نبّه فؤادك من طويل رقاده

نبّه فؤادك من طويل رقاده

واعمل على رفض الهوى وجهاده

واعمل على رفض الهوى وجهاده

Awaken your heart from its long slumber.

Awaken your heart from its long slumber

And strive to renounce passion and combat it.

And work to reject desire and fight it

شهر الأصب ألم طارق رفده

شهر الأصب ألم طارق رفده

أكرم بوفد شفّنا ببعاده

أكرم بوفد شفّنا ببعاده

The month of al-Asabb has arrived, its bounty a visitor.

The month of hardship has come, so prepare for it

How noble a visiting company, whose absence has worn us thin!

Receive its delegation, we have longed for its return

من كان في غي وطول بطالة

من كان في غي وطول بطالة

فلينتبه هذا أوان رشاده

فلينتبه هذا أوان رشاده

Whoever has been astray and long idle,

Whoever was heedless and idle for long

Let him awaken: this is the time for his right guidance.

Let him awaken, this is the time for guidance

قم ليلهُ مستوسلاً متبتلاً

قم ليلهُ مستوسلاً متبتلاً

ومرتّلاً للذكر في أوراده

ومرتّلاً للذكر في أوراده

Rise during its night, supplicating and wholly devoted,

Rise at night, purifying and humbling yourself

And chanting the remembrance in its litanies.

Reciting the remembrance in your devotions

خدّد بدمع العين خدّك في الرجا

خدّد بدمع العين خدّك في الرجا

واضرع له يكفيك طول بعاده

واضرع له يكفيك طول بعاده

Furrow your cheek with the eye’s tears, in hope,

Wet your cheek with the tears of your eyes in yearning

And humbly beseech Him—enough of long separation from Him.

And plead to Him, your long separation is enough

كم ساهر قد نال فيه مراده

كم ساهر قد نال فيه مراده

لكن بطول بكائه وسهاده

لكن بطول بكائه وسهاده

How many a wakeful one has attained his desire in it,

How many sleepless ones attained their wants

But through his long weeping and sleeplessness.

But through copious weeping and loss of sleep

في محرابه

في محرابه

يحكى حمام الأيك في إيراده

يحكى حمام الأيك في إيراده

In his prayer niche,

The doves in the sanctuaries recite their lessons

He echoes the doves of the grove in his recitation.

As if their hearts are revived by its flames

كم بات والشوق المبرح في الحشى

كم بات والشوق المبرح في الحشى

مذكى لهيب ضرامه بفؤاده

مذكى لهيب ضرامه بفؤاده

How often he spent the night with agonizing longing in his breast,

How many spent the night, burning with ardent love

The flame of its blaze kindled in his heart.

Lighting the fire of their souls with remembrance

هجر المنام وقام يشكو حزنه

هجر المنام وقام يشكو حزنه

لو ساعد الإسعاف في إسعاده

لو ساعد الإسعاف في إسعاده

He forsook sleep and rose to lament his sorrow,

Forsaking sleep, he rises lamenting his sorrow

If only succor would help to bring him joy!

If only aid would help him find happiness

جعل السرى ميدانه فنبَت به

جعل السرى ميدانه فنبَت به

خيل المحبة عن وهاد وقادهَ

خيل المحبة عن وهاد وقادهَ

He made night travel his arena; then with him sprang

He made the crawl his battleground, and there

The steeds of love, away from the hollows of its blaze.

The steeds of love grew on the plains and hills

يا حسنهُ من فارس فرط الأسى

يا حسنهُ من فارس فرط الأسى

والحزن والأشواق من أجناده

والحزن والأشواق من أجناده

How splendid a horseman he is! Overwhelming sorrow,

O, excellent knight overwhelmed with grief

Grief and longings are among his soldiers.

And sadness and longing from his troops

ونعمتَ عينا بالمنام وطيبه

ونعمتَ عينا بالمنام وطيبه

يا غافلاً لم يستعد لزاده

يا غافلاً لم يستعد لزاده

While your eyes have delighted in sleep and its sweetness,

How good are the eyes that sleep and rest

O heedless one who has not readied his provisions!

While you, heedless one, are not ready for your supplies

قم فانتهزها فرصة سمحت بها

قم فانتهزها فرصة سمحت بها

ساعات وقتٍ جلّ عن أنداده

ساعات وقتٍ جلّ عن أنداده

Rise, then seize it—a chance generously offered

Arise and seize the opportunity, hours have allowed

By the hours of a time exalted above its peers.

A time whose like is seldom found