للَهto God أحبابناour loved ones بالأبرقat al-Abraq العلمthe landmark
للَه أحبابنا بالأبرق العلم
وبالرسومand amid the traces وبالأطلالand amid the ruins منof أضمIḍam
وبالرسوم وبالأطلال من أضم
To God belong our loved ones at al-Abraq, the landmark,
Our beloved ones in the flashing banner,
and amid the traces and ruins of Iḍam,
In drawings, ruins, folds and tents where my malady was cured,
وبالنجودand on the uplands وبالأغوارand in the lowlands منfrom كثبnearby
وبالنجود وبالأغوار من كثب
وبالخيامand in the tents التيwhich فيهاin them شفاcure سقميmy sickness
وبالخيام التي فيها شفا سقمي
and on the uplands and in the lowlands close at hand,
In the valley's depths, the hilltops, and the places of their dwellings,
and in the tents where the cure for my sickness lies,
Ancient or new, friends or strangers, but for those who bear enmity.
وبالأجارعand in the sandy flats والبطحاءand the pebbly plain منwhoever سكنdwelt
وبالأجارع والبطحاء من سكن
وساكنand a resident ونزيلand a sojourner سوىother than ذيDhu سلمSalam
وساكن ونزيل سوى ذي سلم
and those who have dwelt in the sandy flats and pebbly plain,
The landmarks and tokens in every homeland,
and residents and sojourners other than at Dhu Salam,
Are our homelands, remnants of past nations.
وبالمعالمand at the landmarks والأعلامand the heights منof بلدa land
وبالمعالم والأعلام من بلد
هيit is البلادthe land لناours منsince سالفbygone الأممpeoples
هي البلاد لنا من سالف الأمم
and at the landmarks and heights of a land,
In the sacred places whose precincts,
the land that has been ours since the peoples of old,
Flowing in sequence, have quenched them in sequence.
وبالمآثرand amid the noble legacies والآثارand the relics منof حرمa sanctuary
وبالمآثر والآثار من حرم
سقاهwatered it منسجمpouring rain فيin إثرthe wake of منسجمpouring rain
سقاه منسجم في إثر منسجم
and amid the noble legacies and relics of a sanctuary.
They live through them, both those who frequented them
May downpour after downpour water it.
And those whose homelands and people are far.
يحياlives بهمthrough them منwhoever دناdrew near منهمto them ومنand whoever بعدتwere distant
يحيا بهم من دنا منهم ومن بعدت
ديارهhis dwellings منamong أناسيhuman beings ومنand among نعمlivestock
دياره من أناسي ومن نعم
Through them live those near them and those far away
All are neighbors to Allah's house, our Creator,
in their dwellings, people and livestock alike.
To whom incline the hearts of the noble and the sage.
والكلand all جارa neighbor لبيتto the House of اللَهGod خالقناour Creator
والكل جار لبيت اللَه خالقنا
تهوىincline إليهtoward it قلوبhearts العربthe Arabs والحكمand the wise
تهوى إليه قلوب العرب والحكم
And all are neighbors of the House of God, our Creator,
The place of delegations, which they visit
toward which the hearts of Arabs and the wise incline.
On foot or riding the backs of swift camels.
ومقعدand the gathering place الوفودthe delegations للَهfor God's sake تقصدهthey seek it
ومقعد الوفود للَه تقصده
مشياًon foot وفوقand upon متونbacks الأينقthe she-camels الرسمswiftly striding
مشياً وفوق متون الأينق الرسم
And the gathering place that delegations seek for God's sake,
My friend, do you see the days restoring me
on foot and upon the backs of swiftly striding she-camels.
After sickness and old age have touched me?
ياO صاحبيmy companion هلdo ترىyou think الأيامthe days تسعدنيwill gladden me
يا صاحبي هل ترى الأيام تسعدني
بعودةwith a return بعدafter مسthe touch of الضعفweakness والهرمand old age
بعودة بعد مس الضعف والهرم
O my companion, do you think the days will gladden me
Alas! Too long has been the separation.
with a return, after weakness and old age have touched me?
The dwellings, the traces, the encampments are lost to us.
هيهاتfar beyond reach هيهاتfar beyond reach طالgrew long العهدthe interval وانتزحand grew distant
هيهات هيهات طال العهد وانتزح
تfeminine ending of the preceding verb عناfrom us المنازلthe dwellings والهفىoh, my anguish وواندميand oh, my regret
ت عنا المنازل والهفى وواندمي
Far beyond reach, far beyond reach! Long has it been, and distant have grown
The time of possibilities escaped me
the dwellings from us—oh, my anguish, and oh, my regret!
Through heedlessness, while my hopes in Allah remained.
وفاتنيand passed me by زمنthe time of الإمكانopportunity فيin كسلsloth
وفاتني زمن الإمكان في كسل
وغفلةand heedlessness والرجاand hope فيin اللَهGod معتصمa refuge
وغفلة والرجا في اللَه معتصم
And the time of opportunity passed me by in sloth
Judgment belongs to Allah, of the mighty throne,
and heedlessness; hope in God is a refuge.
The obeyed commander, transcendent, originator of souls.
والحكمand judgment للَهbelongs to God ذيpossessor of العرشthe Throne العظيمthe mighty وذيand possessor of
والحكم للَه ذي العرش العظيم وذي
الأمرthe command المطاعobeyed تعالىexalted is He بارئCreator of النسمliving souls
الأمر المطاع تعالى بارئ النسم
And judgment belongs to God, Lord of the mighty Throne and Lord of
By Allah's decree, our master
the command that is obeyed—exalted is the Creator of living souls.
Good is destined for man, and provision is apportioned.
وفيand in ارضاcontentment بقضاءwith the decree of اللَهGod سيدناour Master
وفي ارضا بقضاء اللَه سيدنا
الخيرgood للعبدfor the servant والأرزاقand provisions بالقسمby allotment
الخير للعبد والأرزاق بالقسم
And in contentment with the decree of God, our Master,
So ask Allah for success in obeying Him
lies the servant's good, and sustenance is apportioned.
And thanking Him, for He is worthy of bounty and nobility.
فتسألso you ask اللَهGod توفيقاًsuccess لطاعتهin obeying Him
فتسأل اللَه توفيقاً لطاعته
وشكرهand thanking Him فهوfor He أهلpossessor of الفضلbounty والكرمand generosity
وشكره فهو أهل الفضل والكرم
So ask God for success in obeying Him
And may the end, when death takes us,
and thanking Him—for He is the possessor of bounty and generosity—
Be with goodness, righteousness, and forgiveness for sins.
والختمand an ending عندat حضورthe arrival of الموتdeath قابضناthat seizes us
والختم عند حضور الموت قابضنا
بالخيرin goodness والبرand righteousness والغفرانand forgiveness للممfor minor sins
بالخير والبر والغفران للمم
and for an ending, when death comes to seize us,
Then bless the Guide and his family
in goodness and righteousness, and forgiveness for minor sins.
Muhammad, for as long as lightning flashes across tents,
ثمthen الصلاةblessings علىupon الهاديthe Guide وعترتهand his family
ثم الصلاة على الهادي وعترته
محمدMuhammad ماas long as سرىcoursed by night برقlightning علىabove الخيمthe tents
محمد ما سرى برق على الخيم
Then blessings upon the Guide and his family,
And ringdoves coo at dawn,
Muhammad, as long as lightning courses by night above the tents,
And clouds unleash rain and drizzle.
وماand as long as تغنتsang melodiously حمامdoves الأيكthe thicket فيat سحرthe pre-dawn hour
وما تغنت حمام الأيك في سحر
وانهلتand poured down السحبthe clouds بالأمطارwith rains والديمand steady rains
وانهلت السحب بالأمطار والديم
and as long as the doves of the thicket sing before dawn,
and the clouds pour down rain and steady showers.
Partial English translation: 32 of 34 Arabic lines translated.