سَرى الجَوهرُ العُلويُّ للعالمِ العُلوِي

سَرى الجَوهرُ العُلويُّ للعالمِ العُلوِي

وَأُسكِنَ بَطنَ الأَرض مَستودَعَ السّلوِ

وَأُسكِنَ بَطنَ الأَرض مَستودَعَ السّلوِ

The celestial essence journeyed to the upper world,

The heavenly essence journeyed by night to the world on high,

and was lodged in the earth’s depths, a repository beyond sorrow.

And the repository of solace was lodged in the earth's belly.

وَعُطِّلَ بَيتُ العِلمِ وَالدينِ وَالحِجا

وَعُطِّلَ بَيتُ العِلمِ وَالدينِ وَالحِجا

مِن الذكرِ وَالقُرآنِ وَالفقهِ وَالنَحوِ

مِن الذكرِ وَالقُرآنِ وَالفقهِ وَالنَحوِ

The house of knowledge, faith, and discernment was left vacant

And the house of learning, faith, and intellect was emptied

of remembrance, Qur’an, jurisprudence, and grammar,

Of remembrance, the Qur'an, jurisprudence, and grammar.

وَقَد كانَ مَعموراً بِسُنَّةِ أَحمَدٍ

وَقَد كانَ مَعموراً بِسُنَّةِ أَحمَدٍ

فَها هُوَ ذا مِن بَعدِ أُنسٍ بِها مُقوي

فَها هُوَ ذا مِن بَعدِ أُنسٍ بِها مُقوي

though once it had flourished with the tradition of Ahmad;

Though it had been filled with Ahmad's tradition,

now, after the intimacy of her presence, it stands desolate.

Here it stands deserted, after the comfort of her company.

وَكانَت نُضارٌ فيهِ شَمساً منيرةً

وَكانَت نُضارٌ فيهِ شَمساً منيرةً

فَعوجِلَ ذاكَ النُورُ بِالكَسفِ وَالمَحوِ

فَعوجِلَ ذاكَ النُورُ بِالكَسفِ وَالمَحوِ

Nudar had been a radiant sun within it,

And Nudar had been a radiant sun within it,

but that light was swiftly overtaken by eclipse and erasure—

But that light was swiftly overtaken by eclipse and erasure.

فَتاةٌ كَأنَّ الحسنَ خُيِّرَ أينَ مَن

فَتاةٌ كَأنَّ الحسنَ خُيِّرَ أينَ مَن

يَحِلُّ بِها فاختارَها طالبُ البَأوِ

يَحِلُّ بِها فاختارَها طالبُ البَأوِ

a maiden, as though Beauty had been asked whom

A maiden—as though beauty were given a choice of where and in whom

it should inhabit, and, seeking glory, chose her.

To dwell; then, seeking grandeur, it chose her.

جَرى الناس شَأواً للمعالي وَقَصَّروا

جَرى الناس شَأواً للمعالي وَقَصَّروا

وَجاءَت نُضارٌ فيهِ سابِقَة الشَأوِ

وَجاءَت نُضارٌ فيهِ سابِقَة الشَأوِ

People ran their course toward lofty honors, yet fell short,

People raced toward lofty attainments, but fell short,

while Nudar came foremost in that race.

And Nudar came first in that race.

وَما لنضارٍ في البَناتِ نَظيرةٌ

وَما لنضارٍ في البَناتِ نَظيرةٌ

لَفاقَت بَناتَ الناسِ في الحَضرِ وَالبَدوِ

لَفاقَت بَناتَ الناسِ في الحَضرِ وَالبَدوِ

Among all daughters, Nudar has no equal;

And among daughters Nudar has no equal;

she surpassed the daughters of humankind, in town and desert alike.

Indeed, she surpassed people's daughters in town and desert.

سَلامٌ عَلى ذاكَ الشَبابِ الَّذي لَها

سَلامٌ عَلى ذاكَ الشَبابِ الَّذي لَها

تَرَدّى رِداءَ العلمِ وَالدينِ وَالسّروِ

تَرَدّى رِداءَ العلمِ وَالدينِ وَالسّروِ

Peace upon that youth of hers which

Peace upon that youth of hers, which

clothed itself in the mantle of knowledge, faith, and nobility.

Donned the robe of learning, faith, and nobility.

سَلامٌ عَلى فَخرِ البَناتِ الَّتي غَدَت

سَلامٌ عَلى فَخرِ البَناتِ الَّتي غَدَت

لداتٌ لَها تزهى بِها أَيَّما زَهوِ

لداتٌ لَها تزهى بِها أَيَّما زَهوِ

Peace upon the pride of maidens, whose

Peace upon the pride of daughters, who became

peers took surpassing pride in her.

The source of her peers' utmost pride.

يُعَظِّمنَها إِمّا حَلَلنَ بِمُنتَدىً

يُعَظِّمنَها إِمّا حَلَلنَ بِمُنتَدىً

فَيجلِسنَ سُفلاً وَهيَ تَجلِس في البَهوِ

فَيجلِسنَ سُفلاً وَهيَ تَجلِس في البَهوِ

They would honor her whenever they gathered in an assembly,

They revere her whenever they arrive at an assembly,

sitting below while she sat in the place of honor.

And sit below, while she sits in the hall.

يُقَبِّلنَ مِنها الردنَ عِظماً لِشأنِها

يُقَبِّلنَ مِنها الردنَ عِظماً لِشأنِها

فَتُلقي لَهُنَّ الدُرَّ مِن مَنطِقٍ حُلوِ

فَتُلقي لَهُنَّ الدُرَّ مِن مَنطِقٍ حُلوِ

They would kiss her sleeve, so great was her stature,

They kiss her sleeve in reverence for her standing,

and she would scatter pearls of sweet speech before them.

And she casts them pearls from sweet speech.

أَبَعدَ نُضارٍ أَبتَغي صَفوَ عِيشَةٍ

أَبَعدَ نُضارٍ أَبتَغي صَفوَ عِيشَةٍ

وَقَد كُدِّرَت يا بُعدَ عَيشي مِن الصَفوِ

وَقَد كُدِّرَت يا بُعدَ عَيشي مِن الصَفوِ

After Nudar, can I seek serenity in life,

After Nudar, am I to seek life's serenity,

when it has been clouded? How far my life is now from serenity!

When it has been clouded—oh, how far my life is from serenity!

لَقَد أَشرَبَت قَلبي وَطَرفي وَمَسمَعي

لَقَد أَشرَبَت قَلبي وَطَرفي وَمَسمَعي

وَما ليَ مِن فكرٍ وَما ليَ مِن عُضوِ

وَما ليَ مِن فكرٍ وَما ليَ مِن عُضوِ

Indeed, she has infused my heart, my sight, and my hearing,

Indeed, she has suffused my heart, my sight, and my hearing,

every thought I have and every limb of mine.

And every thought I have, and every limb.

وَإِنّي مَعمورُ الزَمانِ بِشَخصِها

وَإِنّي مَعمورُ الزَمانِ بِشَخصِها

يمثل لي في الأَمسِ وَاليَومِ وَالغدوِ

يمثل لي في الأَمسِ وَاليَومِ وَالغدوِ

Through all of time, I am filled with her presence,

And all my time is filled with her image,

appearing before me yesterday, today, and tomorrow.

Appearing before me yesterday, today, and tomorrow.

وَعاهدتُ أَنّي لا أَزالُ إِزاءَها

وَعاهدتُ أَنّي لا أَزالُ إِزاءَها

مُقيماً كَئيباً دائمَ الشَوقِ وَالشَجوِ

مُقيماً كَئيباً دائمَ الشَوقِ وَالشَجوِ

I have vowed that I shall remain beside her,

And I have vowed that I shall always remain before her,

abiding sorrowfully, forever yearning and grieving,

Abiding, sorrowful, with constant longing and grief,

إِلى أَن تُوافيني شَعوبُ فَنَرتَقي

إِلى أَن تُوافيني شَعوبُ فَنَرتَقي

مِن الوَهدَةِ السُفلى إِلى العالمِ العُلوي

مِن الوَهدَةِ السُفلى إِلى العالمِ العُلوي

until Sha‘ub—Death—comes to me, and we ascend

Until Death comes to me, and we ascend

from this lowest hollow to the upper world.

From the lowest hollow to the world on high.

لَئِن كانَ غَيري قَد سَها عَن حَبيبِهِ

لَئِن كانَ غَيري قَد سَها عَن حَبيبِهِ

فَما أَنا يَوماً عَن نُضارَ بذي سَهوِ

فَما أَنا يَوماً عَن نُضارَ بذي سَهوِ

Though others may have grown heedless of their beloved,

Even if someone else has forgotten his beloved,

never for a day shall I be heedless of Nudar.

Never for a day am I forgetful of Nudar.

وَإِن كانَ سَكرانٌ مِن الحُبِّ قَد صَحا

وَإِن كانَ سَكرانٌ مِن الحُبِّ قَد صَحا

فَإِنّي سَكرانٌ وَما لي مِن صَحوِ

فَإِنّي سَكرانٌ وَما لي مِن صَحوِ

Though one drunk with love may have sobered,

And if one drunk with love has sobered,

I remain drunk, with no sobriety for me.

Then I am drunk, and no sobriety is mine.

سَقى رَوضَةً حَلَّت نُضارُ قَرارَها

سَقى رَوضَةً حَلَّت نُضارُ قَرارَها

مُغِبّ مِن الغُرِّ الغَوادِي بِلا صَحوِ

مُغِبّ مِن الغُرِّ الغَوادِي بِلا صَحوِ

May a garden where Nudar has made her resting place be watered

May the garden in whose depths Nudar rests be watered

by ceaseless showers from radiant morning clouds, with never a clearing;

By recurring rain from bright morning clouds, with no clearing.

وَلا زالَ رَيحانٌ يُظِلُّ ضَريحَها

وَلا زالَ رَيحانٌ يُظِلُّ ضَريحَها

فَما رَوضَةٌ تَحوي كمثلِ الَّذي تَحوِي

فَما رَوضَةٌ تَحوي كمثلِ الَّذي تَحوِي

and may sweet basil forever shade her grave—

And may sweet basil ever shade her tomb,

for no garden holds the like of what this one holds.

For no garden holds anything like what this one holds.