrow بأمَانِwith safety
فيا ربِّ جُد لي في غدٍ بأمَانِ
Fear of the consequences awaiting me has driven sleep from my eyes;
Fear of the consequences banished sleep from my eyes
so, O my Lord, grant me safety tomorrow.
So Lord, grant me safety on the morrow