1. لقد رحلتْ عن ودِّنا فيه جفوةٌ

    وبعد الجفا فيه يُراجعُ بالودِ

    Estrangement has indeed departed from our affection for him,

    and after coldness toward him, he is approached anew with affection.

  2. فنحن على ما كانَ من عهد حبِّه

    أقمنا ولم نعزمْ رحيلاً عن العهد

    So we, true to the former covenant of love for him,

    have remained, never resolving to depart from that covenant.

  3. وكم ليلةٍ ليلاء فيه سهرتها

    وقد ملَّ طرف النجم فيها من السهد

    Many a pitch-dark night have I spent sleepless for him,

    while even the star's eye grew weary of wakefulness that night.

  4. يبيت خلياً قلبهُ من صبابةٍ

    ولم يدرِ من برح الصبابة ما عندي

    He spends the night with his heart free of longing,

    and has not known the torment of longing that I bear.

  5. وكنَّا إذا شطَّتْ بنا الدار أو دنتْ

    صفيين لم نكدرْ على القرب والبعد

    And we were, whether our dwelling carried us far away or drew near,

    two true friends, unclouded by nearness or distance.

  6. وإني لتصبيني على النأي والجفا

    إليه سجايا منه أحلى من الشهد

    And despite distance and estrangement, I am surely drawn

    to him by qualities of his sweeter than honey.

  7. خليليَّ عندي اليوم لو تعلمانه

    عجيبٌ غرامٍ فاسمعا منه ما أبدي

    My two friends, today I have—if only you knew it—

    a marvel of passion; hear what I reveal of it.

  8. ألم يزعموا أن القلوب لأهلها

    شواهدُ منهم بالقطيعة والودِّ

    Have they not claimed that hearts, for their owners,

    bear witness to their estrangement and affection?

  9. فما بالُ قلبي محكماً عقدة الهوى

    لمن حلَّ من حبل الهوى محكم العقد

    Then why does my heart keep love's knot tight

    for one who has undone the tight knots of love's cord?

  10. وهل أنا وحدي يا خليليَّ هكذا

    وجدت به أم هكذا كل ذي وجد

    And am I alone, my two friends, in having thus

    yearned for him, or is every lover so?

  11. وبالفرد من أعلام نجدٍ سقى الحيا

    عهودَ حمى ذيالك العلم الفرد

    And at al-Fard, among Najd's landmarks, may the rain water

    the bygone days in that solitary landmark's protected grounds:

  12. منازل يستوقفن كلَّ أخي هوىً

    ويحبسن أيدي الواخدات عن الوخد

    dwellings that make every lover halt,

    and hold back the forelegs of swift-striding she-camels from their stride.

  13. لنا طلعتْ في غربها الشمس آية

    فقلتَ لنا البشرى بها ظهر المهدي

    For us the sun rose in its west as a sign,

    so you said, 'It brings us glad tidings: the Mahdi has appeared!'

  14. أتى الخلفُ ابن المجتبى الحسن الذي

    غدا قائماً بالحق يهدي إلى الرشد

    The successor has come, son of Hasan al-Mujtaba, who

    has come to uphold truth, guiding to the right way.

  15. إمامُ هدىً نور النبوة زاهرٌ

    بطلعة بدرٍ وهي كاملة السعد

    An imam of guidance, the radiant light of prophethood,

    with a full moon's countenance, perfect in its good fortune.

  16. ومن عطفه نشرُ الإمامة فاتحٌ

    له أرجٌ يغنيك عن أرج الندِّ

    And from his side the fragrance of the imamate unfolds,

    a scent that leaves you no need for the fragrance of nadd incense.

  17. به حفظ الباري شريعة جدِّه

    وشيَّد من أركانها كلَ منهَّد

    Through him the Creator preserved his forefather's sacred law,

    and raised up every one of its fallen pillars.

  18. فقام بمبيَّضٍ من الرشد هادياً

    إلى الحق في داجٍ من الغيِّ مسود

    So he arose with the whiteness of right guidance, leading

    to truth amid the pitch-black darkness of error.

  19. بقيةُ أهل العلم والحلم والحجى

    وأهل التقى والبرِّ والنسك والزهد

    The remnant of the people of knowledge, forbearance, and reason,

    and of the people of piety, righteousness, devotion, and asceticism.

  20. ولولا احترامي باقر العلم قلتُ ما

    له من ذوي العلم الأفاضل من ندّ

    And were it not for my reverence for Baqir al-Ilm, I would say that none

    of the eminent men of learning is his equal.

  21. فتىً حببتْه في النفوس شمائلٌ

    شذاهنَّ أذكى من شذا الشيح والرند

    A youth whose qualities have endeared him to souls,

    their fragrance keener than the scent of wormwood and laurel.

  22. وطبعٌ كطبع الروض رقَّ هواؤه

    بأسرار ريَّاه تذيع صَبا نجد

    And a nature like that of a garden whose air has grown gentle,

    whose fragrant secrets the east wind of Najd divulges.

  23. وخلقٌ به لو يمزج الماءَ شاربٌ

    لما شكَ فيه أنه الكوثر الخلدي

    And a character with which, were a drinker to mix water,

    he would not doubt it was the everlasting Kawthar.

  24. معيدٌ لما أبداه في الجود لا كمن

    إذا جاء لا يغدو معيداً لما يبدي

    He repeats what he has shown in generosity, unlike one

    who, when he comes, does not repeat what he displays.