1. تَذكَّر بالحِمى رشأً أَغنّا

    وَهاجَ له الهوى طَرَباً فغنّى

    He remembered a soft-voiced fawn in the protected pasture,

    And love stirred him to rapture, so he sang.

  2. وحنَّ فؤادُه شَوقاً لنجدٍ

    وأَينَ الهندُ من نجدٍ وأَنّى

    His heart yearned longingly for Najd;

    But where is India from Najd—how far away!

  3. وغنَّت في فروع الأَيكِ ورقٌ

    فجاوبها بزفرتِه وأَنّا

    Gray doves sang among the branches of the thicket,

    And he answered them with his sigh and groaned.

  4. وَطارحَها الغَرامَ فحين رنَّت

    له بتنفُّس الصُعداء رنّا

    He exchanged songs of love with them; when they trilled

    To him, he rang out with a deep-drawn sigh.

  5. وأَورى لاعجَ الأَشواق منه

    بريقٌ بالأبيرق لاح وَهنا

    And the searing fire of longing within him was kindled

    By a flash that gleamed at al-Ubayriq late at night.

  6. معنّىً كلَّما هبَّت شَمالٌ

    تذكَّر ذلك العيش المهنّا

    Tormented, whenever a north wind blew,

    He remembered that blissful life.

  7. إذا جنَّ الظَلامُ عليه أَبدى

    من الوَجدِ المبرِّح ما أَجَنّا

    When darkness enfolded him, he revealed

    The agonizing passion he had concealed.

  8. سَقى وادي الغَضا دَمعي إذا ما

    تهلّل لا السحاب إذا اِرجَحنّا

    May my tears water the valley of al-Ghada whenever

    They flow freely—not the clouds when they hang heavy.

  9. فَكَم لي في رُباهُ قضيبَ حُسنٍ

    تفرَّد بالملاحة إِذ تثنّى

    How many a bough of beauty was mine upon its hills,

    Unique in loveliness whenever he swayed!

  10. كَلِفتُ به وما كُلِّفت فرضاً

    فأَوجبَ طرفُه قَتلي وسنّا

    I was enamored of him, though charged with no duty;

    Yet his glance decreed my death and made it law.

  11. وأَبدى حبَّه قَلبي وأَخفى

    فصرَّح بالهوى شَوقاً وكنّى

    My heart revealed its love for him and concealed it;

    Yearning, it declared its love outright and spoke in hints.

  12. تفنَّنَ حسنُه في كُلِّ معنىً

    فصار العَيشُ لي بهواه فنّا

    His beauty took varied forms in every aspect,

    So through loving him my life became an art.

  13. بدا بدراً ولاح لنا هلالاً

    وأَشرق كوكباً واِهتزَّ غصنا

    He appeared a full moon and shone before us as a crescent,

    And radiated as a star and swayed as a bough.

  14. وَثَنّى قدّه الحسن اِرتياحاً

    فهام القَلبُ بالحَسن المُثنّى

    Beauty bent his stature in delight,

    So the heart was enthralled by the handsome one as he bent.

  15. ولو أَنَّ الفؤاد على هَواه

    تمنّى كان غايَةَ ما تَمَنّى

    Were the heart, according to its desire,

    To wish, he would be the utmost of its wishes.

  16. بَكيتُ دماً وحنَّ إِليه قَلبي

    فخضَّب من دَمي كفّاً وحَنّا

    I wept blood, and my heart yearned for him;

    So he stained a palm with my blood and hennaed it.

  17. أَلا يا صاحبيَّ ترفَّقا بي

    فإنَّ البينَ أَنصبني وعنّا

    O my two companions, be gentle with me,

    For parting has wearied and tormented me.

  18. وَلَم تُبقِ النَوى لي غيرَ عزمٍ

    إذا حفَّت به المحنُ اِطمأَنّا

    Distance has left me nothing but a resolve

    That remains steadfast when trials surround it.

  19. وأُقسِمُ ما الهَوى غرضي ولكن

    أُعلِّل بالهَوى قَلباً مُعنّى

    I swear that love is not my aim; rather,

    With love I soothe a tormented heart.

  20. وأَصرفُ بالتأنّي صَرفَ دَهري

    وأَعلم أَن سيظفرُ من تأَنّى

    With patience I turn back the turns of my time,

    And I know that whoever is patient will prevail.

  21. وأَدفعُ فادحاتِ الخطب عنّي

    بِتَفويضي إذا ما الخَطبُ عنّا

    I ward off the crushing blows of calamity

    By entrusting my affairs whenever calamity arises.

  22. وَلا واللَهِ لا أَرجو ليُسري

    وَعُسري غيرَ من أَغنى وأَقنى

    No, by God, I hope, in my ease

    And hardship, for none but Him who enriches and grants possessions.

  23. وَما قَصدي بتحبيرِ القَوافي

    سوى لفظٍ أُحبِّرُه وَمَعنى

    My aim in embellishing rhymes is nothing

    But wording that I adorn, and meaning,

  24. لأَستَجني ثمارَ القول مَدحاً

    لمن أَضحى بطيبةَ مُستَجِنّا

    To reap the fruits of speech as praise

    For him who lies entombed in Tayba.

  25. وَمَدحُ محمَّدٍ شَرفي وفخري

    وَهَل شَرَفٌ وَفَخرٌ منه أَسنى

    Praising Muhammad is my honor and my pride;

    What honor or pride could be more exalted than this?

  26. إِمامُ الأنبياء وَخَيرُ مولىً

    به سَعِد الوَرى إِنساً وجِنّا

    Leader of the prophets and the finest patron,

    Through him creation rejoiced, humans and jinn.

  27. رَقى بكماله رُتبَ المَعالي

    وحلَّ من العُلى سهلاً وحَزنا

    Through his perfection he ascended the ranks of eminence,

    And occupied both smooth and rugged ground in the heights.

  28. هدى اللَهُ الأَنامَ به وأَهدى

    لمن والاه إِيماناً وأَمنا

    Through him God guided creation and bestowed

    Faith and safety upon those loyal to him.

  29. وَكَم قد نالَ من يُسراهُ يسراً

    أَخو عُسرٍ ومن يُمناه يُمنا

    How often has ease from his left hand been gained

    By one in hardship, and blessing from his right!

  30. وَكَم وافاهُ ذو كربٍ وحُزنٍ

    ففرَّج كربَه وأَزال حُزنا

    How often one burdened with distress and sorrow came to him,

    And he relieved his distress and removed his sorrow.

  31. وَأَغنى بائساً وَكَفاه بؤساً

    وأَنجد صارخاً وأَصحَّ مُضنى

    He enriched the destitute and spared them misery,

    Aided those crying for help and healed the afflicted.

  32. ختامُ جميع رسل اللَه حقّا

    وَمبدأ كلِّ إِحسانٍ وحُسنى

    Truly the seal of all God's messengers,

    And the source of every kindness and good deed.

  33. بمولده أَضاءَ الكونُ نوراً

    وأَشرقَ في البسيطةِ كُلُّ مغنى

    At his birth the universe shone with light,

    And every dwelling upon the earth grew radiant.

  34. وَفاخرت السماءَ الأَرضُ لمّا

    غدت بقدومِه السامي تُهنّى

    The earth vied in glory with the heavens when

    It was congratulated on his sublime arrival.

  35. فَخارٌ لا يساويهِ فخارٌ

    مَناطُ النَجم من أَدناهُ أَدنى

    A glory that no other glory can equal:

    The stars' station is lower than its lowest reach.

  36. تَبيدُ له اللَيالي وهو باقٍ

    وَيَفنى الواصِفون وليس يَفنى

    The nights perish before it, while it remains;

    Those who describe it perish, but it does not.

  37. لمعجزِهِ أَقرَّ الضدُّ عجزاً

    وَظلَّت عنده الفُصحاء لُكنا

    Before his miracle, the adversary confessed his helplessness,

    And the eloquent stood tongue-tied before it.

  38. مَثاني تقشعرُّ له جُلودٌ

    وَيَغدو كُلُّ قَلبٍ مطمئنّا

    Oft-repeated verses at which skins shiver,

    And every heart becomes tranquil.

  39. فَيولي كلَّ مَن والاهُ ربحاً

    وَيُعقب كلَّ من ناواه غبنا

    It grants gain to everyone loyal to it,

    And brings loss upon everyone opposing it.

  40. وَزالَت مُعجزاتُ الرُسل معهم

    وَمعجزُ أَحمِدٍ يَزدادُ حُسنا

    The messengers' miracles departed with them,

    But Ahmad's miracle grows ever more beautiful.

  41. هُوَ المختارُ من أَزلٍ نَبيّاً

    وَما زالَت له العَلياء تُبنى

    He is the one chosen as a prophet from eternity,

    And lofty eminence has always been built for him.

  42. براهُ واِصطَفاهُ اللَهُ قِدماً

    وَأَعلاهُ وأَسماهُ وأَسنى

    God created and chose him of old,

    Raised him, exalted him, and made him radiant.

  43. وَأَرضعَه ثُديَّ المجد دَرّاً

    وآواه من العَلياء حضنا

    He suckled him with flowing milk from the breasts of glory,

    And sheltered him in the embrace of eminence.

  44. وَصيَّره حَبيباً ثم أَسرى

    به لَيلاً فقرَّبه وأَدنى

    He made him a beloved, then took him on a journey

    By night, drawing him near and closer still.

  45. كذلك كُلُّ محبوب يوافي

    أَحبَّته إذا ما اللَيلُ جَنّا

    Thus every beloved comes to meet

    His loved ones when night grows dark.

  46. سَما السبعَ الطِباق وبات يَسمو

    إلى رُتبٍ هناكَ له تسَنّا

    He ascended the seven layered heavens and kept ascending

    To ranks made accessible to him there.

  47. فراح يجرُّ أَذيالَ المَعالي

    وَيسحبُ فوق هام المجد رُدنا

    He went forth trailing the hems of eminence,

    And dragging a sleeve above the heads of glory.

  48. فمن كمحمَّدٍ إن عُدَّ فخرٌ

    سَما بالفخر منفرداً وضِمنا

    Who is like Muhammad when glory is reckoned?

    He soared in glory, alone and in company.

  49. أَجلُّ المرسَلين عُلاً وَقَدراً

    وأَرجحهُم لدى التَرجيح وَزنا

    The greatest of the messengers in elevation and standing,

    And the weightiest of them when weighed.

  50. وأَعظمُهم لدى البأساء يُسراً

    وأَسمحُهم إذا ما جاد يُمنى

    The greatest bringer of ease among them in adversity,

    And the most generous of right hand whenever he gives.

  51. وأَشرفُ من تقلَّد سيفَ حقّ

    وهزَّ مثقَّفَ الأَعطاف لَدنا

    The noblest ever to gird on a sword of truth

    And brandish a supple spear with straightened shaft.

  52. فَجلّى في رِهان الفضل سَبقاً

    وَجلّى عن سَماء الحقِّ دَجنا

    He took first place in the race for excellence,

    And cleared the gloom from the sky of truth.

  53. وَطهَّر بالمواضي رجسَ قومٍ

    جفته قلوبُهم حسداً وضِغنا

    With keen blades he cleansed the defilement of a people

    Whose hearts shunned him in envy and rancor.

  54. وخُيِّرَ فيهمُ أَسراً ومَنّاً

    فأَطلق أَسرَهم وعفا ومَنّا

    Given the choice of captivity or gracious release for them,

    He freed them from captivity, pardoned them, and showed grace.

  55. وراموا منه إِحساناً وفضلاً

    فأَوسعهم بنائله وأَغنى

    They sought kindness and bounty from him,

    And he lavished his gifts upon them and enriched them.

  56. وَكَم للهاشميِّ جميلَ وصفٍ

    عليه خناصرُ الأشهاد تُثنى

    How many a beautiful quality the Hashimite possesses,

    For which witnesses bend their little fingers!

  57. وَماذا يبلغُ المُثني على من

    عليه إلَهُهُ في الذِكرِ أَثنى

    What can one who praises attain in praising him

    Whom his own God has praised in the Remembrance?

  58. أَلا يا سيِّد الكونين سَمعاً

    لداعٍ سائلٍ أَمناً ومنّا

    O master of the two worlds, lend an ear

    To a petitioner asking safety and grace.

  59. وَغوثاً يا فدتكَ النَفسُ غَوثاً

    فقد شفَّ الأَسى جِسمي وأَضنى

    And help—O, may my soul be your ransom—help!

    For sorrow has wasted my body and made it ill.

  60. فَما في الخلقِ أَسرعُ منك نَصراً

    لملهوفٍ وأَسمعُ منكَ أذنا

    None in creation is swifter than you to aid

    One in distress, or more attentive of ear than you.

  61. وَها أَنا فيك قد أَحسنتُ ظَنّي

    فحاشا أَن تخيِّبَ فيكَ ظنّا

    Here I am, having placed good hope in you;

    Far be it that you disappoint a hope placed in you.

  62. وَكَيفَ يَخافُ ريبَ الدهر عَبدٌ

    تَكونُ له من الحدثانِ حِصنا

    How could a servant fear the vicissitudes of time

    When you are his fortress against misfortunes?

  63. أَرومُ فكاك أَسري من زَمانٍ

    عَلقتُ بكفِّه الشلّاءِ رَهنا

    I seek release from my bondage to a time

    In whose palsied hand I am held as a hostage.

  64. وَأَرجو النَصرَ منكَ على عدوٍّ

    متى اِستقبلتُه قَلبَ المِجَنّا

    I hope for victory from you over an enemy

    Who turns his shield against me whenever I face him.

  65. رَكنتُ إليكَ في أَسري ونَصري

    وَحَسبي جاهُك المأمول رُكنا

    I have relied on you in my captivity and for my victory;

    Your standing, in which I hope, is support enough for me.

  66. وَكَم لي فيكَ من أَملٍ فسيحٍ

    ستُنجحُهُ إذا ما الدَهرُ ضنّا

    How many a boundless hope I have in you,

    Which you will fulfill when time withholds!

  67. وَقَد طالَ البِعادُ وَزاد شوقي

    إليكَ وعاقَني دهري وأونى

    Separation has grown long, and my longing has increased

    For you; my time has hindered and weakened me.

  68. فأَبدلني بِبُعدِ الدار قُرباً

    وبوِّئني بتلكَ الدارِ سُكنى

    Exchange the remoteness of my abode for nearness,

    And establish a dwelling for me in that abode.

  69. وَجُد لي بالشَفاعة يَومَ حشري

    وأَسكنّي من الجنّاتِ عَدنا

    Grant me intercession on the day of my resurrection,

    And settle me in Eden among the gardens.

  70. عَلَيكَ صَلاةُ رَبِّك ما تَغنّى

    حمامُ الأيك في فَنَنٍ وحَنّا

    Upon you be your Lord's blessing, as long as

    The thicket's doves sing and coo longingly upon a bough,

  71. وآلِك وَالصحابةِ خيرِ آلٍ

    وَصَحبٍ ما شدا شادٍ وغنّى

    And upon your family and companions, the finest family

    And companions, as long as a singer chants and sings.