يا دَهْرُ قَدْ سَمَحَ الحَبِيبُ بِقُرْبِهِ

يا دَهْرُ قَدْ سَمَحَ الحَبِيبُ بِقُرْبِهِ

بَعْدَ النَّوَى وأَمِنْتُ عَتْبَ مُحبِّهِ

بَعْدَ النَّوَى وأَمِنْتُ عَتْبَ مُحبِّهِ

O Time, the beloved has allowed me to draw near him,

O Time, the beloved has allowed closeness

After separation, and I am safe from his lover's reproach.

After estrangement, and I feel safe from the reproach of the lover

تاللَّه لا آخَذْتُ صَرْفَكَ بَعْدَمَا

تاللَّه لا آخَذْتُ صَرْفَكَ بَعْدَمَا

صُرِفَ البُعَادُ وَلا جَنحْتُ لِعَتبِهِ

صُرِفَ البُعَادُ وَلا جَنحْتُ لِعَتبِهِ

By God, I shall not blame your vicissitudes now that

By God, I will not take your turning aside after

Separation has been banished, nor incline to reproaching it.

Distance has been turned aside, nor will I incline toward his reproach

أَبْدَى النَّوَى غَدْراً فأَبْدَى المُلْتَقَى

أَبْدَى النَّوَى غَدْراً فأَبْدَى المُلْتَقَى

إِحْسانَ صَفْحِي عَنْ إِسَاءَةِ ذَنْبِهِ

إِحْسانَ صَفْحِي عَنْ إِسَاءَةِ ذَنْبِهِ

Separation displayed treachery; reunion then displayed

Estrangement showed betrayal, so the meeting

The grace of my pardoning its wrongful deed.

Showed the kindness of my pardoning his sin

بِتْنَا وَكُلٌّ يَشْتَكي لِرَفيقِهِ

بِتْنَا وَكُلٌّ يَشْتَكي لِرَفيقِهِ

بَعْضَ الَّذِي فَعلَ الهَوى في قَلْبِهِ

بَعْضَ الَّذِي فَعلَ الهَوى في قَلْبِهِ

We spent the night, each complaining to his companion

We complained together, each to his companion,

Of some of what passion had done to his heart.

About some of what passion did in his heart

لَفْظٌ يَرِقُّ كما تَرِقُّ مُدامَةٌ

لَفْظٌ يَرِقُّ كما تَرِقُّ مُدامَةٌ

أَمْ خلْقُ زَيْنِ الدينِ رَقَّ لِصَحْبِهِ

أَمْ خلْقُ زَيْنِ الدينِ رَقَّ لِصَحْبِهِ

Is this speech as delicate as wine,

A utterance as gentle as the softness of wine,

Or has Zayn al-Din's character softened toward his companions?

Or is it the nature of the grace of Zayn al-Din's company?

ذُو غُرَّةٍ وَدَّ الزَّمانُ لَو أَنَّهُ

ذُو غُرَّةٍ وَدَّ الزَّمانُ لَو أَنَّهُ

يَجْلُو بِنَيِّرِها دُجُنَّةَ خَطْبِهِ

يَجْلُو بِنَيِّرِها دُجُنَّةَ خَطْبِهِ

He has a radiant brow; Time wishes it could

One with a flush of youth, time adored him, if only

Dispel the gloom of its calamity with that brow's light.

Its brilliance would uncover the veils of his discourse

وَمَناقِبٌ عُلْويَّةٌ لمّا بَدتْ

وَمَناقِبٌ عُلْويَّةٌ لمّا بَدتْ

فَرِحَ الظَلَامُ وظَنَّها مِنْ شُهْبِهِ

فَرِحَ الظَلَامُ وظَنَّها مِنْ شُهْبِهِ

And lofty virtues—when they appeared,

And eminent Alid virtues when they appeared

Darkness rejoiced and thought them among its shooting stars.

The darkness rejoiced, thinking them to be its meteors

مَوْلايَ دَعْوةَ مَنْ لَوِ اقْتَرَحَ المُنَى

مَوْلايَ دَعْوةَ مَنْ لَوِ اقْتَرَحَ المُنَى

مَا كَانَ إِلّا أَنْتَ غَايةَ إرْبِهِ

مَا كَانَ إِلّا أَنْتَ غَايةَ إرْبِهِ

My lord, heed the plea of one who, were he to name his wishes,

My Master, the prayer of one who, if he attained wishes

Would have you alone as the goal of his desire.

Would have none but You as the goal of his desire

وَافى إِلى حِفْظِ الودادِ فَوَفِّهِ

وَافى إِلى حِفْظِ الودادِ فَوَفِّهِ

ودَعَا يُرجِّي العَهْدَ مِنْكَ فَلبِّهِ

ودَعَا يُرجِّي العَهْدَ مِنْكَ فَلبِّهِ

He has come to preserve affection; so give him his due.

He has come to keep faithfulness, so keep it with him

And he has appealed, hoping for a pledge from you; so answer him.

And called to renew the covenant with You, so renew it