حثّ الركاب إلى الشفيع فقد ذوى

حثّ الركاب إلى الشفيع فقد ذوى

روض الشبيبة وانحنى غصنُ القوى

روض الشبيبة وانحنى غصنُ القوى

Urge the mounts toward the Intercessor, for now lies withered

Urge the riders towards the intercessor, for the garden of youth has withered,

the garden of youth, and the bough of strength has bent.

And the branch of strength has bent over.

وانهض إلى تلك المعالم قاصداً

وانهض إلى تلك المعالم قاصداً

فبتر بها تشفى تباريح الجوى

فبتر بها تشفى تباريح الجوى

And set out, making purposefully for those landmarks,

Rise up towards those landmarks, with the intention

for through their soil the torments of heartache are healed.

That through them you will be healed of the wounds of separation.

أو ما سمعت حمام دوح العمرقد

أو ما سمعت حمام دوح العمرقد

غنّى بألحان التباعد والنوى

غنّى بألحان التباعد والنوى

Or have you not heard how the doves of life's grove have already

Or have you not heard the doves in the sanctuary of life

sung to the melodies of separation and parting?

Sing in tunes of distance and purpose?

نادى على فنن الفناء منبّهاً

نادى على فنن الفناء منبّهاً

فأصَمّ صمعكَ ما بقلبك من هوى

فأصَمّ صمعكَ ما بقلبك من هوى

They called out on the bough of death, giving warning,

Calling out against the arts of annihilation, warning

but the passion in your heart has deafened your hearing.

That your hearing is deaf to what is in your heart of passion.

عجباً لقلب لا يزال مروعاً

عجباً لقلب لا يزال مروعاً

في كل يوم بالفراق وما ارعوى

في كل يوم بالفراق وما ارعوى

How strange a heart that never ceases to be terrified

Wondrous is a heart that still remains fearful

each day by separation, yet has taken no heed!

Each day of separation, though I have not been wary,

في كل يوم فقد أحباب لقد

في كل يوم فقد أحباب لقد

أمضى النوى في أهل ودى ما نوى

أمضى النوى في أهل ودى ما نوى

Every day, the loss of loved ones! Indeed,

Each day I have lost loved ones, though I never intended

parting has wrought among my loved ones what it intended.

To disappoint those I held dear.

يا ويح ملتهب الجانح حسرة

يا ويح ملتهب الجانح حسرة

في قعر بحر هوى التشوق قد هوى

في قعر بحر هوى التشوق قد هوى

Oh, woe to one whose ribs blaze with anguish,

Oh woe to my burning soul, grieving

who has fallen into the depths of the sea of longing's passion.

In the depths of a sea of longing's passion thrown.

ظمآن قد روى الثرى بدموعه

ظمآن قد روى الثرى بدموعه

أسفاً على بعد الديار وما ارتوى

أسفاً على بعد الديار وما ارتوى

Thirsty, he has watered the soil with his tears,

Thirsty, though its tears have watered the soil

grieving over the remoteness of the abodes, yet his thirst remains unquenched.

With sorrow for the distant home, and it was not sated.

يطوى الضلوع على التأسف والأسى

يطوى الضلوع على التأسف والأسى

فيظل دمع العين ينشر ما طوى

فيظل دمع العين ينشر ما طوى

He folds his ribs around regret and sorrow,

It folds the ribs in sadness and misery

so the eye's tears keep unfolding what he folded away.

While the tears of the eyes unfold what was folded.

يرجو ويأمل والخطوب قواطع

يرجو ويأمل والخطوب قواطع

فبدينه مطل الليالي قد لوى

فبدينه مطل الليالي قد لوى

He hopes and wishes, while calamities bar the way;

It hopes and longs though calamities prevent

thus the nights' stalling has delayed payment of his due.

So the long nights have twisted its faith.

كم رام أن يحظى بزورة معلم

كم رام أن يحظى بزورة معلم

المجد والإعظام فيه قد ثوى

المجد والإعظام فيه قد ثوى

How often he sought to be favored with a visit to a landmark

How it wished to be blessed with visiting the abode

where glory and reverence have taken their abode.

Of glory and greatness where it once nested.

فثناه عن مقصوده ومرامه

فثناه عن مقصوده ومرامه

خطب حشاه بالتنائي قد كوى

خطب حشاه بالتنائي قد كوى

Yet he was turned from his purpose and his aim

But tribulations turned it away from its goal and desire

by a calamity that seared his heart with separation.

Burning it with separation that seared.