من خلفِ مسدَلِ سِتْرِ الغيبِ لاحَ لنا

من خلفِ مسدَلِ سِتْرِ الغيبِ لاحَ لنا

بدرٌ ويا طالما في برجِهِ انْحَجبَا

بدرٌ ويا طالما في برجِهِ انْحَجبَا

From behind the lowered veil of the unseen, there appeared to us

Behind the veil of the unseen, a full moon appeared to us

A full moon—oh, how long he had been veiled in his celestial mansion!

Though often it hid behind its mansion

وقد رفعْنا له الأبصارَ خاشِعَةً

وقد رفعْنا له الأبصارَ خاشِعَةً

تشُقُّ من سُجُفِ الغيبِ المَنيعِ خِبَا

تشُقُّ من سُجُفِ الغيبِ المَنيعِ خِبَا

And we raised our eyes toward him in reverent humility,

And we raised to it our humble gazes

Piercing a tent formed from the curtains of the inaccessible unseen.

Piercing through the impenetrable veil of the unseen

فطَلَّ من شُرُفاتِ المنعِ مُبْتسِماً

فطَلَّ من شُرُفاتِ المنعِ مُبْتسِماً

لمَّا رأيناهُ مِتْنا كلُّنا طَرَبَا

لمَّا رأيناهُ مِتْنا كلُّنا طَرَبَا

So he peered out, smiling, from the battlements of refusal;

Then it smiled, peeking from the balconies of denial

When we saw him, we all died of rapture.

When we saw it, we were filled with delight

قال أرْجِعوا الطَّرفَ لي كي يحيى ميِّتُكُمْ

قال أرْجِعوا الطَّرفَ لي كي يحيى ميِّتُكُمْ

كما أرادَ فعلْنا موْتُنا انقَلَبَا

كما أرادَ فعلْنا موْتُنا انقَلَبَا

He said, "Turn your gaze back to me, so your dead one may live."

It said: "Turn your gazes to me, so I may revive your dead"

We did as he wished; our death was reversed.

As it willed, so we did, and our death was transformed

تلك الشُؤُنُ علينا في العَما كُتبتْ

تلك الشُؤُنُ علينا في العَما كُتبتْ

وفي البُروزِ جرتْ سبحانَ من كَتَبَا

وفي البُروزِ جرتْ سبحانَ من كَتَبَا

Those affairs were inscribed for us in the primordial cloud,

These circumstances were written for us in the clouded realm

And unfolded in manifestation—glory to Him who wrote them!

And when the full moon rose, so they flowed, Glory to the Writer

للهِ دُرُّ عُيونٍ فيه شاخِصَةً

للهِ دُرُّ عُيونٍ فيه شاخِصَةً

قد شاهدتْ من معاني حسنِهِ العَجَبَا

قد شاهدتْ من معاني حسنِهِ العَجَبَا

God bless the eyes fixed upon him,

For God, a pearl of eyes looking up longingly

Which have witnessed wonders in the meanings of his beauty!

Which witnessed the wonders of His beauty and were awed

وما أُحَيْلى كُؤوساً أُترِعَتْ وجلَتْ

وما أُحَيْلى كُؤوساً أُترِعَتْ وجلَتْ

من خمرِهِ مشرباً فوْزاً لمن شَرِبَا

من خمرِهِ مشرباً فوْزاً لمن شَرِبَا

And how sweet are cups filled to the brim, revealing

No sooner were cups of wine sipped and relished

A draught of his wine—a triumph for whoever drinks!

From His wine, bringing success to those who drank

مرَّ الحبيبُ ومذْ وافَى أَمرَّ لنا

مرَّ الحبيبُ ومذْ وافَى أَمرَّ لنا

ذيْلاً على مُقَلِ الأَحبابِ مُنْسَحِبَا

ذيْلاً على مُقَلِ الأَحبابِ مُنْسَحِبَا

The beloved passed; when he arrived, he drew for us

The beloved passed by, and since he bid us farewell

A robe's train, trailing across the lovers' eyes.

Withdrawing his train beyond the shortenings of the sleeves of loved ones

هِمْنا فلم ندرِ من صفوِ الغرامِ به

هِمْنا فلم ندرِ من صفوِ الغرامِ به

طالَ المُقامُ بنا معنًى أَمِ اقْتَرَبَا

طالَ المُقامُ بنا معنًى أَمِ اقْتَرَبَا

We were love-dazed, and through pure passion for him could not tell

We yearned, but knew not in the sincerity of passion for him

Whether, in spirit, our sojourn had grown long or drawn near.

Did the stay with us meaningfully prolong, or draw near a close

هبَّ النسيمُ على الرَّوضِ البسيمِ وقدْ

هبَّ النسيمُ على الرَّوضِ البسيمِ وقدْ

صَبا فُؤادٌ أَصابَتْهُ رِياحُ صَبَا

صَبا فُؤادٌ أَصابَتْهُ رِياحُ صَبَا

The breeze blew over the smiling garden, while

The breeze blew upon the aromatic garden, and so

A heart smitten by the east winds yearned.

A heart that found itself in the winds of morning blew

رُدَّ العِنانَ رسولَ العِشْقِ إِنَّ لنا

رُدَّ العِنانَ رسولَ العِشْقِ إِنَّ لنا

قلباً متيناً عن المحْبوبِ ما انقلَبَا

قلباً متيناً عن المحْبوبِ ما انقلَبَا

Turn back the rein, O messenger of love; we have

It held back the messenger of love, for we have

A steadfast heart that has never turned from the beloved.

A steadfast heart that will not change despite the beloved

لم يقضِ زيدُ هوانا في الرُّبا وطَراً

لم يقضِ زيدُ هوانا في الرُّبا وطَراً

ولم ينلْ من أُهَيْلِ المُنْحَنى أَرَبَا

ولم ينلْ من أُهَيْلِ المُنْحَنى أَرَبَا

The Zayd of our love fulfilled no desire upon the hills,

Zayd did not find disgrace in increase or decrease

Nor gained his wish from the dear folk of the bend.

Nor attained from the bending palm tree any fruit

من أجلِ ذلك جُدْنا بالدُّموعِ لهم

من أجلِ ذلك جُدْنا بالدُّموعِ لهم

حتَّى أَسلْنا على أَطلالِهِمْ سُحُبَا

حتَّى أَسلْنا على أَطلالِهِمْ سُحُبَا

For that reason we lavished tears for them,

For that we strived with tears for them

Until we sent clouds streaming over their ruins.

Until we poured floods upon their ruins

يا حادِيْ العِيسِ والبَيْداءُ مقفلَةٌ

يا حادِيْ العِيسِ والبَيْداءُ مقفلَةٌ

خذ بالضَّليعِ الهُوَيْنا فهو ما ركِبَا

خذ بالضَّليعِ الهُوَيْنا فهو ما ركِبَا

O driver of pale camels, with the desert barred,

O guide of the caravan, and the desert lies locked

Go gently with the stout one, for he has not ridden.

Take to the one we love, for he did not ride

وارفقْ بروحِ سَقيمٍ جسمُ صاحِبُها

وارفقْ بروحِ سَقيمٍ جسمُ صاحِبُها

غير التَّلهُّفِ والآلامِ ما اصطَحَبَا

غير التَّلهُّفِ والآلامِ ما اصطَحَبَا

And be gentle with a sick man's soul; its owner's body

And be gentle with the soul of the sick—the body of its companion

Has kept no company but anguished yearning and pain.

Bore no more than anguish and sorrows

قد رقَّ هيكلُهُ من سُقْمِهِ وغَدا

قد رقَّ هيكلُهُ من سُقْمِهِ وغَدا

مثل الهباءِ وهل يقوَى العِراكَ هَبَا

مثل الهباءِ وهل يقوَى العِراكَ هَبَا

His frame grew frail from his sickness and became

His body grew frail from his illness and became

Like dust—and can dust withstand combat?

Like vapor—and can vapor hold up in battle?

هباؤهُ صارَ منثوراً لحرقَتِهِ

هباؤهُ صارَ منثوراً لحرقَتِهِ

من نارِ قلبٍ غَدا بالشَّوقِ ملتَهِبَا

من نارِ قلبٍ غَدا بالشَّوقِ ملتَهِبَا

His dust was scattered by his burning anguish,

His vaporous form disintegrated from the burning

From the fire of a heart that grew ablaze with longing.

Of a heart aflame with ardent longing

أَبوهُ شيخٌ كبيرٌ قلبُهُ قلِقٌ

أَبوهُ شيخٌ كبيرٌ قلبُهُ قلِقٌ

عليه صارَ له مذ غابَ مَكْتَئِبَا

عليه صارَ له مذ غابَ مَكْتَئِبَا

His father is an aged elder, his heart anxious

His father, elderly, whose heart is anxious

For him; since he vanished, it has grown sorrowful for him.

For him since he left, is depressed

أَلقتهُ إخوتُهُ في جُبِّ حسرتِهِ

أَلقتهُ إخوتُهُ في جُبِّ حسرتِهِ

وجرَّدوهُ قميصَ العزْمِ فاستُلِبَا

وجرَّدوهُ قميصَ العزْمِ فاستُلِبَا

His brothers cast him into the well of his anguish,

His brothers threw him into the pit of sorrow

And stripped him of the shirt of resolve, so it was snatched away.

And stripped him of the shirts of resolve—so he was robbed

ونازَعوهُ قميصاً في غَيابَتِهِ

ونازَعوهُ قميصاً في غَيابَتِهِ

رشُّوا عليه كما راموا دَمَّ كذِبَا

رشُّوا عليه كما راموا دَمَّ كذِبَا

And they contended with him for a shirt in his dark recess;

And in his absence, they took his shirt from him

They sprinkled false blood upon it, as they had intended.

Sprinkling upon him the blood of their false tales

ما اهتزَّ برقُ الحِما الشَّرقِيِّ مضْطَرِباً

ما اهتزَّ برقُ الحِما الشَّرقِيِّ مضْطَرِباً

إِلاَّ ومنه الفُؤادُ الوالِهُ اضْطَرَبَا

إِلاَّ ومنه الفُؤادُ الوالِهُ اضْطَرَبَا

The lightning of the eastern sanctuary never flashed, quivering,

No sooner did the lightning of the Eastern love flash disturbed

Without the love-distraught heart trembling at it.

Except that by it, the enamored heart was disturbed

مضى غريباً وتحقيقاً لغربَتِهِ

مضى غريباً وتحقيقاً لغربَتِهِ

قالَ الحبيبُ له يا أغرَبَ الغُرَبَا

قالَ الحبيبُ له يا أغرَبَ الغُرَبَا

He went away a stranger; and, confirming his estrangement,

He left a stranger, and to complete his estrangement

The beloved said to him, "O strangest of strangers!"

The beloved said to him, "O strangest of strangers!"

ما أَفرطَ الدَّمعُ منه في مُحَرَّمِهِ

ما أَفرطَ الدَّمعُ منه في مُحَرَّمِهِ

إِلاَّ وشوَّالُهُ أبكى الدِما رَجَبَا

إِلاَّ وشوَّالُهُ أبكى الدِما رَجَبَا

Tears never overflowed from him in his Muharram

No sooner did the tear excessively flow during his ritual retreat

Without his Shawwal making Rajab weep blood.

Except that the succeeding months of Shawwal made the blood of Rajab weep

يبيتُ يطوي على الأَشجانِ بردَتَهُ

يبيتُ يطوي على الأَشجانِ بردَتَهُ

ويستشِبُّ لها من قلبِهِ وصَبَا

ويستشِبُّ لها من قلبِهِ وصَبَا

He spends the night folding his cloak over sorrows,

He spends the night folding grief into his cloak

And kindles anguish for them from his heart.

And from his heart draws flames to warm himself

يا ربِّ هيِّئ لنا من أمرِنا رَشَداً

يا ربِّ هيِّئ لنا من أمرِنا رَشَداً

واجعلْ لنا منكَ في آدابِنا سَبَبَا

واجعلْ لنا منكَ في آدابِنا سَبَبَا

O my Lord, prepare right guidance for us in our affairs,

O Lord, guide us rightly in our affairs

And grant us a means from You in our proper conduct.

And for our manners, make following them a cause for reaching You

وافتحْ قلوباً لنا بالحُزنِ قد غُلِقَتْ

وافتحْ قلوباً لنا بالحُزنِ قد غُلِقَتْ

يا من إذا شاءَ إعْطاءَ المُنى وهَبَا

يا من إذا شاءَ إعْطاءَ المُنى وهَبَا

And open our hearts, which sorrow has closed,

And open hearts for us that grief has shut

O You who, when You will to grant wishes, bestow them.

O You who when You will to give success, You grant

ندعوكَ بالرَّحمةِ العُظمى التي سبقَتْ

ندعوكَ بالرَّحمةِ العُظمى التي سبقَتْ

في عالمِ الأَمرِ شأْوَ السَّادةِ النُّجَبَا

في عالمِ الأَمرِ شأْوَ السَّادةِ النُّجَبَا

We invoke You through the greatest mercy, which outstripped

We call upon You by the Greatest Mercy which preceded

In the realm of command, the noble masters' utmost reach.

In the matter of the honored masters and the noblest clan

أعني به المُصْطَفى المُختارَ من مُضَرٍ

أعني به المُصْطَفى المُختارَ من مُضَرٍ

من أنتَ أَنتَجْتَهُ خيرَ الورَى نسَبَا

من أنتَ أَنتَجْتَهُ خيرَ الورَى نسَبَا

By this I mean al-Mustafa, the one chosen from Mudar,

Meaning the Chosen One from Mudar

Whom You Yourself brought forth, best of humankind in lineage.

You produced him, the best of creation in lineage

فقامَ المِدِّينِ حِصناً لا يبيدُ وقد

فقامَ المِدِّينِ حِصناً لا يبيدُ وقد

أَعزَّ دهراً بعالي عزمِهِ العَرَبَا

أَعزَّ دهراً بعالي عزمِهِ العَرَبَا

So he stood [unclear word] as a fortress, never to perish, and

So he stood by Medina, an enduring fortress

Exalted the Arabs for an age through his lofty resolve.

Honoring an era through his lofty resolved determination of the Arabs

بآلِهِ الأَوصِياءِ الغُرِّ سادتِنا

بآلِهِ الأَوصِياءِ الغُرِّ سادتِنا

أهلِ المَعارِجِ في المعَنَى ومن صَحِبَا

أهلِ المَعارِجِ في المعَنَى ومن صَحِبَا

By his family, the radiant trustees, our masters,

Through his family—the guiding trustees, the perfume of our masters

Possessors of inward ascents, and those who kept company,

The people of spiritual ascension, in meaning and companionship

يسِّرْ شُؤُناً أردْناها وجدْ كَرَماً

يسِّرْ شُؤُناً أردْناها وجدْ كَرَماً

بمحضِ فضلٍ فلم نقضِ الذي وجَبَا

بمحضِ فضلٍ فلم نقضِ الذي وجَبَا

Ease the affairs we have desired, and give generously,

Facilitate matters we want, and find generosity

Through pure grace, for we have not fulfilled what was due.

By pure grace, so we don’t take what we owe