حيgreet ظبيgazelle الرمالthe sands والأطلالand the ruined dwellings
حي ظبي الرمال والأطلال
بسلاميwith my greeting واشرحand explain لهمto them كيفhow حاليmy state
بسلامي واشرح لهم كيف حالي
Greet the gazelle of the sands and ruined dwellings
O breeze of the sand dunes and ruins
With my greeting, and explain to them my state.
Convey my greetings, and explain to them how I fare
ياO نسيمbreeze الشمالthe north إنif جزتyou pass وهناlate at night
يا نسيم الشمال إن جزت وهنا
برباهby his hills وقدand already غفاhas dozed كلevery خاليcarefree one
برباه وقد غفا كل خالي
O north breeze, if you pass late at night
O northerly breeze, if you pass by here
By his hills, while every carefree soul has dozed,
While its people are asleep, and my friends are gone
واستبنand ascertain هلwhether لهhe has بماof what ثمthere علمknowledge
واستبن هل له بما ثم علم
منof شجونsorrows ومنand of تبلبلturmoil بالmind
من شجون ومن تبلبل بال
And ascertain whether he knows what lies there:
Find out if they know
Sorrows and turmoil of mind,
Of my anguish, my worries,
وحديثand a tale منof الغرامpassion قديمancient
وحديث من الغرام قديم
كدتI nearly أبليI waste away وماand not يراهhe perceives it بباليin my mind
كدت أبلي وما يراه ببالي
And an ancient tale of passion.
And the old tales of love
I have nearly wasted away, yet he does not perceive it in my mind.
I almost shared, but kept to myself
ماnot رأيتI have seen ولاnor سمعتI have heard ولكنand yet
ما رأيت ولا سمعت ولكن
ليسis not هذاthis ياO صاحبيmy companion بمحالimpossible
ليس هذا يا صاحبي بمحال
I have neither seen nor heard, yet
I’ve seen nothing, heard nothing, yet
This, my companion, is not impossible.
My friend, this cannot be unreal
وهوand it أحرىmore likely بأنto يكونbe صحيحsound
وهو أحرى بأن يكون صحيح
الأصلthe origin الليwhich منfrom حضراتthe presences الجمالbeauty
الأصل اللي من حضرات الجمال
And it is all the likelier to be sound
It must be true in essence
In origin, coming from the presences of Beauty.
Having come from the abode of beauty
سوفI shall أطويfold shut الفؤادthe heart كتماًin concealment علىover ماwhat
سوف أطوي الفؤاد كتماً على ما
فيهin it منof لوعةanguish ومنand of بلبالturmoil
فيه من لوعة ومن بلبال
I shall fold my heart shut, concealing what
I will fold up my heart, keeping secret
It holds of anguish and turmoil,
My sorrow and confusion within
وانتظاراًand awaiting لماfor what بهwith it اللَهGod يأتيbrings
وانتظاراً لما به اللَه يأتي
منof خفياتhidden forms of الألطافkindnesses والإقبالand favor
من خفيات الألطاف والإقبال
And awaiting what God brings
And wait for what God will bring
Of hidden kindnesses and favor.
Of hidden kindness and favor
ولطيفand gentle الدلالcoyness حلوsweet التفنيswaying (probable reading)
ولطيف الدلال حلو التفني
فيin لمياهhis dusky lips أحلىsweeter منthan السلسالlimpid water
في لمياه أحلى من السلسال
And one of gentle coyness, sweetly swaying,
Gentle-natured, sweet dissolved
In his dusky lips sweeter than limpid water,
In the most delicious waters
ساحرbewitching الطرفthe glance وردىrosy الخدthe cheek بانيbān-tree-like الthe
ساحر الطرف وردى الخد باني ال
قدstature عزيزelusive الوصالunion صعبhard المنالattainment
قد عزيز الوصال صعب المنال
Enchanting of glance, rose-cheeked, bān-like in
Bewitching eyes, rosy cheeks, perfect build
Stature, elusive in union, hard to attain.
Love is hard to attain, union difficult
إنif سلانيhe forgets me فلستthen I am not عنهof him بسالforgetful
إن سلاني فلست عنه بسال
أوor قلانيhe loathes me فإننيthen indeed I غيرnot قالone who loathes
أو قلاني فإنني غير قال
If he forgets me, I do not forget him;
If he draws near, I’m not aloof
Or if he loathes me, I bear no loathing.
If he says, I do not refuse
كدتI nearly منof وصلهunion with him أقاربI approach يأساًdespair
كدت من وصله أقارب يأساً
لامتدادbecause of the stretching of المدىthe distance وطولand the length of الحبالthe ropes
لامتداد المدى وطول الحبال
I have nearly come to despair of union with him,
I almost despaired of his company
For the distance stretches far and the ropes are long.
For the great distance, the long rope
غيرexcept أنيthat I فيin نيلهattaining him مستعينseeking aid
غير أني في نيله مستعين
بالإلهfrom God العظيمthe Great مولىMaster of المواليthe masters
بالإله العظيم مولى الموالي
Yet, to attain him, I seek aid
But in attaining him I seek aid
From God the Great, Master of masters,
From God, Master of masters
والرسولand the Messenger الأمينthe trustworthy خيرthe best of البراياcreation
والرسول الأمين خير البرايا
سيدmaster of الأنبياءthe prophets عينthe very essence of الكمالperfection
سيد الأنبياء عين الكمال
And the trustworthy Messenger, best of creation,
The Prophet, most truthful of mankind
Master of the prophets, perfection itself,
Best of creations, quintessence of perfection
والوليand the saint الأمينthe trustworthy أستاذناour teacher الthe
والولي الأمين أستاذنا ال
قطبspiritual Pole أبىfather of الخيرgoodness عيدروسʿAydarus المعاليlofty honors
قطب أبى الخير عيدروس المعالي
And the trustworthy saint, our teacher, the
The trusted saint, our teacher
Spiritual Pole, Abu al-Khayr, ʿAydarus of lofty honors,
Spiritual pole, Abu Bakr, most high
الإمامthe imam الهمامthe valiant غيثlife-giving rain الأنامhumankind
الإمام الهمام غيث الأنام
الهزبرthe mighty lion الضرغامthe fierce lion ابيfather of الأشبالthe lion cubs
الهزبر الضرغام ابي الأشبال
The valiant imam, rain for humankind,
The imam, cloud that rains on all people
The mighty lion, the fierce lion, father of cubs,
Lion in battles, father of warriors
الشريفthe noble العفيفthe chaste كهفa sheltering cave اليتامىthe orphans
الشريف العفيف كهف اليتامى
والأياميand those without spouses وحاملand bearer of الأثقالburdens
والأيامي وحامل الأثقال
The noble, chaste one, a sheltering cave for orphans
The noble, the chaste, cave for orphans
And those without spouses, and bearer of burdens,
Bearer of burdens, helper in hard times
محيreviver of الدينreligion كنزtreasure of اليقينcertainty بحsea (first fragment)
محي الدين كنز اليقين بح
رcompletes 'sea' العلمknowledge طودmountain of الحلمforbearance والأفضالand benefactions
ر العلم طود الحلم والأفضال
Reviver of religion, treasure of certainty, a sea
Reviver of faith, treasure of certainty
Of knowledge, a mountain of forbearance and beneficence,
Ocean of knowledge, pillar of wisdom and virtue
بركةblessing of الوجودexistence مغنىa haven for الوفوdelegations (first fragment)
بركة الوجود مغنى الوفو
دcompletes 'delegations' عينessence of الشهودwitnessing مجلىmanifestation of الكمالperfection
د عين الشهود مجلى الكمال
Blessing of existence, a haven for visiting
Blessing of existence, comforter of hearts
Delegations, essence of witnessing, manifestation of perfection,
Essence of witnessing, epitome of perfection
قدوةexemplar of الأولياءthe saints سلطانsultan of الأصفياءthe elect
قدوة الأولياء سلطان الأصفياء
منamong الأوتادthe spiritual Pegs والأبدالand the spiritual Substitutes
من الأوتاد والأبدال
Exemplar of the saints, sultan of the elect,
Model for saints, sultan of the devoted
Among the Pegs and the Substitutes.
Of spiritual pillars and substitutes
كمhow many أغاثَhas rescued بهِthrough him الإلهGod صريخاًone crying for help
كم أغاثَ بهِ الإله صريخاً
وَلهفاًand one in anguish وكمand how much نفىhas dispelled منof محالhardship
وَلهفاً وكم نفى من محال
How many a caller for help has God rescued through him,
How many a cry he relieved
And one in anguish—and how much hardship He has dispelled!
Agony and longing, removed tribulations
وهدىand guided ضالاًone astray وأَرشدand directed aright غاوٍone erring
وهدى ضالاً وأَرشد غاوٍ
تائهاًwandering فيin مفاوزwildernesses منof ضلالerror
تائهاً في مفاوز من ضلال
And guided the lost and set the erring aright,
Guided the lost, corrected the astray
Wandering in wildernesses of error.
Wandering in the wastes of error
ياO ابنson of طهTaha واياand O ابنson of خيرthe best وصيappointed successor
يا ابن طه وايا ابن خير وصي
وابنand son of سبطgrandson of الرسولthe Messenger وابنand son of الرجالthe men
وابن سبط الرسول وابن الرجال
O son of Taha, and O son of the best appointed successor,
O son of Taha, son of the best successor
And son of the Messenger’s grandson, and son of men—
Son of the Prophet’s grandson, son of men of valor
الرجالthe men الفحولthe mighty منamong كلevery صدرleading figure
الرجال الفحول من كل صدر
وإمامand an imam فيin العلمknowledge والأعمالand deeds
وإمام في العلم والأعمال
Those mighty men, including every leading figure
The valiant men, most noble of all
And imam in knowledge and deeds.
Leader in knowledge and deeds
هياcome ياO ابنson of الرسولthe Messenger هياcome بغوثwith aid
هيا يا ابن الرسول هيا بغوث
غارةa charge منكمfrom you (plural) تحلthat loosens عقاليmy fetter
غارة منكم تحل عقالي
Come, O son of the Messenger, come with aid:
Come, o son of the Prophet, come to my aid
A charge from you that loosens my fetter,
With a life-saving mercy to free my heart
وتزيحand removes الكروبthe distresses عنيfrom me وتدنيand brings near
وتزيح الكروب عني وتدني
مأرجيwhat I hope for منof صالحrighteous الأعمالdeeds
مأرجي من صالح الأعمال
And removes distress from me and brings near
And remove my sorrows, bring near
What I hope for of righteous deeds.
My hopes through righteous deeds
ورسيسand love's lingering trace علىupon الفؤادthe heart مقيمabiding
ورسيس على الفؤاد مقيم
منsince قديمlong ago يلوحit glimmers ليfor me فيin المثالa vision
من قديم يلوح لي في المثال
And a lingering trace of love abides upon the heart;
Calm the heart that longs
Since long ago, it has glimmered before me in a vision.
For the beautiful life once glimpsed
علperhaps يبدوit appears فيin الحسنbeauty خيرthe best عيشlife
عل يبدو في الحسن خير عيش
وكفانيand suffices me علمknowledge of الإلهGod بحاليof my state
وكفاني علم الإله بحالي
Perhaps the finest life will appear in beauty;
God knows my state; yet still I am told
And God’s knowledge of my state suffices me.
To call and beseech constantly
غيرexcept أناthat we إلىto الدعاsupplication قدindeed ندبناwe have been urged
غير أنا إلى الدعا قد ندبنا
وأمرناand we have been commanded بهto it وبالإبتهالand to fervent entreaty
وأمرنا به وبالإبتهال
Yet we have been urged to supplicate,
Prayers to God envelop a Prophet
And commanded to it and to fervent entreaty.
Who brought us victory and spoils
وصلاةand the blessing of الإلهGod تغشىenvelops نبياًa prophet
وصلاة الإله تغشى نبياً
قدindeed أتاناhe came to us بالفتحwith victory والأنفالand spoils
قد أتانا بالفتح والأنفال
And may God’s blessing envelop a prophet
Ahmad the Chosen, his family and companions
Who came to us with victory and spoils:
Best companions and house, champions of truth
أحمدAhmad المصطفىthe Chosen One وآلand family وصبحبand companions (apparent typo)
أحمد المصطفى وآل وصبحب
همthey علىupon الحقthe truth خيرthe best صحبcompanions وآلand family
هم على الحق خير صحب وآل
Ahmad, the Chosen One, and his family and companions—
They stand upon the truth, the finest companions and kin.
Partial English translation: 60 of 62 Arabic lines translated.