ياO بريقاًa lightning flash بالحمىin the protected grounds قدhas indeed لمعاshone
يا بريقاً بالحمى قد لمعا
حيgreet عنيon my behalf البانthe moringa trees والاثلand the tamarisks معاtogether
حي عني البان والاثل معا
O lightning flash that has shone in the protected grounds,
O glimmer of fever that sparkled,
greet for me the moringa trees and tamarisks together.
awakening together my eye and heart,
فبذاكfor in that الحيquarter ليI have غصنa branch نقاof a sand dune
فبذاك الحي لي غصن نقا
طائرthe bird القلبof the heart عليهupon it وقعاalighted
طائر القلب عليه وقعا
For in that quarter I have a branch upon a dune;
through it a tender branch I gained,
the bird of my heart has alighted upon it.
upon which my heartbird alighted.
ياoh لهwhat a ... he is منof غصنa branch بانof moringa يانعflourishing
يا له من غصن بان يانع
صادحthe songbird الحلىof the jewels عليهupon it سجعاwarbled
صادح الحلى عليه سجعا
Oh, what a flourishing moringa branch he is!
What a delicate, graceful branch it is,
The songbird of jewels has warbled upon it.
which inspired lyrical couplets in praise.
ظبيa gazelle انسof humankind فيin الحشاthe heart مرتعهhis pasture
ظبي انس في الحشا مرتعه
ليتif only يوماone day لوداديto my affection لوif رعيhe paid heed
ليت يوما لودادي لو رعي
A gazelle in human form, whose pasture is my heart;
A gentle gazelle resting in the meadow,
if only he would one day heed my affection!
if only one day it would graze for my love!
لمnot ازلhave I ceased طوعobedient to الهوىlove احفظهI cherish him
لم ازل طوع الهوى احفظه
ماwhat لهis with him حفظthe keeping عهوديof my pledges ضيعاhe neglected
ما له حفظ عهودي ضيعا
I have never ceased, obedient to love, to cherish him;
I remain compliant to passion guarding it,
why has he neglected to keep my pledges?
though it neglected to keep its vows to me.
لينsupple الاعطافof limbs منهof him خصرهhis waist
لين الاعطاف منه خصره
رقgrew slender حتىuntil كادit almost انto ينقطعاbreak apart
رق حتى كاد ان ينقطعا
He is supple of limb; his waist
Its tender body bends with such grace,
is so slender it almost snaps in two.
it nearly breaks from its delicate form.
عادلwell-proportioned القدin stature حكتresembled طلعتهhis face
عادل القد حكت طلعته
بدرa moon تمat fullness فوقabove غصنa branch طلعاrisen
بدر تم فوق غصن طلعا
Well-proportioned in stature, his face resembles
Its noble stature told of its origins,
a full moon risen above a branch.
a full moon rising over a branch.
لحظهhis glance فوقaimed نحويtoward me اسهماarrows
لحظه فوق نحوي اسهما
فصابتand they struck منwithin فؤاديmy heart موقعاa mark
فصابت من فؤادي موقعا
His glance aimed arrows toward me,
Its glances at me shot arrows
and they struck a mark within my heart.
that struck a place within my heart.
كمhow often لهbefore him اخفضI lower ذلاin abasement جانبيmy side
كم له اخفض ذلا جانبي
وهوwhile he عنيaway from me لمnot يزلhas ceased مرتفعاto remain aloof
وهو عني لم يزل مرتفعا
How often, abased, I bow low before him,
How I wish to lower my gaze from it,
while he remains high and aloof from me.
while it remains lofty, not stooping to me.
صدhe turned away ظلماunjustly وأرانيand showed me قسوةcruelty
صد ظلما وأراني قسوة
ولقلبيand for my heart بالتجافيthrough estrangement صدعاhe made a rift
ولقلبي بالتجافي صدعا
He turned away unjustly and showed me cruelty,
It turned away harshly showing me cruelty,
and shattered my heart through his estrangement.
leaving my heart cracked with aloofness.
والىand to الكاشحthe spiteful foe القىhe lent سمعهhis ear
والى الكاشح القى سمعه
ياah كفىmay ... ward off اللهGod حديثاa tale سمعاhe heard
يا كفى الله حديثا سمعا
And he lent his ear to the spiteful foe;
And to the slanderer it lent its hearing -
ah, may God ward off the tale he heard!
enough! It heard a baseless rumor.
شنعspread a slander العاذلthe reproacher عنيabout me سلوةforgetting love
شنع العاذل عني سلوة
كذبlied العاذلthe reproacher فيماin what شنعاhe proclaimed
كذب العاذل فيما شنعا
The reproacher spread a rumor that I had ceased to love;
The accuser maligned me out of ignorance,
the reproacher lied in what he proclaimed.
then seeing the truth turned back.
واتىand he came منout of جهلهhis ignorance يعذلنيto reproach me
واتى من جهله يعذلني
ثمthen لماwhen انthat رآهhe saw him رجعاhe turned back
ثم لما ان رآه رجعا
And in his ignorance he came to reproach me,
I love none but it, leave me to a passion
then, when he saw him, he turned back.
too vast for Hind and Asma combined.
اناI لاnot اهوىlove سواهanyone but him خلنيleave me
انا لا اهوى سواه خلني
منfrom هوىlove for هندHind واسماand Asma وسعاand Su'a
من هوى هند واسما وسعا
I love none but him; leave me free
I will not find solace from its love,
of love for Hind, Asma, and Su'a.
nor see a path to union with it.
لاno ولاand not عنfrom حبهlove for him اسلوI grow indifferent ولاnor
لا ولا عن حبه اسلو ولا
وصلةunion فيهwith him ارىI see ليfor myself مطمعاany hope
وصلة فيه ارى لي مطمعا
No, I never forget my love for him, nor
If I cast my eye upon another
do I see any hope of union with him.
I find no place for them within my heart.
واذاand if رمتI seek سواهsomeone other than him لمnot اجدI find
واذا رمت سواه لم اجد
فيin فؤاديmy heart لسواهfor anyone but him موضعاa place
في فؤادي لسواه موضعا
And if I seek another, I find no
Ask my eyes what tears I cried,
place in my heart for anyone but him.
do not ask if separation left me untouched.
سائليyou who ask me عماabout what جرىflowed منof ادمعيmy tears
سائلي عما جرى من ادمعي
لاdo not تسلask بالهجرthrough separation ماwhat بيto me صنعاhe did
لا تسل بالهجر ما بي صنعا
You who ask me about the tears I have shed,
I made sleep a pillow so my tears flowed,
do not ask what he has done to me through separation.
denying rest to my eyes.
منحhe gave العينthe eye سهاداًsleeplessness فجرتso it streamed
منح العين سهاداً فجرت
ورقاديand my sleep منfrom جفونيmy eyelids منعاhe withheld
ورقادي من جفوني منعا
He gave my eye sleeplessness, so it streamed,
Send my phantom visitor to my eyes,
and withheld my sleep from my eyelids.
let my phantom visit where is no rest.
ارسلsend الطيفthe dream-phantom لطرفيto my eye زائراًas a visitor
ارسل الطيف لطرفي زائراً
ايزورdoes ... visit? الطيفthe dream-phantom منone who لاnot هجعاslept
ايزور الطيف من لا هجعا
Send the dream-phantom as a visitor to my eyes—
Do not blame me if I strive toward it,
can the dream-phantom visit one who has not slept?
one can only attain what one seeks.
لاdo not تلمblame انif ملتI inclined اسعىI strive نحوهtoward him
لا تلم ان ملت اسعى نحوه
ليسthere is not للانسانfor a person الاexcept ماwhat سعىhe strove for
ليس للانسان الا ما سعى
Do not blame me if I turn to strive toward him;
So follow, my friend, glory and advance boldly
a person has only what he has striven for.
into the sanctuary of hopes with haste.
فاتبعso pursue ياO صاحfriend مجداglory وعلىand toward
فاتبع يا صاح مجدا وعلى
حرمthe sanctuary الامالof hopes عجturn aside بيwith me مسرعاin haste
حرم الامال عج بي مسرعا
So pursue glory, my friend, and toward
Shaykh of Islam, imam of the age
the sanctuary of hopes turn with me in haste:
from the noble Farfur family, a means to intercession.
شيخthe shaykh الاسلامof Islam امامthe imam العصرof the age منfrom
شيخ الاسلام امام العصر من
آلthe house of فرفورFarfur الكرامthe noble الشفعاintercessors
آل فرفور الكرام الشفعا
the Shaykh of Islam, the imam of the age, from
You are the garden of knowledge, the exemplar,
the noble house of Farfur, the intercessors.
the requested path in which the garden thrived.
روضةa garden العلمof knowledge ومنand through منهاجهhis method
روضة العلم ومن منهاجه
مطلبthe aspiration الروضof the garden بهthrough him قدhas indeed اينعاripened
مطلب الروض به قد اينعا
A garden of knowledge; and through his method,
The piercing, lofty, highborn star,
the garden's aspiration has ripened through him.
who gathered all the heights of merit.
الشهابthe meteor الثاقبpiercing الساميlofty الذرىin summits
الشهاب الثاقب السامي الذرى
والذيand he who حازattained المعاليlofty honors اجمعاall of them
والذي حاز المعالي اجمعا
The piercing meteor, lofty in his heights,
You attained the furthest extent of worth and pride,
and he who has attained all lofty honors;
and ascended to the highest honored abode.
منhe who سماrose high قدراin rank وفخراand in glory وارتقىand ascended
من سما قدرا وفخرا وارتقى
فيin سماthe sky المجدof glory المحلthe station الارفعاhighest
في سما المجد المحل الارفعا
who rose in rank and glory, and ascended
You embodied virtue, munificence, brilliance,
in glory's sky to the highest station;
in qualities imprinted upon you.
وحوىand possessed فضلاmerit وجوداand generosity وندىand bounty
وحوى فضلا وجودا وندى
وعلىand with تلكthose السجاياtraits طبعاwas naturally formed
وعلى تلك السجايا طبعا
and possessed merit, generosity, and bounty,
How could you not rise high when as an infant
and was naturally endowed with those traits.
you suckled the milk of greatness at the breast?
كيفhow لاnot يسموdoes he rise علواin eminence وهوwhile he فيin الthe
كيف لا يسمو علوا وهو في ال
مهدcradle منfrom ثديthe breast المعاليof lofty honors رضعاhe suckled
مهد من ثدي المعالي رضعا
How could he not rise high, when in the
The discerning nearly judged what had not
cradle he suckled from the breast of lofty honors?
previously been glimpsed by any seer.
المعيّkeen-witted كادhe almost يقضيjudges بالذيon what
المعيّ كاد يقضي بالذي
لمnot يكنhad قبلpreviously عليهof it اطلعاbecome aware
لم يكن قبل عليه اطلعا
So keen-witted, he could almost judge what
When your magnificent command appears
he had never previously known.
and you produce wondrous sciences,
واذاand when ماever جلgrew grave امرa matter حلهhe resolved it
واذا ما جل امر حله
واذاand when ابدىhe expounded علوماbranches of knowledge ابدعاhe excelled
واذا ابدى علوما ابدعا
And whenever a matter grows grave, he resolves it;
you have no fault when you give generously
and when he expounds learning, he excels.
except that you exhaust what you amassed.
ماno بهin him عيبfault اذاwhen جادhe gives سوىexcept
ما به عيب اذا جاد سوى
انهthat he يتلفexhausts ماwhat قدhas جمعاamassed
انه يتلف ما قد جمعا
He has no fault when he gives, save
And if I sought rain from your right hand for my worries,
that he exhausts what he has amassed.
downpours of rain and sprayers would pour forth.
واذاand when استمطرتis asked for rain يمناهhis right hand همىthere poured
واذا استمطرت يمناه همى
وابلa downpour الغيثof rain ومنهاand from it همعاstreamed
وابل الغيث ومنها همعا
And when his right hand is asked for rain, there pours
Do not compare your ocean-giving hand
a downpour of rain, streaming from it.
to one unable to equal a finger.
لاdo not تقسcompare بالبحرwith the sea جددوىthe bounty كفهof his palm
لا تقس بالبحر جددوى كفه
فهوfor it منis that which لاdoes not يساويequal اصبعاa finger
فهو من لا يساوي اصبعا
Do not compare his palm's bounty with the sea;
Do not liken it to rain, though sometimes
for it cannot equal even a finger.
rain's downpour brings harm and its drizzle benefit.
لاno ولاnor بالغيثas rain يدعىis he called ربماsometimes
لا ولا بالغيث يدعى ربما
ضرharmed غيثrain ونداهwhile his bounty نفعاbenefited
ضر غيث ونداه نفعا
No, nor should he be called rain: sometimes
Your door to generosity has become a sanctuary,
rain does harm, while his bounty brings benefit.
one who journeys there succeeds.
بابهhis door للجودfor generosity اضحىhas become حرماa sanctuary
بابه للجود اضحى حرما
فازhas succeeded منwhoever حجmade pilgrimage اليهto it وسعىand strove
فاز من حج اليه وسعى
His door has become a sanctuary of generosity;
O imam of the age, O finest melody,
he who makes pilgrimage there and strives has won.
and the spiritual preacher of lofty sermons.
ياO امامimam العصرof the age ياO وترpeerless one الندىin bounty
يا امام العصر يا وتر الندى
والخطيبand the preacher المعنويrich in meaning المصقعاeloquent
والخطيب المعنوي المصقعا
O imam of the age, O peerless one in bounty,
Receive these strung pearls from me,
and eloquent preacher, profound in meaning.
the essence of gems with which they are encrusted.
هاكهاtake it منيfrom me عقوداas necklaces نظمتI strung
هاكها مني عقودا نظمت
خالصthe purest الدرpearls بهاin them قدhave indeed رصعاbeen set
خالص الدر بها قد رصعا
Take it from me as necklaces I have strung;
Your praise has enhanced their beauty, so they related
the purest pearls have been set within them.
a sweet, refreshing tale.
زادهاenhanced them مدحكpraise of you حسناin beauty فحكتso they resembled
زادها مدحك حسنا فحكت
مشرباa drinking-place عذباsweet وراقتand grew clear منبعاat the source
مشربا عذبا وراقت منبعا
Praise of you increased their beauty, so they resembled
Mention of you has spread like the fragrant musk
a sweet drinking-place, clear at its source.
from aloeswood blazing with heat.
وبهاand through them ذكركthe mention of you اضحىhas become نشرهits fragrance
وبها ذكرك اضحى نشره
منthan شذاthe scent مسكof musk سحيقpowdered اضوعاmore fragrant
من شذا مسك سحيق اضوعا
And through them, the fragrance of your name has become
May God increase you in probity and reverence,
more fragrant than the scent of powdered musk.
and clothe those exemplary qualities with devotion.
زادكmay ... increase you اللهGod عفافاًin chastity وتقىand piety
زادك الله عفافاً وتقى
وكسىand may ... clothe تلكthose السجاياtraits ورعاin pious restraint
وكسى تلك السجايا ورعا
May God increase you in chastity and piety,
And may you meet with vast plains and good tidings
and clothe those virtues in pious restraint.
and all people together.
وتلقاكand may ... greet you علىthroughout طولthe length المدىof time
وتلقاك على طول المدى
رحبٌopenhearted بالرحبwith welcome والبشرand smiling cheer معاtogether
رحبٌ بالرحب والبشر معا
And may you, through all time, be received
Your munificence suffices, the gift and praise,
with openhearted hospitality and cheerful smiles together.
while our prayer suffices for you.
حسبناenough for us جودكyour generosity فيهthroughout it والعطاand gifts
حسبنا جودك فيه والعطا
والثناand praise حسبكenough for you مناfrom us والدعاand prayers
والثنا حسبك منا والدعا
Throughout it, your generosity and gifts suffice us;
So remain and be well, for time turns favorably for you
and our praise and prayers suffice you.
to a sphere of honor and rising fortune.
فابقso live on واسلمand stay safe فلكfor yours is الاقبالgood fortune فيin
فابق واسلم فلك الاقبال في
فلكthe sphere العزof glory سعوداas auspicious stars طلعاhas risen
فلك العز سعودا طلعا
So live on and stay safe: for you, good fortune in
O Lord of Highness, may you never cease
glory's sphere has risen as auspicious stars.
to gain praise and wear vestments of honor.
لاmay you never برحتcease الدهرthrough all time ياO ربlord العلاof eminence
لا برحت الدهر يا رب العلا
تكسبyou earn الحمدpraise وتكسيand are clothed الخلعاin robes of honor
تكسب الحمد وتكسي الخلعا
May you never cease, through all time, O lord of eminence,
And unto us may blessings continue to flow
to earn praise and be clad in robes of honor.
like a running spring, never cut off.
واليناand to us لمnot يزلhas ceased متصلاunbroken
والينا لم يزل متصلا
بركyour kindness الجاريflowing ولنand will never ينقطعاbe cut off
برك الجاري ولن ينقطعا
And still there reaches us, unbroken,
While the garden thrives and its melody sounds,
your flowing kindness, never to be cut off,
its beauty ever flourishing with vigor.
ماas long as برودthe robes الروضof the garden وشاهاembroidered them الندىdew
ما برود الروض وشاها الندى
ولهاand for them الحسنbeauty بنبتwith plants وشعاwove patterns
ولها الحسن بنبت وشعا
as long as dew embroiders the garden's robes,
and beauty patterns them with plants.
Partial English translation: 88 of 90 Arabic lines translated.