ألق العصي فهذا مقتضى الأرب

واخلع نعالك هذا منتهى الطلب

Cast down the staffs, for this is what desire demands.

And take off your sandals: this is the utmost goal of seeking.

هذا النبي الأبي المصطفى العربي

نور الذبيحين مبري ومطلب

This is the noble, chosen Arab prophet,

the light of the two destined for sacrifice, a healer and the one sought [reading uncertain].

هذا الذي ظهرت أصلاً نبوته

وأوسعت من على الدنيا مروته

This is he whose prophethood appeared from the beginning,

and whose nobility encompassed all upon the earth.

هذا النبي الذي صحت نبوته

من قبل خلق السما والأرض والشهب

This is the prophet whose prophethood was established

before the creation of heaven, earth, and shooting stars.

هذا النبي المنبا غير مشتبه

هذا المنيع الحمى والمستلاذ به

This is the prophet given revelation, beyond all doubt.

This is he whose sanctuary is inviolable, with whom refuge is sought.

هذا المشفع يوماً لا شفيع به

أب لابنٍ ولا إبنٌ شفيع أب

This is the accepted intercessor on a day when no intercessor avails—

neither a father for a son, nor a son interceding for a father.

هذا النبي الذي لولاه ما خلقت

دنيا وأخرى ولولاه لما رزقت

This is the prophet but for whom there would not have been created

this world or the next; but for him, none would have been sustained—

خلق ولا من لظى ذات اللظى عتقت

عصائب من أعاجم ولا عرب

no creature; nor would there have been freed from Lazā, the blazing fire,

companies of non-Arabs or Arabs.

هذا النبي الذي عمت فضائله

وأوسعت من على الدنيا فواضله

This is the prophet whose virtues embraced everyone,

and whose bounties encompassed all upon the earth.

من ذا يفاخره أو من يناضله

في قربة اللَه أو في المجد والنسب

Who can rival him in glory, or who can contend with him

in nearness to God, or in glory and lineage?

هذا هو المصطفى المبعوث من مضر

مبشراً ونذير الجن والبشر

This is the chosen one, sent from Mudar,

bearing glad tidings and warning jinn and humankind.

نصت فضائله في الكتب والسور

تتلى على كل رسول وكل نبي

His virtues are set forth in the scriptures and surahs,

recited to every messenger and every prophet.

هو الذي هو حياه البعير كما

حيته نوق أنيخت عنده الحرما

He it is whom the camel greeted, just as

the she-camels made to kneel beside him in the Sanctuary greeted him.

والشاة أنذره منها الذارع فما

تأكل حبيبي فلحمي سم فهو وبي

And the sheep's foreleg warned him against it: 'Do not

eat, my beloved, for my flesh is poison, and it is deadly.'

هذا الذي شق في كم له القمر

والماء سال بكف منه منهمر

This is he in whose sleeve the moon split,

and water flowed in torrents from his palm.

والقوم قد عطشت في القفر فابتدروا

لكفه فارتووا من واكف صبب

When the people thirsted in the wilderness, they hurried

to his palm and drank their fill from its pouring stream.

هذا الذي جذذ الأصنام مسنده

ونار فارس أطفاها فمولده

This is he whose supporter shattered the idols,

and whose birth extinguished Persia's fire.

وفي حليمة برهان مؤيده

عند الرضاع وجم الرسل بالجلب

In Halima lies a proof confirming him,

at his suckling, and in the herds' abundant milk.

هذا هو المجتبى والخاتم الرسل

أخيرها أول في الفضل في الأول

This is the chosen one, the seal of the messengers,

their last, yet first in excellence among the earliest.

ذو ملة شرعت من أطهر الملل

وصحبه فهم من أفضل الصحب

He bears a faith ordained among the purest faiths,

and his companions are among the finest companions.

سرى به اللَه ليلاً في مشاهده

وكان في القرب منه في شواهده

God bore him by night through His sacred sites,

and he was near Him amid His signs,

حتى ترقى إلى أعلى مساجده

كقاب قوسين أو أدنى إلى الحجب

until he ascended to His highest places of worship,

within two bow-lengths, or nearer, of the veils.

هذا الذي أعجزت مثلي مدائحه

وكيف لي وإله العرش مادحه

This is he whose praises defeat the powers of someone like me.

How could I, when the God of the Throne praises him?

تحصى الرمال ولا تحصى ممادحه

وجل عن مثل في المدح أو سلب

The sands can be counted, but his praiseworthy qualities cannot.

He is exalted beyond comparison, in praise or negation.

لكن وجدت مكان الحمد متسعا

ولي لسان وقلب فيه قد طبعا

But I found ample room for praise,

and I have a tongue and heart both imprinted

بحبه فنظمت الحمد مشتفعاً

به عليه على بعدي وفي كتبي

with his love; so I composed praise, seeking intercession

through it with him, despite my distance, in my writings.

كم كم قطعت إليه أنجداً وفضا

وكم ركبت جواري قصده ونصا

How often, how often, I crossed toward him highlands and open plains!

How often I boarded sailing vessels, bound for him and hastening onward!

وكم وردت على عقبى الظما حرضا

وللسراب يلاميع على الشهب

How often, after thirst, I came to water, wasted away,

while the mirage shimmered over the pale expanses!

ومنه سرت على خرج فقمت على

آبارها أرتوي من مائها عللا

From there I traveled on to Kharj and stood beside

its wells, drinking my fill from their water, draught after draught.

والبعض منه هجير والقليل جلى

والماء كالناس من صافٍ ومؤتشبٍ

Some of it was scorching hot, and little was clear;

water, like people, is pure or mixed.

وقد صمدت إلى جو وردت به

ماء كمطعم شري عند مشربه

I made for Jaww, where I came upon

water that, when drunk, tasted like colocynth.

وفي خنبقة عقبى تنكبه

وردت ماء كماء العشر والغرب

And in Khanbaqa, after turning away from it,

I reached water like the sap of milkweed and willow.

وكم وردت وأصحابي من الشعرا

ماء أمر من الدفلي والصبرا

How often I and my companions, the poets, came to

water more bitter than oleander and aloes!

ومن جنابي كم من واردٍ صدرا

منا ومعتقبٍ في إثر معتقب

And from beside me, how many a water-seeker departed,

one of us taking his turn in the wake of another!

وكم وردنا قبا بالأنيق الشنف

وماء مران تجري غير ذي وطف

How often we reached Quba, amid lovely high ground,

and Murran's waters, flowing without rain-laden clouds!

وكم وردنا على عقبى نوى قدف

عرقاً وردناه للإحرام في عصب

How often, after far-flung journeys, we reached

ʿIrq, where we came in bands to enter consecration!

أوردتهن قلوصاً طال ما مرحت

شوقاً إليك ولكن بالنوى طلحت

I brought them to water—young she-camels that had long frisked

in longing for you, but had grown exhausted by distance.

أمست فلو سرحت طلقى لما سرحت

كأنهن بقايا العر والجرب

By evening, even if turned loose, they would not graze,

as though they were survivors of mange and scab.

وقد أنيخت عراجينا وأعينها

حاضت وصارت كمثل النسع أبطنها

They were made to kneel like palm-stalks, and their eyes

bled; their bellies had become like girth-straps.

وقد تفانت وأبراها تعطنها

وألغبت من دلاج الليل والدأب

They wasted away, worn thin by their stays at watering places,

exhausted by night journeys and ceaseless toil.

جاءت إليك تعيد أحسن الأملا

فيكم وإن كان لما يحسن العملا

They came to you, renewing the fairest hope

in you, though he has not yet perfected his deeds,

وفي رجاء بأن ترضى عليه ولا

يخيب عبدك فالراجيك لم يخب

and hoping that you will be pleased with him and that

your servant will not fail—for none who hopes in you has failed.

أني وأنت أجل الخلق كلهم

في مكرمات وفي مجد وفي شيم

How could that be, when you are the noblest of all creation,

in generous deeds, in glory, and in character?

وأنت أفضل مبعوث إلى الأمم

بالآي في الصحب والأنباء في الكتب

And you are the finest envoy sent to the nations,

with signs among your companions and tidings in the scriptures.

أنا المسيء وأنت المحسن الحسن

أنا الفقير ومنك المن والمنن

I am the wrongdoer, and you the beneficent, the good.

I am poor; from you come bounty and favors.

لئن رضيت فإني بالرضى قمن

وإن غضبت فيا ويلي من الغضب

If you are pleased, then I am worthy of that approval;

but if you are angry, woe to me for that anger!

قد اقترفت ذنوباً لا تقاس بها

أجا وسلمى ولا رضوى بأهضبها

I have committed sins that cannot be matched

by Aja and Salma, or Radwa with all its peaks.

وقد خشيت بأني من تسببها

يوم القيامة أن أصلى على اللهب

And I have feared that, because of their consequences,

on Resurrection Day I shall burn upon the flames.

إن لم تكن لي فمن ذا لي يكون غدا

إذا نسي والد من هولها الولدا

If you are not there for me, who will be there for me tomorrow,

when a father, in its terror, forgets his child?

وليس يقبل من أسر الذنوب فدا

لو كان ملء السما والأرض من ذهب

No ransom from captivity to sins will be accepted,

even were it heaven and earth's fill of gold.

يا خيرة اللَه يا مولاي معتمدي

إني جعلتك بعد اللَه مقتصدي

O God's chosen one, O my lord, my reliance!

After God, I have made you my destination.

فاعلق حبال رجاء من يديك يدي

وانعش بصنعي من هوات مكتسبي

So fasten my hand to ropes of hope from your hands,

and lift me, with my deeds, from the pits of my own earning.

راحت رفاقي عني من مقام مني

وخلفوني وهم قد شارفوا الوطنا

My companions set off without me from the station at Mina,

and left me behind, while they already neared home.

واخترتكم كي أنا أني أكون أنا

منكم حياتي وفي موتي ومنقلبي

I chose you so that I—indeed, I myself—might be

one of you in my life, my death, and my final return.

فارقت أهلي وأوطاني وأولادي

ولذ عندي لديكم ملهج الحادي

I left my family, my homelands, and my children;

and near you the camel-driver's chant became sweet to me,

حتى قرعت عليك الباب يا هادي

بعد الكلال وبعد النص واللتعب

until I knocked at your door, O guide,

after weariness, hard travel, and exhaustion.

وحسن ظني على التحقيق يخبرني

عنكم بأنك بعد الكسر تجبرني

My good hope tells me with certainty

that you will mend me after I have been broken,

وفي غدٍ من عذاب النار تخفرني

إن الشفاعة أقوى كل ذي سبب

and tomorrow protect me from the torment of the Fire.

For intercession is stronger than every other means.

أنا العماني واسمي سالم وأبي

غسان والأزده هم قومي وعه عصبي

I am the Omani; my name is Salim, and my father

is Ghassan; the Azd are my people and my kin.

ومن خروص إذا أنسبتني نسبي

وأنت حسبي ومولاي ومنتخبي

My lineage, if you trace it, is from Kharus,

and you are enough for me—my lord and my chosen one.

بباب حسناك قد ألقيت أرحالي

وقد حمدت إليك اليوم ترحالي

At the door of your kindness I have laid down my baggage,

and today I give thanks for my journey to you.

فليس يخفى عليك اليوم من حالي

شيء فإنك بعد اللَه أعلم بي

For of my condition today, there is hidden from you

nothing; for after God, you know me best.

أمسيت ضيفك في تعداد أضياف

أنت المآل وأنت المال للعاف

I have become your guest, counted among your guests;

you are the refuge, and you are wealth for the petitioner.

وإنني منك أرجو ضعف أضعاف

من الشفاعة والتفيض في النشب

And from you I hope for fold upon fold

of intercession and abundant bestowal of wealth.

عليك صلى إله العرش ما صدحت

ورق على الأيك أو ريح الصبا نفحت

May the God of the Throne bless you as long as there sing

gray doves in the groves, or the east wind breathes,

وما هملعة في وخدها برحت

وما جدى راعد مسجنفر السحب

and as long as a fleet she-camel strides onward,

and thundering, surging clouds give rain.

ثم الضجيعيك أهل المجد والشرفذ

وآلك الغر ثم التابعين ففي

Then upon your two grave-companions, men of glory and honor,

and your radiant family, then the followers; for in

آثارهم وطء عز غير منهدف

هم خير ماضٍ أولو الإسناد في العقب

their footsteps lies a path of glory that never crumbles.

They are the best of those gone before, bearers of transmission for posterity.

هل مثل صاحبك الثانيك في الغار

ومثل بو حفص العاري من العار

Is there anyone like your companion, the second with you in the cave,

or like Abu Hafs, free of shame?

هما هما عينا حفظ وأسرار

والناصراك فبالأرواح والنشب

They, those very two, are twin eyes of guardianship and secrets,

and your two supporters, with their lives and wealth.

كانا وزيريك في الدنيا ومذ تلفا

كانا ضجيعيك ما خانا وما انهدفا

They were your two ministers in this world, and since they died,

they have lain beside you, never betraying or faltering.

عليهما رحمة الرحمن والرأفا

تترى بقبريهما والموقف الكرب

Upon them be the Most Merciful's mercy and compassion,

unceasing at their graves and at the anguished gathering.