سَمْعاً فقد نطقَ اللسانُ المفصِحُ

سَمْعاً فقد نطقَ اللسانُ المفصِحُ

ببشائِرٍ غاياتُها لا تُشْرَحُ

ببشائِرٍ غاياتُها لا تُشْرَحُ

Listen—the eloquent tongue has spoken,

Give ear, for the eloquent tongue has spoken

bearing glad tidings whose utmost reach defies description.

With glad tidings whose full extent cannot be described.

فالكوْنُ من طرَبٍ بها متهَلّلٌ

فالكوْنُ من طرَبٍ بها متهَلّلٌ

وملامِحُ الدنْيا بها تُتَلَقّحُ

وملامِحُ الدنْيا بها تُتَلَقّحُ

The universe rejoices in them with rapture,

So the universe beams with joy at them,

and through them the beauties of the world grow fair.

And the world's features are made fertile by them.

والأفْقُ أبْداهُ الظّلامُ حديقةً

والأفْقُ أبْداهُ الظّلامُ حديقةً

فالزُّهْرُ أزْهارٌ بهِ تتفتّحُ

فالزُّهْرُ أزْهارٌ بهِ تتفتّحُ

The clouds have unveiled the horizon as a garden,

And darkness has revealed the horizon as a garden,

where blossoms open their flowers.

So the bright stars are flowers blossoming in it.

والرّوضُ يرْفُلُ في غلائِلِ سُنْدُسٍ

والرّوضُ يرْفُلُ في غلائِلِ سُنْدُسٍ

غُصْنُ النّقا ما بيْنَها يترنّحُ

غُصْنُ النّقا ما بيْنَها يترنّحُ

The meadow struts in robes of fine brocade,

And the garden sweeps along in gauzy robes of fine silk,

and there among them a bough of the sandhill sways.

The branch of the dune sways among them.

يا مَنْ لهُ البيتُ العَتيقُ وزمْزَمٌ

يا مَنْ لهُ البيتُ العَتيقُ وزمْزَمٌ

ومِنىً ومكّةُ دارُهُ والأبْطَحُ

ومِنىً ومكّةُ دارُهُ والأبْطَحُ

O you to whom belong the Ancient House and Zamzam,

O you to whom belong the Ancient House and Zamzam,

and Mina, Mecca—his abode—and al-Abṭaḥ:

And Mina, and whose home is Mecca and al-Abtah,

أهيَ المآثِرُ حيثُ قام خَطيبها

أهيَ المآثِرُ حيثُ قام خَطيبها

أمْ طيبُ هبّاتِ الخَمائِلِ ينفَحُ

أمْ طيبُ هبّاتِ الخَمائِلِ ينفَحُ

Are these the glorious deeds whose herald has arisen,

Are these noble deeds, as their orator stands forth,

or the fragrance wafted by the breezes of leafy groves?

Or the fragrance of breezes from the groves wafting forth?

وهي المَفاخِرُ في النّدى أو في الهُدَى

وهي المَفاخِرُ في النّدى أو في الهُدَى

مُتفجّرٌ لك فجْرُها المتوضّحُ

مُتفجّرٌ لك فجْرُها المتوضّحُ

These are the glories, whether in generosity or guidance;

And these are glories, in generosity or in guidance;

for you their radiant dawn bursts forth.

Their radiant dawn bursts forth for you.

لو مَثّلوها للوفودِ لآلِئاً

لو مَثّلوها للوفودِ لآلِئاً

لتختّموا بنَظيمِها وتوشّحوا

لتختّموا بنَظيمِها وتوشّحوا

Were they portrayed to visiting delegations as pearls,

If they embodied them as pearls for the delegations,

you would take them in their strung array and wear them as a sash—

They would wear their strung pearls as rings and sashes.

حيثُ البُدورُ تودُّ في آفاقِها

حيثُ البُدورُ تودُّ في آفاقِها

لو أنّها بسَنائِها تسْتَصْبِحُ

لو أنّها بسَنائِها تسْتَصْبِحُ

until the full moons in their horizons wished

Where the full moons wish, in their horizons,

to borrow morning light from their radiance.

That they might draw their light from those glories' radiance.

يا وافِداً من عالم الأكْوانِ هلْ

يا وافِداً من عالم الأكْوانِ هلْ

روْضُ الوجودِ وقد أتَيتَ مُصوِّحُ

روْضُ الوجودِ وقد أتَيتَ مُصوِّحُ

O visitor arriving from the realm of created beings, can

O newcomer from the world of created beings, is

the garden of existence, now that you have come, remain parched?

The garden of existence withering, now that you have come?

يا صُبْحَ هدْيٍ ساحِباً ذيلَ العُلى

يا صُبْحَ هدْيٍ ساحِباً ذيلَ العُلى

تشْدو الرّفاقُ بذكْرِهِ وتُسَبِّحُ

تشْدو الرّفاقُ بذكْرِهِ وتُسَبِّحُ

O dawn of guidance, trailing the hem of loftiness,

O dawn of guidance, trailing the train of lofty glory,

the companions sing in his remembrance and glorify God.

The companions sing at his mention and glorify God.

يا ابْنَ الذي تسْري الرّكابُ وجاهُهُ

يا ابْنَ الذي تسْري الرّكابُ وجاهُهُ

ظِلٌّ ظَليلٌ والهواجِرُ تلْفَحُ

ظِلٌّ ظَليلٌ والهواجِرُ تلْفَحُ

O son of him—the caravans journey by night—whose prestige

O son of him whose prestige, as the riding camels travel by night,

is a deep, cool shade while the scorching noons sear;

Is sheltering shade while the midday heat scorches.

يا سَبْطَ مَنْ حاز النّبوءَةَ والهُدى

يا سَبْطَ مَنْ حاز النّبوءَةَ والهُدى

وبنُورِه غصّ الفضاءُ الأفْيَحُ

وبنُورِه غصّ الفضاءُ الأفْيَحُ

O grandson of him who attained prophethood and guidance,

O scion of him who attained prophethood and guidance,

by whose light the vast expanse was filled to overflowing.

And with his light the vast expanse brimmed.

هلْ في مكانَتِهِ التي قد نالَها

هلْ في مكانَتِهِ التي قد نالَها

جِبْريلُ يطْمَعُ أو إليها يطْمَحُ

جِبْريلُ يطْمَعُ أو إليها يطْمَحُ

Is there, in the station he attained,

Is the station he has already attained

anything Gabriel himself covets or aspires to?

One Gabriel covets, or aspires to reach?

إنْ كُنتَ مبْغومَ الجوابِ فإنّني

إنْ كُنتَ مبْغومَ الجوابِ فإنّني

أبداً أنادي مُثْنِياً وأصرِّحُ

أبداً أنادي مُثْنِياً وأصرِّحُ

Though you are mute in answer, I

If you are inarticulate in reply, then I

shall forever proclaim your praise and declare it openly.

Ever call out in praise and speak plainly.

للهِ منْكَ مَناقِبٌ أحْرَزْتَها

للهِ منْكَ مَناقِبٌ أحْرَزْتَها

كالشّهْبِ في أفُقِ السّماءِ تُلوِّحُ

كالشّهْبِ في أفُقِ السّماءِ تُلوِّحُ

By God, what virtues are yours—virtues you have won,

God be praised for your virtues, which you have attained,

gleaming like meteors in the vault of heaven!

Like meteors gleaming on the sky's horizon.

أوَ ليسَ والدُكَ الذي آثارُهُ

أوَ ليسَ والدُكَ الذي آثارُهُ

أحْلى من الصُبْحِ المُنير وأوْضَحُ

أحْلى من الصُبْحِ المُنير وأوْضَحُ

Is not your father the one whose deeds

And is not your father the one whose deeds

are sweeter than the radiant dawn, and clearer?

Are sweeter than the luminous dawn, and clearer?

هيْهاتَ للشّمْسِ المُنيرةِ هَدْيُهُ

هيْهاتَ للشّمْسِ المُنيرةِ هَدْيُهُ

والشّمسُ تحجُبُها السّحابُ وتوضِحُ

والشّمسُ تحجُبُها السّحابُ وتوضِحُ

Far beyond the shining sun is his guidance—

His guidance is beyond the radiant sun's reach,

for the sun is veiled by clouds, then comes into view.

While clouds veil the sun and reveal it.

أوْ هلْ تُجاري كفَّهُ سُحُبُ الحَيا

أوْ هلْ تُجاري كفَّهُ سُحُبُ الحَيا

والطّبْعُ أكْرَمُ والسّجيّةُ أسْمَحُ

والطّبْعُ أكْرَمُ والسّجيّةُ أسْمَحُ

Or can the clouds of life-giving rain rival his hand,

Or can the rain clouds rival his hand,

when his nature is nobler and his disposition more generous?

While his nature is more generous and his disposition more openhanded?

وأبو المعالي عمّك العَلَمُ الذي

وأبو المعالي عمّك العَلَمُ الذي

لمحلِّه ما للكواكِبِ مطْمَحُ

لمحلِّه ما للكواكِبِ مطْمَحُ

And Abū al-Maʿālī, your uncle, is the luminary whose

And Abu al-Ma'ali, your uncle, is the luminary

rank lies beyond even the stars’ aspiration.

To whose station the stars cannot aspire.

لوْلا مآثِرُهُ الكريمةُ لمْ تكُنْ

لوْلا مآثِرُهُ الكريمةُ لمْ تكُنْ

خيْلُ اليَراعةِ في مداهَا تجْمَحُ

خيْلُ اليَراعةِ في مداهَا تجْمَحُ

Were it not for his noble exploits,

Were it not for his noble deeds, never would

the steeds of the reed pen would not gallop through their course.

The steeds of the reed pen run wild across their expanse.

هذا وجدُّك أوْحَدُ الدّهْرِ الذي

هذا وجدُّك أوْحَدُ الدّهْرِ الذي

عن جودِه تُرْوى السّحابُ الدُّلحُ

عن جودِه تُرْوى السّحابُ الدُّلحُ

And this is your grandfather, the age’s peerless man, whose

This—and your grandfather is the peerless man of the age,

generosity the rain-laden clouds recount.

From whose generosity the rain-heavy clouds are watered.

علَمٌ بحَمْلِ العِلْمِ زادَ تواضُعاً

علَمٌ بحَمْلِ العِلْمِ زادَ تواضُعاً

ووقارُهُ أعْلامَ رَضْوَى يرْجَحُ

ووقارُهُ أعْلامَ رَضْوَى يرْجَحُ

A luminary who, bearing knowledge, grew still humbler;

A luminary who grew in humility through bearing knowledge,

his gravity outweighs even the peaks of Mount Raḍwā.

And his dignity outweighs the peaks of Radwa.

فالحِلْمُ منهُ سجيّةٌ معْهودةٌ

فالحِلْمُ منهُ سجيّةٌ معْهودةٌ

والعِلْمُ منهُ ديمةٌ تُسْتَمْنَحُ

والعِلْمُ منهُ ديمةٌ تُسْتَمْنَحُ

Forbearance is his well-known, inborn nature,

So forbearance is a well-known trait in him,

and his knowledge is a steady rain whose gifts are sought.

And knowledge from him is a steady rain sought as a gift.

فاهْنأ بهِ ولكَ البقاءُ مُخَلَّداً

فاهْنأ بهِ ولكَ البقاءُ مُخَلَّداً

والسّعْدُ يخْفقُ والمقاصِدُ تنْجحُ

والسّعْدُ يخْفقُ والمقاصِدُ تنْجحُ

Rejoice in him; may everlasting life be yours,

So rejoice in him, and may you live on forever,

while fortune flutters and every aim succeeds.

And good fortune flutters, and your aims succeed.

فلحُبّكُمْ يا آل بيْتِ محمد

فلحُبّكُمْ يا آل بيْتِ محمد

بيْنَ الجوانِحِ كُلّ قلْبٍ يجْنَحُ

بيْنَ الجوانِحِ كُلّ قلْبٍ يجْنَحُ

For love of you, O Household of Muhammad,

So toward love of you, O family of Muhammad's house,

every heart within the breast inclines toward you.

Every heart within the ribs inclines.

أوَ ما بذاكَ اللهُ جَلّ جلالُهُ

أوَ ما بذاكَ اللهُ جَلّ جلالُهُ

يعْفو عنِ الذّنْبِ العظيمِ ويصْفحُ

يعْفو عنِ الذّنْبِ العظيمِ ويصْفحُ

Is it not through that love that God—majestic is His glory—

And does not God, exalted be His majesty, through that

forgives the gravest sin and grants pardon?

Pardon the great sin and forgive?

وإلَيْكَها غرّاءَ راقَ جمالُها

وإلَيْكَها غرّاءَ راقَ جمالُها

فالعيْنُ منها في رياضٍ تسْرَحُ

فالعيْنُ منها في رياضٍ تسْرَحُ

And here it is for you: a radiant ode, delightful in its beauty;

And here it is for you, radiant, with enchanting beauty;

through it the eye wanders freely among gardens.

So through it the eye roams among gardens.

ألْفاظُها وُرْقٌ لدى أوراقِها

ألْفاظُها وُرْقٌ لدى أوراقِها

بالحقِّ تصْدَعُ أو بحمْدِكَ تصْدَحُ

بالحقِّ تصْدَعُ أو بحمْدِكَ تصْدَحُ

Its words are silver upon its pages,

Its words are gray doves amid its leaves,

proclaiming truth or singing your praise aloud.

They proclaim the truth or sing out your praise.

لازِلْتَ يا معْنى الفضائِلِ آمناً

لازِلْتَ يا معْنى الفضائِلِ آمناً

واللهُ يُعْطي ما تشاءُ ويمْنَحُ

واللهُ يُعْطي ما تشاءُ ويمْنَحُ

May you remain, O embodiment of the virtues, safe and secure;

May you ever remain safe, O embodiment of virtues,

God grants whatever you desire and bestows it.

And may God give and grant whatever you wish.