1. أَضوء بان أم طَلعَ النَهار

    وَبَدر لاحَ فَانكَشَف الغُبار

    Has a light appeared, or has day dawned?

    And has a full moon shone, clearing the dust?

  2. وَبَرق مِن جِهات الغَرب أَضحى

    مُضيئاً أَم كثيب فيهِ نار

    And has lightning from the western reaches become

    radiant—or is it a sand dune with fire within?

  3. نعم طلعت شُموس الفَضل صُبحاً

    فَضاءَت مِن أَشعتها الدِّيار

    Yes, the suns of bounty rose at dawn,

    and the dwellings shone with their rays.

  4. وَأَنوار تَبَدَّت مِن وجوه

    وَأَنواء بِها الركبان ساروا

    And lights appeared from faces,

    and stars by which the riders traveled.

  5. نأوا عَنا فَفي الأَحشاء جمر

    وَفي الأَجفان أَنهار غزار

    They went far from us; within our hearts are embers,

    and in our eyelids, rivers in full spate.

  6. وَكُنا عِندهُم ندعى كِباراً

    فَنَحنُ لِطول غَيبتهم صغار

    With them we used to be called great;

    now, through their long absence, we are small.

  7. عَلانا بَعدهم نصب وَذل

    وانعطاف وَازورار

    After their departure, weariness and abasement overcame us,

    and bending low, and turning away.

  8. أَنَنسى ودهم وَلَهُم عَلَينا

    أَياد لا تقاومها البِحار

    Can we forget their affection, when we owe them

    favors that the seas cannot rival?

  9. وَلَم أَنس الرَكائب حينَ سارَت

    وَقَد ضعفت لِوَطأتِها القفار

    Nor have I forgotten the riding camels when they set out,

    while the wastelands weakened beneath their tread.

  10. وَقَد ضربَت عَلى سَلمان بَيتاً

    دَعائمه السَماحة وَالفَخار

    And they had pitched a tent over Salman,

    whose pillars were generosity and glory.

  11. عباب لا تكدره العَطايا

    عَزيز لا يُضام لَدَيهِ جار

    A surging sea that gifts cannot cloud,

    a mighty man whose neighbor suffers no wrong.

  12. غزير الفضل فياض جواد

    وَيسر حينَ يفتقد اليسار

    Abundant in bounty, overflowing, open-handed,

    and ease when prosperity is lacking.

  13. طويل المجد والأفضال لكن

    أيادي من يناويه قصار

    Lofty in glory and generosity, but

    short are the hands of whoever opposes him.

  14. نَماه من بَني قَحطان شوس

    مَصاليت لَهُم نور وَنار

    Proud men of the sons of Qahtan begot him—

    intrepid warriors possessing light and fire.

  15. فَسَل عَنهُ الحِجاز وَقاطِنيها

    فَكَم فيهم عَطاياه تدار

    So ask the Hijaz and its inhabitants about him:

    how often his gifts are passed around among them!

  16. فَلَولا راحتاه وَلا أُبالي

    لَقَد بارت نَجائبهم وَباروا

    Were it not for his two palms—and I care not—

    their noble camels would have come to ruin, and they with them.

  17. فَما زالَت قَلائصه خفافاً

    تَخب وَفي القفار لَها غبار

    So his young she-camels kept on, light-footed,

    trotting, with dust about them in the wastelands,

  18. إِلى أَن شاهَدوا قَبراً مُنيراً

    تحف بِهِ المَهابة وَالوَقار

    until they beheld a radiant grave,

    encompassed by awe and dignity.

  19. تَدور هُنالك الأَملاك سراً

    لأَن الهاشمي هُوَ المدار

    There the angels circle in secret,

    for the Hashimite is the pivot.

  20. ضَريح فاقَ كُرسياً وَعَرشاً

    بِمَن فاقَت بِبعثته نِزار

    A tomb surpassing the Footstool and the Throne,

    through him by whose mission Nizar excelled.

  21. فَقامَ بِقُربه سَلمان جَهراً

    وَنَظم دُموعه فيهِ نثار

    Then Salman stood beside him openly,

    and the string of his tears lay scattered there.

  22. وَسَلم وَاستَكان وَبَث شَوقاً

    وَوَجداً لا يخففه اِصطِبار

    He offered greetings, humbled himself, and poured out longing,

    and ardor that no patient endurance could ease.

  23. وَجاءَ إِلى رَفيق الغار مثن

    عَلَيه فَيا لَهُ خل وَغار

    He came to the companion of the cave, praising

    him—what a friend, and what a cave!

  24. وَسارَ إِلى أَبي حَفص وَحَيا

    ضَريحاً لَم يَزَل فينا يُزار

    He went to Abu Hafs and saluted

    a tomb still visited in our midst.

  25. وَلَما أَن قَضى وَطراً وَلاحَت

    عَلَيهِ سَكينة فيها انكِسار

    And when he had fulfilled his desire, and there appeared

    upon him a serenity mingled with humility,

  26. أَتى البَيت الحَرام وَما توانت

    بِهِ الأَقدار إِذ شَط المزار

    he reached the Sacred House; fate did not delay

    him, though the place of pilgrimage was far away.

  27. وَأَحرَم ثُم طافَ طَواف ركن

    وَباتَ مُلَبياً وَلَهُ شِعار

    He entered consecration, then performed the obligatory circuit,

    and spent the night chanting the pilgrim's call, his watchword.

  28. أَتَم مَناسك النسكين حَتّى

    رَمى الجَمرات وَاِنطَفَت الجمار

    He completed the rites of both pilgrimages, until

    he cast the ritual pebbles, and the embers were quenched.

  29. وَعَم نَواله حرماً وَحلاً

    لَقَد حَيرتهم فَلِذاك حاروا

    His bounty embraced the sanctuary and the lands beyond;

    you truly bewildered them, so they were at a loss.

  30. فَيا أَهلاً بِسيدنا وَسَهلاً

    وَمَن طابَت بِمقدمه الديار

    So, a warm welcome to our master,

    and to him whose coming made the dwellings pleasant.

  31. جَزاكَ اللَهُ في الدارين خَيراً

    لأَنك بَعدَ والدك الخَيار

    May God reward you with good in both worlds,

    for, after your father, you are the best.

  32. فَإِنَك حصننا مِن كُل عاد

    وَأَنتَ لكسرنا أَبَداً جبار

    For you are our fortress against every assailant,

    and you forever mend our brokenness.

  33. فَلطف الهنا يَغشاك حَتّى

    تَدوم لَكَ المَسَرة وَالفَخار

    May our God's kindness enfold you, so that

    joy and glory may endure for you.