بلغ الهوى بفؤادِكَ المجهودا

بلغ الهوى بفؤادِكَ المجهودا

ونفى الرُّقادَ فما يلذُّ هُجودا

ونفى الرُّقادَ فما يلذُّ هُجودا

Love has driven your heart to utter exhaustion,

Passion has exhausted your heart,

And banished sleep, so slumber brings no pleasure.

And denied you sleep, so no rest is pleasant.

طالَ الصدودُ فعدِّ عن طلبِ الصِّبا

طالَ الصدودُ فعدِّ عن طلبِ الصِّبا

وقلِ المديحَ مديحَ المحمودا

وقلِ المديحَ مديحَ المحمودا

Estrangement has lasted long; turn away from pursuing youthful passion,

Rejection has dragged on, so cease pursuing youth,

And utter praise—the praise of the praiseworthy.

And praise the praiseworthy with praise.

لا تمدحنَّ سوى النبيِّ وآلهِ

لا تمدحنَّ سوى النبيِّ وآلهِ

فلقد أراكَ إذا مدحتَ مُجيدا

فلقد أراكَ إذا مدحتَ مُجيدا

Praise none but the Prophet and his family,

Do not praise any but the Prophet and his family,

For I surely see you excelling when you praise.

For I see when you praise the excellent you fail.

أهلُ الكساءِ تَقيهمُ نَفسي الرَّدى

أهلُ الكساءِ تَقيهمُ نَفسي الرَّدى

ولهم أكونُ موالياً ووَدودا

ولهم أكونُ موالياً ووَدودا

The People of the Cloak—may my soul shield them from death;

The people of the mantle guard me from harm

And to them I am loyal and loving.

And to them I will be a loyal friend.

وإليهمُ طَربي وفيهم بُغيَتي

وإليهمُ طَربي وفيهم بُغيَتي

وبهم أؤمِل في الجِنانِ خُلودا

وبهم أؤمِل في الجِنانِ خُلودا

Toward them goes my rapture, and in them lies my desire,

In them is my joy and my desire,

And through them I hope for eternal life in the gardens of Paradise.

And through them I hope for eternal paradise.

طابَ الورودَ بحبِّ آل محمدٍ

طابَ الورودَ بحبِّ آل محمدٍ

حوضَ النبيّ إذا أردتَ وُرودا

حوضَ النبيّ إذا أردتَ وُرودا

Sweet is the coming, through love of Muhammad's family,

The flowers smell sweet with love for Muhammad’s family

To the Prophet's pool, if you wish to come.

When you want flowers, seek his pond.

سُقياً لشيعةِ أحمدٍ ووصيِّه

سُقياً لشيعةِ أحمدٍ ووصيِّه

أعني الإمامَ وليَّنا المحسودا

أعني الإمامَ وليَّنا المحسودا

May drink be granted to the followers of Ahmad and his legatee:

A drink for Ahmad’s supporters and his successor –

I mean the Imam, our guardian, the envied one.

I mean the Imam, our wronged leader.

أعني الموحِّدَ قبل كلِّ موحِّدٍ

أعني الموحِّدَ قبل كلِّ موحِّدٍ

لا عابداً صَنماً ولا جُلمودا

لا عابداً صَنماً ولا جُلمودا

I mean the monotheist before every other monotheist,

I mean the strict monotheist above all monotheists,

Who worshipped neither an idol nor a boulder.

Not an idol worshipper or one rigid.

أعني الذي كشفَ الكروبَ ولم يكن

أعني الذي كشفَ الكروبَ ولم يكن

في الحربِ عند لقائِها رِعديدا

في الحربِ عند لقائِها رِعديدا

I mean the one who dispelled afflictions and was never

I mean the one who removed distress and was not

A trembling coward when he faced battle.

In battle, when meeting it, weak.

أعني الذي نصرَ النبيَّ محمداً

أعني الذي نصرَ النبيَّ محمداً

ووقّاه كيدَ معاشرٍ ومَكيدا

ووقّاه كيدَ معاشرٍ ومَكيدا

I mean the one who aided the Prophet Muhammad,

I mean the one who helped Prophet Muhammad

And shielded him from the plots of bands of men and from guile.

And protected him from the plots of schemers.

نفسي الفداءُ لراكعٍ متصدّقٍ

نفسي الفداءُ لراكعٍ متصدّقٍ

يوماً بخاتَمه فكانَ سَعيدا

يوماً بخاتَمه فكانَ سَعيدا

My soul be ransom for one who gave alms while bowing,

My soul is ransomed for one bowing, giving charity

One day with his ring, and thus was fortunate.

With his ring, and so made fortunate.

نفسي الفداءُ لمن قضى لا غيرُه

نفسي الفداءُ لمن قضى لا غيرُه

دَيْنَ النبيّ ونفَّذَ الموعودا

دَيْنَ النبيّ ونفَّذَ الموعودا

My soul be ransom for him who alone paid

My soul is ransomed for none but him

The Prophet's debt and fulfilled what was promised.

Who paid the Prophet’s debt and kept his promise.

فقضى المتاعَ على الجِمالِ بفضلهِ

فقضى المتاعَ على الجِمالِ بفضلهِ

من صخرةٍ فاذكر له التَمجيدا

من صخرةٍ فاذكر له التَمجيدا

Then, by his bounty, he furnished the provisions upon the camels,

He paid the price on the camels with his merit –

From a rock—so remember to glorify him.

So mention to him the greatest praise.

نَفسي الفلاء لمن يطيبُ بذكرِه

نَفسي الفلاء لمن يطيبُ بذكرِه

منّي النشيدُ إذا أردتَ نَشيدا

منّي النشيدُ إذا أردتَ نَشيدا

My soul be ransom for him whose mention makes sweet

My soul is sacrificed for one who is delighted by mention of him;

My song, whenever you wish for a song.

From me come anthems whenever you want an anthem.

سبقَ الأنامَ إلى الفضائلِ كلِّها

سبقَ الأنامَ إلى الفضائلِ كلِّها

سَبْقَ الجوادِ إلى الرهانِ بَليدا

سَبْقَ الجوادِ إلى الرهانِ بَليدا

He outstripped humankind toward every virtue,

He surpassed all people in every virtue,

As a noble steed outruns a sluggish horse in a race.

Like the excellent horse surpassing the slow in a race.

خُلُقُ النبيِّ لجعفرٍ مع خُلْقِه

خُلُقُ النبيِّ لجعفرٍ مع خُلْقِه

لسنا نريدُ لما حَواه مزيدا

لسنا نريدُ لما حَواه مزيدا

Ja'far has the Prophet's character, along with his disposition.

The character of the Prophet belonged to Ja’far, along with his own –

We desire no addition to what he possesses.

We do not wish for what it contained anything more.

لامَ العذولُ على مَديحي جَعفراً

لامَ العذولُ على مَديحي جَعفراً

فملأتُ فاهُ جَندلاً وصَعيدا

فملأتُ فاهُ جَندلاً وصَعيدا

The faultfinder reproached me for my praise of Ja'far,

Do not blame me for praising Ja’far,

So I filled his mouth with stones and earth.

For I have filled my mouth with pearls and gravel.