هذه واسِطُ أم ذا حُلُمُ

هذه واسِطُ أم ذا حُلُمُ

أَنا من شَوْقي إليها عَدَمُ

أَنا من شَوْقي إليها عَدَمُ

Is this Wasit, or is this a dream?

Is this a medium, or one with dreams?

From my longing for her, I am nothing.

Of longing for her, I am devoid

وعُيوني لِتَرى أَطْلالَها

وعُيوني لِتَرى أَطْلالَها

دائِماً مدمَعُها الجاري دَمُ

دائِماً مدمَعُها الجاري دَمُ

And my eyes, seeking to behold her ruins—

And my eyes to see her ruins

their flowing tears are forever blood.

Are ever flowing with bloody tears

أَتَداعَى كلَّما ريحُ الصَّبا

أَتَداعَى كلَّما ريحُ الصَّبا

هبَّ منها عارِضٌ مُبْتَسِمُ

هبَّ منها عارِضٌ مُبْتَسِمُ

I fall apart whenever, on the east wind,

Whenever the morning breeze would blow

a smiling cloud wafts from her.

A smiling cheek it carries from her

كيفَ لا تأخُذُ قَلبي لوعَتي

كيفَ لا تأخُذُ قَلبي لوعَتي

وأَنا عبدٌ بَعيدٌ عنهُمُ

وأَنا عبدٌ بَعيدٌ عنهُمُ

How could my anguish not seize my heart,

How can my heart not take my agony

when I am a servant far from them?

When I'm a slave, from them far removed

سادَةُ الحَيِّ الَّذينَ اشْتَهَروا

سادَةُ الحَيِّ الَّذينَ اشْتَهَروا

ودَرَتْهُمْ في البَرايا الأُمَمُ

ودَرَتْهُمْ في البَرايا الأُمَمُ

The lords of the quarter, who became renowned,

The masters of the living, famous men

and whom the nations knew among all creation.

Whose renown the nations spread

كَنَزوا الوجدَ بأَلبابٍ لنا

كَنَزوا الوجدَ بأَلبابٍ لنا

فهوَ فيها دائِماً يلتَطِمُ

فهوَ فيها دائِماً يلتَطِمُ

They stored longing in our inmost hearts,

They buried passion in our hearts

so within them it forever surges.

So it's in turmoil, always colliding

قَسَماً فيهِمْ وهذا لم يَزَلْ

قَسَماً فيهِمْ وهذا لم يَزَلْ

عند أهلِ الحُبِّ نِعْمَ القَسَمُ

عند أهلِ الحُبِّ نِعْمَ القَسَمُ

An oath concerning them—and this has always been

By them, though, a fair share was given

among the people of love, an excellent oath.

Among lovers, a most gracious share

هُمْ مَضامينُ فُؤادي ولَهُمْ

هُمْ مَضامينُ فُؤادي ولَهُمْ

في فُؤادي من هَواهُمْ طِلْسَمُ

في فُؤادي من هَواهُمْ طِلْسَمُ

They are the contents of my heart, and for them

They're the refuge of my heart, and for them

in my heart lies a talisman of love for them.

In my heart, of their love, a talisman

بيتُ قَلبي حَرَمُ الحُبِّ لهُمْ

بيتُ قَلبي حَرَمُ الحُبِّ لهُمْ

ها هوَ البيتُ وهذا الحَرَمُ

ها هوَ البيتُ وهذا الحَرَمُ

The house of my heart is love's sanctuary for them.

My heart's abode is the shrine of love for them

Here is the house, and this is the sanctuary.

For them is power at dusk's fall

هُمْ لَهُمْ في حضرَةِ الطَّمْسِ يدٌ

هُمْ لَهُمْ في حضرَةِ الطَّمْسِ يدٌ

ولَهُمْ فوقَ الثُّريَّا قَدَمُ

ولَهُمْ فوقَ الثُّريَّا قَدَمُ

They have a hand in the presence of effacement,

And over Al-Thurayya, feet

and a foot above the Pleiades.

They taught me the elegy and love-sickness for them

علَّموني النَّوْحَ والَهَفي بِهِمْ

علَّموني النَّوْحَ والَهَفي بِهِمْ

فرَوَيْتُ الوجدَ نصًّا عنهُمُ

فرَوَيْتُ الوجدَ نصًّا عنهُمُ

They taught me lamentation—oh, my yearning for them!

So I quenched passionate love, text from them

So I narrated longing verbatim from them.

A fate that marks me as their slave

قِسمَةٌ ترسِمُ أنِّي عبدُهُمْ

قِسمَةٌ ترسِمُ أنِّي عبدُهُمْ

ومن الآزالِ تَجري القِسَمُ

ومن الآزالِ تَجري القِسَمُ

An allotment decrees that I am their servant,

And from misfortunes the shares run

and from beginningless eternities the allotments flow.

Our destiny was sealed when

أُحْكِمَتْ قِسمَتُنا حيثُ بِها

أُحْكِمَتْ قِسمَتُنا حيثُ بِها

نُقِشَ اللَّوْحُ وخطَّ القلَمُ

نُقِشَ اللَّوْحُ وخطَّ القلَمُ

Our allotment was made firm, since with it

The tablet was inscribed, the pen wrote

the Tablet was inscribed and the Pen wrote.

Passionate love spilled my tears, confused

سَفَحَ الوجدُ دُموعي عَيْلَماً

سَفَحَ الوجدُ دُموعي عَيْلَماً

مُذْ تَرآى بانُهُمْ والعَلَمُ

مُذْ تَرآى بانُهُمْ والعَلَمُ

Longing poured out my tears as a vast sea,

Since their sign appeared, and the banner

since their bān trees and the landmark came into view.

How can I not love people of whom

كيفَ لا أَعشَقُ قوماً جاءَ في

كيفَ لا أَعشَقُ قوماً جاءَ في

مُحْكَمِ الذِّكرِ لنا حُبُّهُمُ

مُحْكَمِ الذِّكرِ لنا حُبُّهُمُ

How could I not love a people, when there appears in

In scripture secure, love of them was made

the clear Scripture, for us, love for them?

Among them is Sheikh Bo Tayha of Wasit

منهُمُ شيخُ بُطَيْحا واسِطٍ

منهُمُ شيخُ بُطَيْحا واسِطٍ

مُفْرَدُ القَوْمِ الأحيدُ العَلَمُ

مُفْرَدُ القَوْمِ الأحيدُ العَلَمُ

Among them is the shaykh of Wasit's Butayha,

Unique among men, the most glorious flag

the people's peerless one, the unique, the beacon.

The one circled by the lofty of state

والَّذي طافَ أُولو الحالِ بهِ

والَّذي طافَ أُولو الحالِ بهِ

وأُفيضَ السِّرُّ منهُ لهمُ

وأُفيضَ السِّرُّ منهُ لهمُ

And he around whom those endowed with spiritual states circled,

And from him the mysteries to them flowed

and from whom the secret was poured out to them.

Master of the foremost folk, their greatest

سيِّدُ القَوْمِ الأُولى أَعظَمُهُمْ

سيِّدُ القَوْمِ الأُولى أَعظَمُهُمْ

وفَتى كُبَّارِهِمْ شيخُهُمُ

وفَتى كُبَّارِهِمْ شيخُهُمُ

The lord of the people, among whom he is greatest,

And the youth of their elders, their Sheikh

and the youth among their great ones, their shaykh.

He walked the path of God, singular

سارَ في اللهِ مَسيراً مُفرداً

سارَ في اللهِ مَسيراً مُفرداً

عَجَزَتْ عن مُرْتَقاهُ الهِمَمُ

عَجَزَتْ عن مُرْتَقاهُ الهِمَمُ

He journeyed in God on a peerless journey;

Ambitions fell short of his ascent

aspirations fell short of the height he attained.

If his tigers appeared openly

لو تجلَّى النُّمورُ من طلعَتِهِ

لو تجلَّى النُّمورُ من طلعَتِهِ

علناً لانْجابَ فيهِ الظُلَمُ

علناً لانْجابَ فيهِ الظُلَمُ

If the tigers manifested from his countenance

Darkness would be lit up in his light

openly, the darkness therein would be dispelled.

If he called a dead man, he'd hurry compliant

لو دَعا مَيْتاً لوافَى مُسرِعاً

لو دَعا مَيْتاً لوافَى مُسرِعاً

أو دَحا الطَّوْدَ له ينهَدِمُ

أو دَحا الطَّوْدَ له ينهَدِمُ

Were he to summon a dead man, he would come rushing,

Or sang to the hills and they'd crumble

or push the mountain, it would collapse for him.

The unique one, grandson of Mustafa

واحِدُ الآحادِ شِبْلُ المُصْطَفى

واحِدُ الآحادِ شِبْلُ المُصْطَفى

غَوْثُ كُبَّارِ الرِّجالِ الأَعظَمُ

غَوْثُ كُبَّارِ الرِّجالِ الأَعظَمُ

Unique among the unique, the lion cub of al-Mustafa,

Succor of the greatest men, the utmost

the greatest succor of the great men.

Al-Rifa’i, whose ambition

الرِّفاعِيِّ الَّذي همَّتُهُ

الرِّفاعِيِّ الَّذي همَّتُهُ

لأفانينِ المَعالي سُلَّمُ

لأفانينِ المَعالي سُلَّمُ

Al-Rifa‘i, whose aspiration

Was the heights of glory, a ladder

is a ladder to the many forms of eminence.

The poles took shelter in his cloak

لاذَتِ الأَقطابُ في سُدَّتِهِ

لاذَتِ الأَقطابُ في سُدَّتِهِ

عُرْبُهُمْ بين الوَرَى والعَجَمُ

عُرْبُهُمْ بين الوَرَى والعَجَمُ

The spiritual poles sought refuge at his threshold,

Arabs and non-Arabs, all together

their Arabs among humankind, and the non-Arabs.

Where are my words to the meaning of his pride?

أَينَ من مدحِيَ معنى عِزِّهِ

أَينَ من مدحِيَ معنى عِزِّهِ

كَلِماتٌ باسمِهِ تنتَظِمُ

كَلِماتٌ باسمِهِ تنتَظِمُ

How far beyond my praise is the meaning of his glory!

Words about him, construed, will cohere

Words fall into order in his name;

Without mention of him, many a mention

هو لولا ذِكرُهُ ما حَسُنَتْ

هو لولا ذِكرُهُ ما حَسُنَتْ

رُبَّ ذِكرٍ فيه تَحلو الكَلِمُ

رُبَّ ذِكرٍ فيه تَحلو الكَلِمُ

he—without mention of him, they would not be beautiful.

Would not be sweet, however pleasing the words

Many a mention in which words grow sweet!

Wondrous, astoundingly wondrous, that

عَجَباً واعَجَباً واعَجَباً

عَجَباً واعَجَباً واعَجَباً

أَنا مَيْتٌ وبقَوْلي حِكَمُ

أَنا مَيْتٌ وبقَوْلي حِكَمُ

What a wonder! And what a wonder! And what a wonder!

I am dead, yet by my words decree

I am dead, yet my speech holds wisdom.

Have you heard a decree from one dead,

هل سمعْتُمْ حِكَماً من ميِّتٍ

هل سمعْتُمْ حِكَماً من ميِّتٍ

تحتَ أطْباقِ الهَوَى ينعَدِمُ

تحتَ أطْباقِ الهَوَى ينعَدِمُ

Have you heard words of wisdom from a dead man

Annihilated under layers of love?

who is annihilated beneath the layers of passion?

Give me a draft of the wine of those

وا بروحي نهْلَةً من خمرِ مَنْ

وا بروحي نهْلَةً من خمرِ مَنْ

سكَنَتْ رُوحي المَدى عندَهُمُ

سكَنَتْ رُوحي المَدى عندَهُمُ

Oh, my soul for a draught of the wine of those

Whose spirits the expanse near them settled

with whom my soul has dwelt for all time!

And wondrously when I call them I see

وعَجَباً حينَ أدعوهُمْ أَرى

وعَجَباً حينَ أدعوهُمْ أَرى

شخصَهُمْ ضِمني كما أنِّي هُمُ

شخصَهُمْ ضِمني كما أنِّي هُمُ

And what a wonder: when I call upon them, I see

Their persons within me, as though I am them

their form within me, just as I am they.

Al-Rawabi and Rabee’a al-Munhana

والرَّوابي ورَبيعِ المُنْحَنى

والرَّوابي ورَبيعِ المُنْحَنى

ورِياضٍ مثلُها خُلْقُهُمُ

ورِياضٍ مثلُها خُلْقُهُمُ

By the hills and the springtime of the bend,

And Riyyad, their nature is his

and gardens that their character resembles:

If I complain, it's about them my plaint

أَنا إنْ أَشجُو ففيهِمْ شَجَني

أَنا إنْ أَشجُو ففيهِمْ شَجَني

ولئنْ أَبكي فدَمْعي لَهُمُ

ولئنْ أَبكي فدَمْعي لَهُمُ

if I grieve, my grief is for them,

And if I weep, my tears are theirs

and if I weep, my tears are for them.

My smile is when I see their faces

وابْتسامي أَنْ أَرى طلعَتَهُمْ

وابْتسامي أَنْ أَرى طلعَتَهُمْ

وعُبوسي إنْ هُمُ ما ابْتَسموا

وعُبوسي إنْ هُمُ ما ابْتَسموا

And my smile is to behold their countenance,

And my gloom if they do not smile

and my frown comes when they do not smile.

Their covenant is my creed, their closeness my soul

عهدُهُمْ ديني ورُوحي قربُهُمْ

عهدُهُمْ ديني ورُوحي قربُهُمْ

وغَرامي فيهُمُ مُعْتَصِمُ

وغَرامي فيهُمُ مُعْتَصِمُ

Their covenant is my faith, and my soul is nearness to them;

And my passion for them is my bond

and my passion takes refuge in them.

In them my longings never cease

لا انْقَضى فيهِمْ شُجوني أَبداً

لا انْقَضى فيهِمْ شُجوني أَبداً

كيفَ والشَّجْوُ اصْطِلامٌ منهُمُ

كيفَ والشَّجْوُ اصْطِلامٌ منهُمُ

May my sorrows for them never end.

How, when longing comes from them?

How could they, when grief is annihilation wrought by them?

They draw near or distance or go far

قرَّبوا أَو بعَّدوا أَو باعَدوا

قرَّبوا أَو بعَّدوا أَو باعَدوا

أَما في مجموعِها عَبْدُهُمُ

أَما في مجموعِها عَبْدُهُمُ

Whether they draw me near, send me far, or keep their distance,

But in sum I am their slave

indeed, in all these cases I am their servant.

God established my loyalty to them

ثبَّتَ اللهُ عليهِمْ أَنَّتي

ثبَّتَ اللهُ عليهِمْ أَنَّتي

وحَنيني ما انْجَلى بدْرُهُمُ

وحَنيني ما انْجَلى بدْرُهُمُ

May God keep my sighing for them steadfast,

And my yearning—its full moon has not waned

and my yearning, as long as their full moon shines forth.

And upon them at all times, forever

وعليهِمْ كلَّ آنٍ أَبداً

وعليهِمْ كلَّ آنٍ أَبداً

مِسكُ نشرٍ نشرُهُ مثلُهُمُ

مِسكُ نشرٍ نشرُهُ مثلُهُمُ

And upon them, at every instant, forever,

The fragrance of basil, its scent like theirs

be musk of fragrance, whose scent is like them.

It expresses from me the tales of passion

يُروَ عنِّي من أَحاديثِ الهَوَى

يُروَ عنِّي من أَحاديثِ الهَوَى

ما يُرَوِّي بالشَّذا رُحْبَهُمُ

ما يُرَوِّي بالشَّذا رُحْبَهُمُ

Let there be related from me, among the tales of love,

Quenching aridity, their spaciousness

what bathes their wide precincts in fragrance.

It shows me ever at their door

لأَراني دائماً في بابِهِمْ

لأَراني دائماً في بابِهِمْ

واصِلَ الأَشجانِ لا أنْفَصِمُ

واصِلَ الأَشجانِ لا أنْفَصِمُ

Indeed, I see myself always at their door,

Joined to sadness, never to be sundered

keeping my sorrows unbroken, never breaking away.