سَيَّدي سَيَّدي كِتابُكَ أَحْلَى

سَيَّدي سَيَّدي كِتابُكَ أَحْلَى

مِنْ زُلالٍ عَلى فُؤادِ الصَّادِي

مِنْ زُلالٍ عَلى فُؤادِ الصَّادِي

My lord, my lord, your letter is sweeter

My master, my master, your book is sweeter

than clear water to a thirsty heart.

Than fresh water upon the heart of the thirsty one.

خِلْتُ فِيهِ قَميصَ يوسُفَ لَمَّا

خِلْتُ فِيهِ قَميصَ يوسُفَ لَمَّا

أَلْصَقَتْهُ أَنامِلي بِفُؤَادِي

أَلْصَقَتْهُ أَنامِلي بِفُؤَادِي

I imagined Joseph’s shirt within it when

I have worn in it Joseph's shirt when

my fingertips pressed it to my heart.

My fingers stitched it to my heart.

كَرِّرِ اللَّثْمَ يا فَمي وَتَرَشَّفْ

كَرِّرِ اللَّثْمَ يا فَمي وَتَرَشَّفْ

مِنْهُ آثارَ فَضْلِ تِلْكَ الأيادِي

مِنْهُ آثارَ فَضْلِ تِلْكَ الأيادِي

Keep kissing, O my mouth, and sip

Repeat the kiss, oh my mouth, and sip

from it the traces of those hands’ bounty.

From it the traces of the grace of those hands.

نِغْمَةٌ سُمِّيَتْ كِتاباً مَجازاً

نِغْمَةٌ سُمِّيَتْ كِتاباً مَجازاً

أنا نَبْتُ وَهْيَ السَّحابُ الغَوادِي

أنا نَبْتُ وَهْيَ السَّحابُ الغَوادِي

A melody, metaphorically called a letter;

A melody named a book metaphorically,

I am a plant, and it is the morning clouds.

I am the plant and it is the pouring rain.

كَثَّرَتْ حَاسِدِي حَتَّى تَخَيَّلْ

كَثَّرَتْ حَاسِدِي حَتَّى تَخَيَّلْ

تُ جُفُونِي مِنْ جُمْلَةِ الحُسَّادِ

تُ جُفُونِي مِنْ جُمْلَةِ الحُسَّادِ

It multiplied my enviers, until I imagined

My enviers increased until they imagined

my eyelids among the envious.

My eyelids among the totality of the envious.

قالَتِ العَيْنُ وَهْيَ تُخْرِجُ دُرّاً

قالَتِ العَيْنُ وَهْيَ تُخْرِجُ دُرّاً

فاخِراً مِنْ بِحارِ ذاكَ المِدادِ

فاخِراً مِنْ بِحارِ ذاكَ المِدادِ

The eye said, as it brought forth pearls

The eye said while producing a splendid pearl

of great splendor from the seas of that ink:

From the seas of that ink,

أنا أَفْدِي بَياضَهُ بِبَياضِي

أنا أَفْدِي بَياضَهُ بِبَياضِي

أنا أَفْدِي سَوادَهُ بِسَوادِي

أنا أَفْدِي سَوادَهُ بِسَوادِي

“I ransom its whiteness with my own whiteness;

“I ransom its whiteness with my whiteness,

I ransom its blackness with my own blackness.”

I ransom its blackness with my blackness.”

أنا عَبدُ الإِمامِ أَحْمَدَ خَيْرٌ

أنا عَبدُ الإِمامِ أَحْمَدَ خَيْرٌ

لِيَ مِنْ نِسْبَتِي إِلَى أَجْدادِي

لِيَ مِنْ نِسْبَتِي إِلَى أَجْدادِي

“I am the servant of Imam Ahmad” is better

I am the servant of Imam Ahmad, better

for me than my descent from my forefathers.

For me than my ancestry to my forefathers.

فَعَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ ما غَرَّدَ الطَّيْ

فَعَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ ما غَرَّدَ الطَّيْ

رُ وَغَنَّى شَادٍ وَرَجَّعَ حادِ

رُ وَغَنَّى شَادٍ وَرَجَّعَ حادِ

So peace be upon him as long as birds trill,

So peace be upon him so long as the birds chirped

and a singer sings and a camel-driver repeats his song.

And the lover sang poetry and the companion conversed.