غَرامٌ غَريمُ الوَصلِ فيهِ مُماطِل

غَرامٌ غَريمُ الوَصلِ فيهِ مُماطِل

وَصَبرٌ لحليِ الجيدِ بِالدَمعِ عاطِلُ

وَصَبرٌ لحليِ الجيدِ بِالدَمعِ عاطِلُ

A passion in which the one who owes union delays payment,

A love unrequited, though union is hoped for,

And patience lies bare as tears adorn the neck,

And patience whose beauty is marred by falling tears.

وَأَيّامُ هَجرٍ مِن حَبيبٍ مُغاضِبٍ

وَأَيّامُ هَجرٍ مِن حَبيبٍ مُغاضِبٍ

عَهِدناهُ أَيّامَ الرِضى وَهوَ واصِلُ

عَهِدناهُ أَيّامَ الرِضى وَهوَ واصِلُ

And days of estrangement from an angry beloved,

Days of estrangement from a beloved who's angry -

Whom we knew in days of contentment, when he granted union.

Days we once knew of acceptance, while he drew near.

غَنيُّ جَمالٍ لا يَلينُ لِبائِسٍ

غَنيُّ جَمالٍ لا يَلينُ لِبائِسٍ

وَلا يَرحَمُ المُشتاقَ وَالدَمعُ سائِلُ

وَلا يَرحَمُ المُشتاقَ وَالدَمعُ سائِلُ

Rich in beauty, he will not soften toward a wretch,

A beauty made richer, who will not be softened

Nor pity the yearning lover, though tears flow.

By one broken-hearted, though tears may flow free.

كأَنَّ الثَرى في المَحلِ مُستَشفعٌ بِهِ

كأَنَّ الثَرى في المَحلِ مُستَشفعٌ بِهِ

لِيَرويَهُ مِن سُحبِ جفنيَّ وابِلُ

لِيَرويَهُ مِن سُحبِ جفنيَّ وابِلُ

As though the earth in drought sought intercession through him,

As if the earth where he walked begged his footfall

That a downpour from the clouds of my eyelids might water it.

To water its dust, weeping copiously.

فَيا عاذلي إِنّي قُتِلتُ تولّهاً

فَيا عاذلي إِنّي قُتِلتُ تولّهاً

فإِن لُمتَني فيهِ فَما أَنتَ عاقِلُ

فإِن لُمتَني فيهِ فَما أَنتَ عاقِلُ

So, my reproacher, I have been slain by love's frenzy;

So chastise me, critic, for love has destroyed me,

If you blame me over him, you are not sensible.

And if you should blame me, know you are not wise.

سَقى اللَهُ دَهراً كانَ للشملِ جامِعاً

سَقى اللَهُ دَهراً كانَ للشملِ جامِعاً

بِهِ فَهَل الرضوانُ لِلجَمعِ شامِلُ

بِهِ فَهَل الرضوانُ لِلجَمعِ شامِلُ

May God water an age that brought our company together

May God water a life that brought us together,

With him; does divine favor extend to that gathering?

And reunite us in pleasure, not sundered by ties.

وَأقسِمُ أَيماناً بِحَقِّ مُحَمَّدٍ

وَأقسِمُ أَيماناً بِحَقِّ مُحَمَّدٍ

لَقَد أَوحشتني مِنهُ تِلكَ الشَمائِلُ

لَقَد أَوحشتني مِنهُ تِلكَ الشَمائِلُ

And I swear oaths by Muhammad's right:

I swear by the rights of Muhammad, estrangement

Those qualities of his have indeed left me desolate.

Has left me in darkness, deprived of his face.

وَلَولا اِشتِغالي في مَدائِحِ أَحمَدٍ

وَلَولا اِشتِغالي في مَدائِحِ أَحمَدٍ

وَآثارِهِ ما كانَ لي عَنهُ شاغِلُ

وَآثارِهِ ما كانَ لي عَنهُ شاغِلُ

Were I not occupied with praises of Ahmad

If not for my hymns in praise of Ahmad,

And his traditions, nothing would distract me from him.

Naught else would have held me from that blessed place.

نَبيِّ الهُدى المُختارِ مِن آلِ هاشِمٍ

نَبيِّ الهُدى المُختارِ مِن آلِ هاشِمٍ

فَعَن فَخرِهِم فَليُقصِر المُتَطاوِلُ

فَعَن فَخرِهِم فَليُقصِر المُتَطاوِلُ

The Prophet of guidance, chosen from the house of Hashim—

Guiding Prophet, chosen from Hashim's line,

So let the presumptuous desist from rivaling their glory.

None should think themselves greater than he.

خَطيب الهُدى وَالسَيفِ وَالعَقلِ وَالنَدى

خَطيب الهُدى وَالسَيفِ وَالعَقلِ وَالنَدى

إِذا خرسَت في كُلِّ حَفلٍ مقاوِلُ

إِذا خرسَت في كُلِّ حَفلٍ مقاوِلُ

Orator of guidance, the sword, reason, and generosity,

Orator, wise one, eloquent and high-minded -

When orators fall mute in every assembly.

When he speaks in council all voices fall silent.

فَقيسٌ إِذا ما قيسَ في الرأيِ جاهِلٌ

فَقيسٌ إِذا ما قيسَ في الرأيِ جاهِلٌ

لَدَيهِ وَقُسٌّ في الفَصاحَةِ باقِلُ

لَدَيهِ وَقُسٌّ في الفَصاحَةِ باقِلُ

For Qays, when measured in judgment, is an ignoramus

Measured against his wisdom and intellect,

Beside him, and Quss, in eloquence, is Baqil.

The minds of others seem foolish and weak.

تَنَقَّلَ في أَصلابِ قَومٍ تَشَرَّفوا

تَنَقَّلَ في أَصلابِ قَومٍ تَشَرَّفوا

بِهِ مِثلَ ما لِلبَدرِ تِلكَ المَنازِلُ

بِهِ مِثلَ ما لِلبَدرِ تِلكَ المَنازِلُ

He passed through the loins of a people ennobled

He came down through ancestries noble and virtuous,

By him, like those stations of the full moon.

As the moon passes through mansions every week.

وَأَرسَلَهُ اللَهُ المُهَيمِنُ رَحمَةً

وَأَرسَلَهُ اللَهُ المُهَيمِنُ رَحمَةً

فَلَيسَ لَهُ في المُرسَلينَ مُماثِلُ

فَلَيسَ لَهُ في المُرسَلينَ مُماثِلُ

And God, the Guardian, sent him as a mercy;

God sent him to all people, his mercy universal -

Among the messengers, he has no equal.

No messenger matches his stature unique.

فَما تبلُغ الأَشعارُ فيهِ وَمَدحُهُ

فَما تبلُغ الأَشعارُ فيهِ وَمَدحُهُ

بِهِ ناطِقٌ نَصُّ الكِتابِ وَناقِلُ

بِهِ ناطِقٌ نَصُّ الكِتابِ وَناقِلُ

What can poems achieve concerning him, when his praise

Poems cannot capture his worth or his glory,

Is proclaimed by the Book's text and by a transmitter?

Though they try, as the Book and its channels speak.

نَعَم إِنَّ في كَعبٍ وَحَسّانَ أُسوَةً

نَعَم إِنَّ في كَعبٍ وَحَسّانَ أُسوَةً

وَغَيرِهما فليهنَ من هوَ فاضِلُ

وَغَيرِهما فليهنَ من هوَ فاضِلُ

Yes, in Ka'b and Hassan there is an example,

Ka'b and Hassaan offer examples to follow,

And others besides those two; let whoever is worthy rejoice.

As do others whose talents have proven oblique.

فَهاتِ فَإِن يُسعِدكَ بِالمَدحِ مقولٌ

فَهاتِ فَإِن يُسعِدكَ بِالمَدحِ مقولٌ

فَإِنَّكَ في ظِلِّ السَعادَةِ قائِلُ

فَإِنَّكَ في ظِلِّ السَعادَةِ قائِلُ

So bring it forth: if an eloquent tongue aids you in praise,

Offer your gifts in praising him, if fortune favors,

Then you rest at noon beneath the shade of felicity.

For in blessing you'll find yourself graced to speak.

وَلي إِن تَوَسَّلتُ الهَناء بِمَدحِهِ

وَلي إِن تَوَسَّلتُ الهَناء بِمَدحِهِ

لأنّيَ مستجدٍ هُناكَ وَسائِلُ

لأنّيَ مستجدٍ هُناكَ وَسائِلُ

And joy is mine if I seek intercession through praising him,

Through hymns in his honor, I've sought inspiration -

For there I am a seeker of bounty and a petitioner.

For in Paradise, I am a newcomer and meek.

لَهُ معجزاتٌ جاوز الرملَ عَدُّها

لَهُ معجزاتٌ جاوز الرملَ عَدُّها

لخدمتها زَهرُ السَماءِ مواثِلُ

لخدمتها زَهرُ السَماءِ مواثِلُ

He has miracles whose number exceeds the grains of sand;

His miracles numberless, beyond any counting,

Heaven's blossoms stand ready to serve them.

The stars in the heavens his diligent aides.

لَقَد جمعَ الحفّاظُ فيها وَأَطنَبوا

لَقَد جمعَ الحفّاظُ فيها وَأَطنَبوا

لأنّ مَحَلَّ القَولِ لِلقَولِ قابِلُ

لأنّ مَحَلَّ القَولِ لِلقَولِ قابِلُ

Indeed, the masters of tradition compiled accounts of them and expounded at length,

Scholars have gathered accounts, writing volumes,

For the subject of discourse is receptive to discourse.

For where tales may be told, more stories accede.

وَلا مِثلَ جمع البَيهَقيّ فَحُسنُهُ

وَلا مِثلَ جمع البَيهَقيّ فَحُسنُهُ

تَقومُ لَهُ يَومَ الفخارِ دَلائِلُ

تَقومُ لَهُ يَومَ الفخارِ دَلائِلُ

But no compilation equals al-Bayhaqi's; its excellence

None compiled as al-Bayhaqi - his collection

Is upheld by proofs on the day of boasting.

Will stand as his merit on Judgment's dread day.

فَيا رَبِّ بالإِحسانِ في الخُلدِ جازِهِ

فَيا رَبِّ بالإِحسانِ في الخُلدِ جازِهِ

فَإِنَّكَ بالإِحسانِ كافٍ وَكافِلُ

فَإِنَّكَ بالإِحسانِ كافٍ وَكافِلُ

So, my Lord, reward him with goodness in the everlasting abode,

O Lord, for your kindness, reward him forever

For You suffice in goodness and are its guarantor.

In Paradise, for your mercy is perfect and complete.

وَعمِّر سِراجَ الدينِ بالنورِ وَالهدى

وَعمِّر سِراجَ الدينِ بالنورِ وَالهدى

يُحاوِلُ إِطفاءَ الرَدى وَيصاوِلُ

يُحاوِلُ إِطفاءَ الرَدى وَيصاوِلُ

And grant Siraj al-Din long life, with light and guidance,

And grant long life to the Lamp of Religion,

As he strives to extinguish ruin and battles it.

Dispelling darkness, vanquishing deceit.

وَلا زالَ شَيخُ المُسلمينَ مسلَّماً

وَلا زالَ شَيخُ المُسلمينَ مسلَّماً

يجدِّلُ أَعداءً لَهُم وَيُجادِلُ

يجدِّلُ أَعداءً لَهُم وَيُجادِلُ

And may the shaykh of the Muslims ever remain secure,

The Shaykh of Muslims continues his service,

Felling their enemies and debating them.

Debating opponents, their allegations replete.

إِمامٌ لَهُ في طالبي العلم راحة

إِمامٌ لَهُ في طالبي العلم راحة

عَلى أَنَّها ما أَتعبتَها الفَواضِلُ

عَلى أَنَّها ما أَتعبتَها الفَواضِلُ

An imam whose open palm is for seekers of knowledge,

An Imam revered for his knowledge and wisdom,

Though acts of generosity have never wearied it.

Though virtues abound, they burden him not.

وَلَو لَم تُجار السحب في العلم وَالنَدى

وَلَو لَم تُجار السحب في العلم وَالنَدى

أَياديهِ لَم تعقد عَلَيها الأَناملُ

أَياديهِ لَم تعقد عَلَيها الأَناملُ

And had the clouds not been rivaled in learning and bounty

Were the clouds of his science not sent as a bounty,

By his benefactions, fingers would not have been folded to count them.

Our hands could not grasp them, weak at their receipt.

فَيا رَبّ عاملنا بِلطفكَ إِنَّنا

فَيا رَبّ عاملنا بِلطفكَ إِنَّنا

نَرى بِجَميل الظَنّ ما أَنتَ فاعِلُ

نَرى بِجَميل الظَنّ ما أَنتَ فاعِلُ

So, Lord, deal with us gently, for we

O Lord, treat us gently, for we see your kindness.

See, with hopeful trust, what You will do.

Save us from discord and trials that cheat.

أَعذنا مِنَ الأَهواء وَالفِتَن الَّتي

أَعذنا مِنَ الأَهواء وَالفِتَن الَّتي

أَواخرها توهي القوى وَالأَوائِلُ

أَواخرها توهي القوى وَالأَوائِلُ

Protect us from passions and the trials whose

Bless the best of mankind and his family wholly,

Ends and beginnings alike sap strength.

And greet him with peace whenever dusk turns to night.

وَصلّ عَلى خَيرِ الأَنام وآله

وَصلّ عَلى خَيرِ الأَنام وآله

وَسَلّم وبارِك كُلَّما آب آفلُ

وَسَلّم وبارِك كُلَّما آب آفلُ

And send blessings upon the best of creation and his family,

And grant peace and blessing whenever a setting orb returns.