أحِنُّ لأرْبابِ المَعارفِ بالتُّرْبِ

أحِنُّ لأرْبابِ المَعارفِ بالتُّرْبِ

وأرْجو بِهِم شَفْعَ الصّنيعَة بالرّب

وأرْجو بِهِم شَفْعَ الصّنيعَة بالرّب

I yearn for the masters of sacred knowledge, laid in the dust,

I yearn for the masters of knowledge in the dust.

and through them I hope for intercessors to win favor with the Lord.

And through them I hope for favor doubled by the Lord.

مكانَ اعتمادِي واعتدادِي جَعلتهم

مكانَ اعتمادِي واعتدادِي جَعلتهم

وتُدَّخَر الأعلاقُ للحِقَبِ الشُّهْب

وتُدَّخَر الأعلاقُ للحِقَبِ الشُّهْب

I have made them the ground of my reliance and my pride;

I made them the seat of my reliance and my pride;

precious treasures are stored against bleak ages.

and precious things are stored for ashen years.

وَهل دَرَكٌ في أن تَقَربْتُ مِنهم

وَهل دَرَكٌ في أن تَقَربْتُ مِنهم

بأسْنَى أناسٍ أحرَزوا دَرَكَ القُرْب

بأسْنَى أناسٍ أحرَزوا دَرَكَ القُرْب

What attainment is mine? Through them I have drawn near

And is there any blame in my drawing near to them,

to the most exalted of men, who attained the goal of nearness.

through the noblest people, who attained the rank of nearness?

تَلَقّوا جنى القُرآن غُضّاً عنِ الذي

تَلَقّوا جنى القُرآن غُضّاً عنِ الذي

أتَى خاتِماً للرُّسل في خاتم الكُتب

أتَى خاتِماً للرُّسل في خاتم الكُتب

They received the Qur’an’s fruit, still fresh, from the one who

They received the Qur'an's fruit, fresh, from him who

came as the Seal of the Messengers in the final Book.

came as the seal of the messengers in the last of the Books.

أطوف بِناديهِم رَجَاءَ نَداهُم

أطوف بِناديهِم رَجَاءَ نَداهُم

كذاكَ انتظامُ الطّير في مَنثَر الحَب

كذاكَ انتظامُ الطّير في مَنثَر الحَب

I circle their gathering, hoping for their bounty,

I circle their gathering-place, hoping for their bounty;

just as birds gather where grain is scattered.

so birds gather where grain is scattered.

هُم القوْمُ لا يَشْقى جَليسُهُمُ بِهم

هُم القوْمُ لا يَشْقى جَليسُهُمُ بِهم

وَحسْبِيَ أن يَغْشَى مَجالِسَهُم قَلبِي

وَحسْبِيَ أن يَغْشَى مَجالِسَهُم قَلبِي

They are the people whose companion never comes to grief among them;

They are the people whose companion is not wretched in their company.

and it is enough for me that my heart should frequent their gatherings.

And it is enough for me that my heart attends their gatherings.

نضِيتُ لإخْلاصي لَهُم وتَخلّصي

نضِيتُ لإخْلاصي لَهُم وتَخلّصي

بإرْشادِهِم مِنْ حَيْرةِ الرّفْض والنّصْب

بإرْشادِهِم مِنْ حَيْرةِ الرّفْض والنّصْب

I wore myself thin in pure devotion to them, and found release

I have grown gaunt in my sincere devotion to them and in freeing myself,

through their guidance from the bewilderment of rejection and hostility.

through their guidance, from the confusion of rejecting the early caliphs and hating Ali.

وَيا بِأبي المُخْتَارُ من سرِّ هاشِم

وَيا بِأبي المُخْتَارُ من سرِّ هاشِم

ومَنصِبُه المُختارُ من صَفوَةِ العُرْب

ومَنصِبُه المُختارُ من صَفوَةِ العُرْب

Ah, may my father ransom the Chosen One, of Hashim’s inmost essence,

And oh, may my father be ransom for the chosen one of Hashim's noblest stock,

whose chosen lineage is from the purest of the Arabs—

whose chosen lineage comes from the finest of the Arabs:

مُحَمَّدٌ المَنصورُ بِالرُّعبِ وَالصّبا

مُحَمَّدٌ المَنصورُ بِالرُّعبِ وَالصّبا

فَبَيْنَ الصَّبا طاحَتْ أعاديهِ والرُّعب

فَبَيْنَ الصَّبا طاحَتْ أعاديهِ والرُّعب

Muhammad, made victorious by dread and the east wind;

Muhammad, granted victory through terror and the east wind.

between the east wind and dread, his enemies fell.

So between the east wind and terror his enemies fell.

رَوَى أنَسٌ ما فيه أنْسٌ مُجدّدٌ

رَوَى أنَسٌ ما فيه أنْسٌ مُجدّدٌ

لِمْستَوحِشٍ من فادحِ الوِزْر والذَنب

لِمْستَوحِشٍ من فادحِ الوِزْر والذَنب

Anas related what contains ever-renewed solace

Anas related what brings renewed solace

for one made desolate by the crushing burden of transgression and sin.

to one made desolate by the crushing weight of guilt and sin.

فَأتْبَعْتُ حُبَّ اللّهِ حُبّ رَسولِهِ

فَأتْبَعْتُ حُبَّ اللّهِ حُبّ رَسولِهِ

ولَيسَ مَتابُ الواصِلين سِوى الحُب

ولَيسَ مَتابُ الواصِلين سِوى الحُب

So I followed love of God with love of His Messenger;

So I followed love of God with love of His Messenger,

for those who attain, there is no return but love.

and the repentance of those who reach Him is nothing but love.