بَكَيت دَماً لَما سَرى بارق الحِمى

بَكَيت دَماً لَما سَرى بارق الحِمى

فَأَسرَى إِلى قَلبي حَديثاً مكتما

فَأَسرَى إِلى قَلبي حَديثاً مكتما

I wept blood when the sanctuary's lightning flashed through the night,

I wept blood when the lightning of fever flashed,

And carried a hidden tale by night into my heart.

And it conveyed to my heart a secret tale,

وَذَكرني عَيشاً تَقضى برامة

وَذَكرني عَيشاً تَقضى برامة

وَعَصراً بِذات الرقمتين تقدما

وَعَصراً بِذات الرقمتين تقدما

And reminded me of a life gone by at Rama,

Reminding me of a life fulfilled in tranquility,

And a former time at Dhat al-Raqmatayn.

And an era marked by the two abodes.

وَلَم أَنسَها لَكِنَّني زدت لَوعة

وَلَم أَنسَها لَكِنَّني زدت لَوعة

وَشَوقاً إِلى الشَعب اليَماني فيهما

وَشَوقاً إِلى الشَعب اليَماني فيهما

Nor had I forgotten it, but my anguish grew,

I did not forget it, but my agony intensified,

And my longing for the Yemeni ravine in them both.

And longing for the Yemeni people in both abodes intensified.

مَغان رِياض العَيش فيها نَضيرة

مَغان رِياض العَيش فيها نَضيرة

وَغُصن شَبابي كانَ فيها مقوما

وَغُصن شَبابي كانَ فيها مقوما

Abodes where the gardens of life were lush,

Blissful gardens wherein my counterpart thrived,

And the bough of my youth stood straight within them.

And the branch of my youth was made robust.

كَسَتها غَوادي المُزن ثَوباً مُطَرزاً

كَسَتها غَوادي المُزن ثَوباً مُطَرزاً

فَأَضحى أَديم الأَرض مِنها منمنما

فَأَضحى أَديم الأَرض مِنها منمنما

The clouds' morning showers clothed them in an embroidered robe,

Its valleys clothed it with an embroidered gown,

So the earth's skin became finely patterned by them.

Making the expanse of the land speckled from it.

إِذا ما بَكى جفن الغَمام بِأَرضِها

إِذا ما بَكى جفن الغَمام بِأَرضِها

زَها رَوضها مِن دَمعِه وَتَبَسما

زَها رَوضها مِن دَمعِه وَتَبَسما

Whenever the clouds' eyelid wept upon their land,

Whenever its cloud's eyelid weeps over its land,

Their meadow blossomed from its tears and smiled.

Its meadows flourish from its tears and smile.

وَلَم تَزَل الوَرقاء وَاللَيل فاحم

وَلَم تَزَل الوَرقاء وَاللَيل فاحم

تردد أَشجاناً وَصَوتاً مرخما

تردد أَشجاناً وَصَوتاً مرخما

And the gray dove, while the night was coal-black, kept

The warbler and the night continue

Repeating laments and a mellow song.

To echo melancholic tones and husky sounds.

تُشير إِلى الأُخرى وَلَم تَدرِ أَنَّني

تُشير إِلى الأُخرى وَلَم تَدرِ أَنَّني

أَشَدُّ ولوعاً بِالصَبابة منهما

أَشَدُّ ولوعاً بِالصَبابة منهما

Signaling to the other, unaware that I

Hinting to one another, not knowing that I

Am more consumed by ardent longing than either of them.

Am more ardently enamored with youth than both.

حَمامة سلع اقصري إِنَّني فتى

حَمامة سلع اقصري إِنَّني فتى

إِذا رنمت وَرقاء نَجد تَرنَّما

إِذا رنمت وَرقاء نَجد تَرنَّما

Dove of Sal‘, desist: I am a young man

O my friend from Sula, I am a lad,

Who sings whenever a gray dove of Najd sings.

Who, whenever the warbler of Najd sings, sings along.

تَبيتين في سَفح الغوير وَإِنَّني

تَبيتين في سَفح الغوير وَإِنَّني

أَبيت بِأَكناف العِراق متيما

أَبيت بِأَكناف العِراق متيما

You spend the night at the foot of al-Ghuwayr, while I

You spend nights on the slope of Al-Ghuwayr while I

Spend mine in the reaches of Iraq, enthralled by love.

Spend nights in the bosoms of Iraq pining.

إِذا نحت وَالأَجفان مِنكَ قَريرة

إِذا نحت وَالأَجفان مِنكَ قَريرة

فَما حالَ جفن قَد غَدا دَمعه دَما

فَما حالَ جفن قَد غَدا دَمعه دَما

If you lament while your eyelids remain serene,

When your eyelids trickle,

What, then, of an eyelid whose tears have turned to blood?

What of an eyelid whose tears became blood?

ألا مبلغاً عَني الحِجاز وَأَهله

ألا مبلغاً عَني الحِجاز وَأَهله

أهيل الحمى عَني سَلاماً مُسلما

أهيل الحمى عَني سَلاماً مُسلما

O for someone to convey from me to the Hijaz and its people,

O you, heading to the Hijaz and its people,

The dear folk of the sanctuary, a greeting of peace delivered from me,

Give my regards to the kindred of fever.

وَشَوقاً بقَلبي كُلَّما هبت الصبا

وَشَوقاً بقَلبي كُلَّما هبت الصبا

تسعر مِنها حَره فَتَضَرما

تسعر مِنها حَره فَتَضَرما

And the longing in my heart: whenever the east wind blows,

And longing in my heart, whenever the northerly wind blows,

Its heat is fanned by the wind and bursts into flame.

Kindles its heat, so it flares up.

أَحن حَنين الإلف فارق إِلفه

أَحن حَنين الإلف فارق إِلفه

إِذا حَكمت أَيدي النَوائب فيهما

إِذا حَكمت أَيدي النَوائب فيهما

I yearn with the yearning of a lover parted from his beloved,

I yearn with the most ardent yearning of an intimate separated from his intimate,

When the hands of calamity rule over them both.

When the hands of tribulations come between them.

وَأَصبو إِلى عرب بظمياء خَيموا

وَأَصبو إِلى عرب بظمياء خَيموا

وَحُبهم ما بَينَ جَنبي خَيما

وَحُبهم ما بَينَ جَنبي خَيما

And I yearn for Arabs who pitched their tents at Zamya’,

And I pine for the Arabs who pitched their abodes,

While love for them pitched its tent between my sides.

While love for them pitches its abode between my sides.

وَما الدار قَصدي لَيسَ قَصدي سِوى فتى

وَما الدار قَصدي لَيسَ قَصدي سِوى فتى

عَلَيهِ إِلَه العَرش صَلى وَسَلما

عَلَيهِ إِلَه العَرش صَلى وَسَلما

And the abode is not my aim; I seek none but a youth

It is not the abode I aim for, I aim for none but the youth,

Upon whom the God of the Throne has bestowed blessings and peace.

Upon whom the Lord of the Throne prayed and blessed.

هُوَ السَيد الفَرد الأَخير الَّذي حَوى

هُوَ السَيد الفَرد الأَخير الَّذي حَوى

بِأَول يَوم فَضل من قَد تَقَدما

بِأَول يَوم فَضل من قَد تَقَدما

He is the peerless master, the last, who encompassed

He is the singular, final master who embodied

On the first day the excellence of those who had gone before.

On the first day excellence above all who preceded.

وَبَدر أَضاءَ الكَون مِن نور وَجهِه

وَبَدر أَضاءَ الكَون مِن نور وَجهِه

وَقَد كانَ بِالأَوثان وَالشرك مُظلِما

وَقَد كانَ بِالأَوثان وَالشرك مُظلِما

And a full moon that lit the universe with the light of his face,

A full moon that illuminated the universe with his face’s light,

Which had been darkened by idols and polytheism.

While it had been darkened with idols and polytheism.

وَشَمس هدى قَد عاين الكُفر عَينها

وَشَمس هدى قَد عاين الكُفر عَينها

وَلَكنهُ لَما رأى نورَها عَمى

وَلَكنهُ لَما رأى نورَها عَمى

And a sun of guidance whose orb unbelief beheld,

A guiding sun that polytheism saw with its own eyes,

But when it saw that sun's light, it went blind.

But when it saw his light, it went blind.

وَطالع حَتّى مزق الحيف نَجمه

وَطالع حَتّى مزق الحيف نَجمه

فَأَضحى حساماً للشَريعة مخذما

فَأَضحى حساماً للشَريعة مخذما

And one who rose until his star tore injustice apart,

An ascending star that tore the injustice of its star,

And thus became a keen-edged sword for the sacred law.

Making it a sharp sword for the Law made resolute.

كَريم مَتى صافحته نلت نائِلاً

كَريم مَتى صافحته نلت نائِلاً

وَفَضلاً عَميماً جلَ أَن يَتَقَوما

وَفَضلاً عَميماً جلَ أَن يَتَقَوما

A generous man: whenever you clasp his hand, you receive a gift

So generous, when you greet him, you attain your wants

And all-embracing bounty too great to be appraised.

And abundant grace too majestic to be bounded.

إِمام النَبيين الكِرام وَسَيد

إِمام النَبيين الكِرام وَسَيد

إِلى الحَق في فَصل القَضاء تَقَدما

إِلى الحَق في فَصل القَضاء تَقَدما

The leader of the noble prophets and a master

The imam of the honorable prophets and master

Who came forward to the Truth for the rendering of judgment.

Stepping forth to the truth in conclusive judgment.

وَإِن غَدَت القَوم الكِرام فَإِنَّهُ

وَإِن غَدَت القَوم الكِرام فَإِنَّهُ

يَكون أَجَل العالَمين وَأَكرَما

يَكون أَجَل العالَمين وَأَكرَما

And even if the people become noble, he

And if the honorable become, he will be

Is the most exalted and noblest of all beings.

The most majestic and generous of both worlds.

هُوَ القَمَر الأَعلى الَّذي ضَم صحبه

هُوَ القَمَر الأَعلى الَّذي ضَم صحبه

وَفَرقَهُم في سائر الكَون أَنجُما

وَفَرقَهُم في سائر الكَون أَنجُما

He is the loftiest moon, who gathered his companions

The highest moon that encompassed his companions

And scattered them as stars throughout the universe.

And dispersed them as stars across the cosmos.

وَكَم راوَدَتهُ الشم عَن نَفسه فَما

وَكَم راوَدَتهُ الشم عَن نَفسه فَما

رَأَت قَلبه إِلا غَنياً مُكرما

رَأَت قَلبه إِلا غَنياً مُكرما

And how often the lofty mountains sought to seduce him, yet they

How often have calamities tested him, yet they did not

Found his heart nothing but self-sufficient and honored.

See his heart as anything but wealthy and generous.

وَرب حَصى جَيش مِن الشرك أقصدت

وَرب حَصى جَيش مِن الشرك أقصدت

فَفاقَت عَصا موسى وَعَزم ابن مريَما

فَفاقَت عَصا موسى وَعَزم ابن مريَما

And many pebbles struck down an army of polytheists,

And how many an army of polytheism with evil intentions,

Thus surpassing Moses' staff and the resolve of Mary's son.

Surpassing Moses’ staff and Jesus son of Mary’s resolve!

وَكَم نار حَرب خاضَها صارَ حَرها

وَكَم نار حَرب خاضَها صارَ حَرها

كَما نار إِبراهيم أهَدى وَأَسلَما

كَما نار إِبراهيم أهَدى وَأَسلَما

And many a fire of war he plunged into—its heat became

And how many fires of war he plunged into, becoming

Like Abraham's fire, bringing greater guidance and safety.

Like the fire of Abraham—guiding and protected!

وَأَحيا قُلوب العارِفين بِهَديه

وَأَحيا قُلوب العارِفين بِهَديه

وَرَوى بِهِ بَعدَ الحَرارة وَالظَما

وَرَوى بِهِ بَعدَ الحَرارة وَالظَما

And with his guidance he revived the hearts of those who know,

He brought to life the hearts of those knowing him through his guidance,

And watered them with it after heat and thirst.

Quenching with it after heat and thirst.

عَلَيهِ صَلاة اللَه ثُم سَلامه

عَلَيهِ صَلاة اللَه ثُم سَلامه

مَدى الدَهر ما حادَ حدا وَتَرَنَّما

مَدى الدَهر ما حادَ حدا وَتَرَنَّما

Upon him be God's blessing, then His peace,

Upon him be Allah’s prayers and peace

Throughout all time, so long as a camel-driver chants and sings:

As long as criticisms flow and verse is rhythmically composed.

صَلاة يَعم الآل وَالصَحب نَشرها

صَلاة يَعم الآل وَالصَحب نَشرها

وَكُل العِباد الصالِحين تكرما

وَكُل العِباد الصالِحين تكرما

A blessing whose fragrance envelops his family and companions,

Prayers that encompass his Household and companions,

And all righteous servants, as a generous favor.

And all righteous servants, honoring them.