قد آن أن تلوي العنان وتقصرا — Alhbal

قَد آنَ أنْ تَلْوي العِنَانَ وتقصرَا

أوَمَا كفاكَ الشّيبُ ويْحَكَ مُنْذِرا

The time has come to turn the reins and desist.

Has gray hair not sufficed you, alas, as a warning?

كم ذا يُعيدُ لكَ الصِّبا مَرُّ الصبَّا

مَهْمَا سَرى والبَرقُ وَهْناً إن شَرى

How often does the passing east wind bring your youth back,

Whenever it blows by night, and lightning, late at night, if it flashes?

حَتَام لاَ ينفكُ قلبُكَ دَائِماً

لِهوَى الغَواني مَوْرِداً أو مَصْدَرا

How long will your heart remain forever

A watering-place or departure-point for love of beautiful women?

وإلامَ يَعْذلكَ المناصِحُ مُشْفِقاً

فتقول دَعْني ليسَ إلاّ ما تَرى

And how long must your sincere adviser reproach you in concern,

While you say, 'Leave me: there is nothing but what you see'?

وإلى مَتى تَزدادُ مِن مُقَلِ الظِّبا

وخدودِهنّ تَدَلُّهاً وتَحيُّرا

And how long will you grow, from the eyes of gazelles

And their cheeks, ever more infatuated and bewildered?

ولَكمْ تَذوبُ تَشَوّقاً وصَبَابةٌ

وتَظَلّ تُجْري من عيونِكَ أَنْهُرا

How often you melt in yearning and passionate love,

And keep making rivers flow from your eyes!

أضحَى حديثُ غديرِ دَمعِكَ شهرةً

يحكي حَديثَ غديرِ خُمٍّ في الورى

The tale of your tears' pool has become renowned,

Echoing the tale of Ghadir Khumm among humankind.

أكرمْ بهِ من مَنزلٍ في ظلِّه

نَصَبَ المهيمنُ للإمامةِ حَيْدَرا

How noble a stopping-place, in whose shade

The Guardian appointed Haydar to the imamate!

نصَّ النبيُّ بها إذاً عن أمرِه

في حَيدرٍ نصَّاً جَليّاً نيّرا

The Prophet then declared it at His command,

Concerning Haydar—a clear and radiant declaration.

إذْ قام في لَفْحِ الهجيرة رافعاً

يدَه لأمْرٍ ما أقامَ وهَجرا

When he stood in the scorching midday heat, raising

His hand for the purpose that made him halt and brave the midday heat.

صِنوُ النبّي محمدٍ ووصيُّه

وأبو سَليليْهِ شَبير وشبَرا

The Prophet Muhammad's kindred counterpart and his executor,

And father of his two offspring, Shabbir and Shabbar.

مَن ذا سواهُ مِن البريّة كلّها

زكّى بخاتمه ومَدَّ الخنْصُر

Who, other than he, among all creation,

Gave alms with his ring and extended his little finger?

مَنْ غيرُه رُدّتْ لَه شمسُ الضّحَى

وكفاهُ فضلاً في الأَنامِ ومَفخرا

For whom but he was the morning sun brought back?

That suffices him for merit and glory among humankind.

مَنْ قَامَ في ذات الإله مجَاهداً

ولِحَصْدِ أعداءِ الإله مُشمراً

Who strove in God's own cause,

And girded himself to reap God's enemies?

مَنْ نامَ فوقَ فراشِ طه غيرُه

مُزْمِّلاً في برْدِهِ مُدَّثِّرا

Who but he slept upon Ta-Ha's bed,

Enfolded in his mantle, wrapped close?

مَنْ قطَّ في بَدْرٍ رؤوس حُماتِها

حَتّى علا بدرُ اليَقين وأسفرا

Who at Badr lopped off the heads of its defenders,

Until the full moon of certainty rose and shone?

مَنْ قَدَّ في أُحدٍ ورودَ كُماتِها

إذ قَهْقَر الأسدُ الكميّ وأدبرا

Who at Uhud cleft the necks of its armored warriors,

When the armored lion retreated and turned away?

مَنْ في حُنَينِ كانَ ليثَ نِزالِها

والصَّيدُ قد رَجَعتْ هناكَ إلى الورى

Who at Hunayn was the lion of its combat,

While the proud warriors there had fallen back?

مَنْ كان فاتحَ خيبرٍ إذ أدْبرتْ

عَنْها الثلاثةُ سَلْ بذل خيبرا

Who conquered Khaybar when

The three turned away from it? Ask Khaybar of this.

مَنْ ذا بها المختار أعَطَاه اللّوا

هَلْ كانَ ذلك حيدراً أم حَبترا

Who was it there to whom the Chosen One gave the banner?

Was that Haydar, or Habtar?

أفَهَلْ بَقي عُذرٌ لِمَنْ عَرفَ الهدى

ثُم انْثَنَى عَنْ نَهجهِ وتغيّرا

Is any excuse left for one who knew guidance,

Then turned from its path and changed?

لاَ يُبعدِ الرَّحمن إلاّ عصبةً

ضلّتْ وأخطأتِ السَّبيل الأنورا

May the Merciful banish none but a band

That strayed and missed the brightest path.

نبذُوا كتابَ الله خلْف ظهورِهم

لِيخالفُوا النَصَّ الجليَّ الأَظْهرا

They cast God's Book behind their backs

To oppose the clear, most manifest declaration.

واللهِ لو تركُوا الإمامةَ حيثما

جُعِلَتْ لما فَرَعَتْ أميّةُ منْبَرا

By God, had they left the imamate where

It was placed, Umayyah would never have mounted a pulpit.

جعلوهُ رابعَهُم وكانَ مُقَدّماً

فيهمْ ومأموراً وكانَ مُؤمَرا

They made him their fourth, though he had precedence

Among them, and made him commanded, though appointed commander.

وتَعمَّدوا مِن غَصْب نِحْلةِ فَاطمِ

وَسِهَامِها الموروث أمراً مُنكَرا

And deliberately, by usurping Fatimah's gift

And her inherited shares, committed a reprehensible deed.

يا مَنْ يُريدُ الحقَّ أَنْصِتْ واسْتمِعْ

قولي وكُنْ أَبَداً لَهُ مُتَدَبِّرا

O seeker of truth, be silent and listen

To my words, and always ponder them.

إِرْبَأْ بِنَفْسِك أَنْ تَضِلَّ عَنِ الهدى

وَتَظلَّ في تِيهِ الْهوَى مُتَحيرَا

Hold yourself too high to stray from guidance

And remain bewildered in desire's wilderness.

أَنَا نَاصحٌ لَكَ إنْ قَبِلتَ نَصِيحَتي

خَلِّ الضّلالَ وخُذْ بحجْزةِ حيدرا

I am your sincere adviser, if you accept my counsel:

Abandon error and take hold of Haydar's waistband.

مَنْ لَمْ يكُنْ يأتي الصِّراطَ لَدَى القضا

بجوازِهِ مِنْ حَيْدَرٍ لَنْ يَعْبُرا

Whoever does not come to the Sirat at Judgment

With his pass from Haydar will not cross.

والَيتُهُ وبَرِئْتُ مِنْ أَعْدائِهِ

إذ لاَ ولاء يكونُ مِن دُون البَرا

I pledged allegiance to him and disavowed his enemies,

For there is no allegiance without disavowal.

قُلْ لِلَّنواصِبِ قَدْ مُنِيتُمْ مِن شَبَا

فِكْري بِمَشْحُوذِ الْجوانب أَبْتَرا

Tell the Nasibis: you have been struck by the edge

Of my thought—a keen-edged, severing blade.

كَمْ ذا إلى أبناء أحمد لم يزَلْ

ظُلماً يدبُّ ضريركُم دَبَّ الضَّرى

How long, against Ahmad's sons, has

Your malice crept unjustly, as ravenous beasts creep?

أَنَا مَنْ أَبا لِيَ بغضَ آلِ محمّدٍ

مَجْدٌ أنافَ على مُنيفَاتِ الذُّرى

I am one forbidden to hate Muhammad's House

By glory towering above the loftiest summits.

أخواليَ الغُرّ الأكارم هَاشمٌ

وإذَا ذكرتُ الأَصلَ أذكرُ حِميرا

My illustrious, noble maternal kin are of Hashim;

And when I recall my lineage, I recall Himyar.

غرسٌ نَما في المجدِ أورقَ غُصنُهُ

بِوِدادِ أبناءِ النبيّ وأثمرا

A planting grown in glory, whose branch has leafed

Through love for the Prophet's sons, and borne fruit.

شرفي العظيم ومفخري أنّي لَهُمْ

عبدٌ وحُقّ بِمثلِ ذا أن أَفخرا

My great honor and pride are that I am their

Servant—and I rightly boast of such a thing.

لَن يعتريني في اقتفاء طريقِهم

ريبُ يصدُّ عن اليقينِ ولا أمْتِرَي

In following their path, I will never be assailed

By doubt that blocks certainty, nor will I doubt.

هذي عقيداتي التي ألْقَى بها

ربَّ الأنام إذا أتيتُ المحشرا

These are my beliefs, with which I shall meet

The Lord of humankind when I come to the gathering.

إنّي رجوت رِضَى الإله بحبّهمْ

وجعلتُه لي عندهم أقوى العُرى

I have hoped for God's pleasure through loving them,

And made that love my strongest bond with them.

يا أيّها الغادي المجدّ بجَسْرةٍ

يَطْوي السَّباسِبَ رَائِحاً ومُبكْرَا

O earnest traveler setting out on a sturdy she-camel,

Crossing the broad plains at evening and at dawn,

جُزْ بالغريّ مُسَلَّماً مَتواضعاً

ولِحُرّ وجهْك في ثراهُ معفّرا

Pass through al-Ghari with greetings and humility,

And rub your noble face in its soil,

حيثُ الإمامة والوصايةُ والوزارة

والهُدى لا شكَّ فيه ولا َ مِرا

Where are the imamate, executorship, ministry,

And guidance, with no doubt or dispute.

والْممْ بقبرٍ فيهِ سَيدة النّسا

بأبي وأمّي ما أبرَّ وأظهرَا

And visit a grave containing the Lady of Women;

My father and mother be her ransom—how righteous and pure!

قبَلْ ثراها عَن مُحّبٍ قلبُهُ

ما انفكَ جاحم حُزنِه مُشعِّرا

Kiss her soil on behalf of a lover whose heart

Never ceases to kindle the blaze of its grief.

مُتَلهَفٌ غضبان مِمّا نالَها

لا يَستطيعُ تجلّداً وتَصبرَا

He is anguished, angry at what befell her,

Unable to muster endurance or patience.

وأفِضْ إلى نَجل النبيّ محمدٍ

والسّبط مِنْ رَيحانَتَيْهِ الأكْبَرا

And hasten to the son of the Prophet Muhammad,

The grandson, the elder of his two sweet basils;

من طلّق الدنيا ثلاثاً واغْتدى

للضرّةِ الأُخرى عليها مُؤْثرا

He who divorced this world three times, and became

One who favored its other co-wife over it.

مُسْتَسْلِماً إذ خانَه أَصحابُهُ

وعراهُ من خُذلانِهم ما قد عرا

Yielding when his companions betrayed him,

And their abandonment brought upon him what it brought.

واستعجل ابنُ هندٍ موتَهُ

فسَقَاه كأساً لِلْمنَيةِ أعفرا

The son of Hind hastened his death,

And gave him a dust-colored cup of death to drink.

وقُل التحية مِنْ سميّك مَن غدا

بكمُ يُرجَي ذنبَهُ أن يُغْفرا

Say: 'Greetings from your namesake, who has come,

Through you, to hope that his sin will be forgiven.'

وبكَرْبلا عَرّجْ فإنّ بِكَربلا

رِمَماً منعْنَ عيونَنا طَعْمَ الكَرى

And turn aside to Karbala, for in Karbala

Are remains that denied our eyes the taste of sleep.

حيث الذي حزنَتْ لمصرعِه السَّما

وبكَتْ لمقتلِه نجيعاً أحمرا

There lies the one for whose fall heaven grieved

And for whose killing it wept crimson blood.

فإذا بلغتَ السُّؤل من هذا وذَا

وقضْيتَ حقاً لِلّزيارةِ أكبرا

When you have attained your wish through this one and that,

And discharged the greater duty of visitation,

عُجْ بالكُناسةِ باكياً لِمصارعٍ

غُرّ تذوب لها النفوسُ تَحَسُّرا

Turn aside to al-Kunasah, weeping over deaths

Of illustrious ones, for which souls melt in sorrow.

مَهما نسيتُ فلَسْتُ أنسى مَصْرعاً

لأبي الحُسين الدِّهرَ حتى أقبرا

Whatever I forget, I shall not forget the death

Of Abu al-Husayn, all my life, until I am buried.

ما زلتُ أسألُ كلّ غادٍ رائحً

عن قبره لم أَلْقَ عنهُ مُخْبِرا

I keep asking every traveler coming and going

About his grave, but have found no one to tell me.

بأبيْ وبيْ بَلْ بالخلائِق كلّها

مَن لاَ لَهُ قبرٌ يُزارُ ولا يُرَى

My father and I—indeed, all creation—be ransom for

One who has no grave to be visited or seen.

مَن نابذَ الطَّاغي اللّعينَ وقادَها

لِقتالِه شُعْثَ النَّواصي ضُمَّرا

He who defied the accursed tyrant and led them

To fight him—lean steeds with disheveled forelocks;

مَنْ باعَ من ربِّ البريّة نفسَهُ

يا نِعْمَ بائِعِها ونِعْمَ من اشترى

He who sold his soul to the Lord of creation—

How excellent its seller, and how excellent its buyer!

مَنْ قَامَ شاهرَ سيفِه في عُصْبَةٍ

زيديّة يَقّفُو السَّبيلَ الأنورا

He who rose, drawing his sword, among a band

Of Zaydis, following the brightest path;

مَن لا يسامي كُلُّ فَضْلٍ فَضْلَهُ

مَن لا يُدانَي قَدْرُه أنْ يُقْدرا

He whose virtue no virtue can rival,

Whose rank cannot be approached, let alone measured;

مَن جاءَ في الأخْبارِ طيبُ ثنائِه

عن جدّه خيرِ الأَنام مُكرّرا

He whose sweet praise came in reports

Repeatedly from his forefather, the best of humankind;

مَنْ قالَ فيهِ كقولِه في جدّه

أَعْني عَليّاً خيرَ مَنْ وطأَ الثرى

He of whom he spoke as he spoke of his forefather—

I mean Ali, the best who ever trod the earth—

مِنْ أنّ مَحضَ الحقّ معْهُ لم يكن

متقّدماً عنهُ ولا متأخّرا

That the pure truth was with him, never

Ahead of him or lagging behind;

هو صفوةُ الله الَّذي نَعشَ الهدى

وحبيبُهُ بالنصِّ من خيرِ الورى

He is God's chosen one, who revived guidance,

And His beloved, by the explicit word of the best of humankind;

ومُزَلْزلُ السَّبعِ الطّبَاق إذا دهَا

ومُزعزعُ الشُّمِّ الشوامخِ إن قَرا

Shaker of the seven layered heavens when he strikes,

And mover of the lofty, towering mountains when he advances.

كلٌّ يقصّرُ عن مَدَى ميدانِه

وهو المجلّى في الكرامِ بلا مِرا

All fall short of the reach of his field,

While he is foremost among the noble, without dispute.

بالله أَحلِفُ أنّه لأجَلُّ مَنْ

بعد الوصيّ سِوَى شَبير وشبّرا

By God I swear: he is the noblest of those

After the Executor, except Shabbir and Shabbar.

قد فاق سادةَ بيتهِ بمكارمٍ

غرّاء جَلَّتْ أن تُعَدّ وتُحصرَا

He surpassed the masters of his house in noble qualities,

Radiant virtues too great to be counted or encompassed;

بسماحةٍ نَبَويّةٍ قَد أخْجَلَتْ

بِنَوالِها حتّى الغمامَ الممطِرا

With prophetic generosity that has shamed,

By its gifts, even the rain-bearing clouds;

وشجاعةٍ علويّةٍ قد أَخْرسَتْ

ليتَ الشّرى في غابهِ أنْ يَزأرا

And courage like Ali's that has silenced

The lion of Shara in his thicket, preventing his roar.

ما زالَ مُذْ عَقَدَت يداه إزارَهُ

لم يَدْرِ كذْباً في المقال ولا افْتِرا

Ever since his two hands tied his waist-wrapper,

He never knew falsehood in speech or fabrication.

لمَّا تكامَلَ فيه كلُّ فضيلةٍ

وسرَى بأفقِ المجدِ بدراً نَيّرا

When every virtue was perfected in him,

And he traversed glory's horizon as a radiant full moon,

ورأى الضَّلالَ وقد طغَى طوفانهُ

والحقّ قد ولَّى هُنالكَ مُدْبرا

And saw error's flood overflowing,

While truth had turned away there in retreat,

سلَّ السيوفَ البيضَ من عزماتِه

ليؤيّدَ الدينَ الحَنيفَ ويَنْصرا

He drew the white swords of his resolve

To strengthen and defend the upright faith.

وسرَى على نُجب الشهادة قاصداً

دَارَ البقا يا قرب ما حَمِدَ السُّرى

He journeyed on the noble steeds of martyrdom, seeking

The abode of eternity—how soon he praised the night journey!

وغَدا وقد عقَد اللوا مُسْتَغْفِراً

تحتَ الّلِوا ومُهَلّلاً ومُكَبّرا

He set out, having bound the banner, asking forgiveness

Beneath the banner, proclaiming God's oneness and greatness,

للهِ يحمدُ حينَ أكملَ دينَه

وأنَنَالَهُ الفضلَ الجزيلَ الأوفرا

Praising God when He perfected his faith

And granted him grace abundant and overflowing.

يُؤلي أليَّةَ صادقٍ لو لَمْ يكن

لي غير يحي ابْني نصيراً في الورى

He swears the oath of a truthful man: 'Even if I had

No helper among humankind but my son Yahya,

لم أثنِ عزمي أو يعودُ بي الهدى

لاَ أَمْتَ فيه أوْ أموت فَأُعذرا

I would not bend my resolve until guidance returned with me,

Without crookedness in it, or I died and was excused.

ما سَرَّني أنّي لقيتُ محمداً

لَمْ أُحْيِ مَعْروفاً وأنكرْ مُنكرا

It would not please me to meet Muhammad

Without reviving what is right and condemning what is wrong.'

فأتوا إليهِ بالصّواهِل شُزَّباً

وبيعْملات العيس تَنْفخ في البُرَى

So they came to him with whinnying horses, lean,

And tireless pale camels, blowing against their nose-rings,

وبكلّ أبيض باترٍ وبكلّ أزرق

نافذٍ وبكل لَدْنٍ أسمرا

And every white, cutting blade, and every blue

Piercing point, and every supple brown spear.

فغدَتْ وراحتْ فيهمُ حَمَلاتُه

وسقاهُم كاسَ المنيّة أحمرا

Morning and evening his charges swept through them,

And he gave them the red cup of death to drink.

حتّى لقد حَبُنَ المشجَعُ مِنهُم

وانْصَاعَ ليثهُم الهصور مُقَهْقِرا

Until even the boldest of them grew cowardly,

And their fierce lion turned away in retreat.

فهناكَ فوّق كافِرٌ من بينهمْ

سَهماً فشقّ بهِ الجبينَ الأزهرا

Then an unbeliever from among them nocked

An arrow, and with it split that radiant forehead.

تركوه مُنْعَفِر الجبين وإنّما

تركوا به الدّين الحنيفَ معفَّرا

They left him with his forehead in dust, yet truly

They left the upright faith dust-covered through him.

عَجَباً لَهُمْ وهُمْ الثَّعالبُ ذِلّةً

كيفَ اغتدى جَزْراً لهم أسَدُ الشَرى

How strange: they were foxes in their lowliness,

Yet how did Shara's lion become their slaughtered prey?

صلبوه ظُلماً بالعراءِ مجرداً

عَنْ بُرْدِهِ وحَموه مِنْ أنْ يُسترا

They unjustly crucified him in the open, stripped

Of his mantle, and prevented him from being covered.

حتّى إذا تركوه عرياناً على

جذعٍ عتوّاً منهمُ وتجبّرا

When they left him naked upon

A tree trunk, in their insolence and arrogance,

نَسَجتْ عليهِ العنكبوتُ خيوطَها

ضِنَّاً بعَوْرته المصونةِ أن تُرى

The spider spun its threads over him,

Jealously guarding his protected nakedness from sight.

ولِجِدّه نسجَتْ قديماً إنها

لَيَدٌ يحقّ لمثلِها أن تُشكرا

And long ago it spun for his forefather: surely this

Is a favor whose like deserves gratitude.

ونَعَتْهُ أطيار السماء بواكياً

لمّا رأتْ أمراً فظيعاً مُنكرا

The birds of heaven mournfully announced his death

When they saw an atrocious, reprehensible deed.

أكذَا حَبِيبُ الله يا أهلَ الشقَا

وحَبيبُ خير الرسْلِ يُنْبذُ بالعَرا

Is this how God's beloved, O people of wretchedness,

And the beloved of the best of messengers, is cast into the open?

يا قُربَ ما اقْتَصِّيتمُ منْ جدّه

وذكرتمُ بدراً عليه وخَيْبَرا

How swiftly you took vengeance on his forefather,

And recalled against him Badr and Khaybar!

أمَّا عليك أبا الْحُسَينِ فلَمْ يزلْ

حُزني جديدَ الثّوبِ حتّى أُقبرا

As for you, Abu al-Husayn, never has

My grief's garment grown old, nor will it until I am buried.

لم يَبْقَ لي بَعدَ التجلّد والأسى

إلاّ فنائي حسرةً وتفكّرا

After endurance and sorrow, nothing remains for me

But to perish in regret and reflection.

يا عُظم ما نالَتهُ مِنك مَعَاشِرٌ

سُحقاً لهم بين البريّة معشرا

How monstrous what bands of men wrested from you!

Perish they, a company among creation!

قادوا إليكَ المُضْمَرات كأنَّما

يغزون كِسْرى وَيْلَهُمْ أو قيصَرا

They led lean steeds against you as though

Invading Khosrow or Caesar—woe to them!

يَا لَوْ دَرَتْ مَنْ ذَا لَهُ قيدَتْ لَمَا

عَقَدَتْ سَنابكُها علَيْها عِثيرا

Had they only known against whom they were led, never

Would their hooves have stirred dust over them.

حتّى إذا جرَّعتهم كأسَ الرَّدى

قتلاً وأفْنَيتَ العديدَ الأكثرا

When you made them drink the cup of destruction

By slaughter, and annihilated the greater host,

بَعَثَ الطّغاةُ إليكَ سهماً نَافذاً

مَن راشَهُ شُلَّتْ يَداهُ ومَن بَرى

The tyrants sent a piercing arrow against you—

May the hands of its fletcher and its carver be paralyzed!

يا لَيتني كنتُ الفِداءَ وإنَّهُ

لم يجرِ فيكَ من الأعادي ما جرى

If only I had been the ransom, and

What befell you at your enemies' hands had never befallen you!

باعوا بقتلِكَ دِنَهم تَبّاً لَهُمْ

يا صفقَةً في دِينهم ما أخْسَرا

By killing you they sold their religion—ruin upon them!

What a bargain in their religion—how ruinous!

نَصَبوك مَصْلوباً على الجذع الذي

لَوْ كَانَ يدْري مَنْ عليه تكَسَّرا

They set you crucified upon a tree trunk which,

Had it known who was upon it, would have splintered.

واسْتَنزلوكَ وأضرموا نيرانَهْم

كيْ يُحرقوا الجسْمَ المصونَ الأَطْهَرا

They took you down and kindled their fires

To burn that protected, most pure body.

فَرموكَ في النّيرانِ بُغْضاً مِنهمُ

لِمُحَّمدٍ وكراهةً أن تُقبَرا

They cast you into the fires out of hatred

For Muhammad, and aversion to your being buried.

ولَكَادَ يُخفيك الدُّجَى لو لَمْ يَصِرْ

بجَبينِكَ الميمونِ صُبحاً مُسْفِرا

Darkness would almost have hidden you, had it not become,

Through your blessed forehead, a brightening dawn.

وَوَشَى بتُرْبتِكَ التي شَرُفَتْ شَذىً

لولاهُ ما علمَ العدوّ ولا درى

A fragrance betrayed your honored burial-earth,

Without which the enemy would neither have known nor discovered it.

طيبٌ سَرَى لكَ زائراً مِن طَيْبَةٍ

ومن الغَرِيّ يخالُ مِسْكاً أَذْفرا

A scent that came visiting you by night from Taybah,

And from al-Ghari, seeming like pungent musk.

وذروا رمادَكَ في الفراتِ ضلالَةً

أتُرى دَرَى ذاري رمادكَ ما ذَرى

In their error they scattered your ashes into the Euphrates;

Do you suppose their scatterer knew what he scattered?

هَيهات بل جَهلوا لطِيب أَريجهِ

أرمادَ جسمكَ ما ذَروْا أم عَنْبَرا

Far from it! Rather, its sweet scent kept them from knowing

Whether they scattered your body's ashes or ambergris.

سعدَ الفراتُ بقرْبه فَلو أنَّه

ملْحٌ أُجاجٌ عادَ عَذباً كوثرا

The Euphrates rejoiced in its nearness; had it been

Bitter brine, it would have become sweet—a Kawthar.

وجزاء نُصحِكَ حينَ قمتَ بأمرِه

وسَرَيتَ بدراً في الظلام كما سرى

As recompense for your devotion when you rose at His command

And traveled through darkness like the full moon as it travels,

فاسْعَدْ لَدَى رِضْوان بالرِّضوان منْ

ربِّ السماءِ فما أَحقّ وأَجْدرا

Rejoice beside Ridwan, in the pleasure of

The Lord of heaven—how worthy and deserving you are!

يهنيكَ قد جاورتَ جدّك أحمدا

وأَنالكَ اللهً الجزاءَ الأَوفَرا

May it gladden you: you now dwell beside your forefather Ahmad,

And God has granted you the fullest reward.

أهوِنْ بهَذي الدَّارِ في جنْبِ التي

أَصْبحتَ فيها لِلنّعيمِ مُخيّرا

How trivial this abode beside the one

Where you now choose among delights!

لو كانَ للدُّنيا لَدى خَلاّفها

قَدْرٌ لَخْوّلكَ النّصيبَ الأكثرا

If this world had, in the eyes of its Creator,

Any worth, He would have bestowed its greatest share on you.

بَلْ كنتَ عِندَ الله جَلَّ جلالُهُ

مِن أن يُنيلكَها أجلّ وأخطرا

Rather, you were, in God's eyes—exalted be His majesty—

Too noble and eminent for Him to bestow it upon you.

يا ليتَ شعري هل أكون مجاوراً

لكَ أم تردّني الذّنوبُ إلى الوَرا

Would that I knew: shall I dwell beside

You, or will my sins drive me back?

أَأُذادُ عنكمْ في غدٍ وأنا الّذي

لي مِن وِدَادِكَ ذمةٌ لَنْ تُخفَرا

Shall I be driven away from you tomorrow, though I am one

Who holds through love for you a pledge that will never be broken?

قُلْ ذا الفَتى حَضَر الِّلقا مَعنا وإنْ

أَبْطَا بهِ عنّا الزّمانُ وأخّرا

Say: 'This youth shared the encounter with us, though

Time held him back from us and delayed him.'

يا خيرَ مَن بقيامِه ظَهَر الهُدى

في الأرضِ ونهزَمَ الضَّلالُ وقَهْقرا

O best of those whose rising made guidance manifest

On earth, while error was routed and driven back,

عُذراً إذا قَصرتْ لديكَ مدايحي

فيحقّ لي يا سيّدي أن أعْذَرا

Pardon me if my praises fall short before you:

I deserve, my master, to be excused.

لم أجْرِ في مَدْحِيكَ طِرفَ عبارةٍ

إلاّ كبا مِن عَجزه وتَقَطّرا

Never did I set the steed of expression running in your praise

But it stumbled from its weakness and fell headlong.

أَتخالني لِمدَى جَلالِكَ بالغاً

اللهُ اكبرُ ما أجلَّ وأكبرا

Do you think I could reach the full extent of your majesty?

God is greatest—how majestic and great you are!

ماذَا الّذي الْمعصومُ دونَكَ حازَه

إذْ لم تزلْ مما يشينُ مطهّرا

What has the infallible one possessed that you have not,

Since you have always been purified of all that stains?

صلَّى عليكَ اللهُ بعد محمدٍ

ما سارَ ذِكرُكَ مُنْجداً أو مُغْوِرا

May God bless you, after Muhammad,

As long as your remembrance travels to highlands or lowlands,

والآل ما حَيّا الصِّبا زَهْرَ الرُّبَى

سَحراً وعَطّرَ طيبُ ذِكركَ منبرا

And the Family, as long as the east wind greets the hilltop flowers

At dawn, and your remembrance's fragrance perfumes a pulpit.