سلامٌ كماءِ الوردِ ديف بعنبرِ

سلامٌ كماءِ الوردِ ديف بعنبرِ

وكالمسكِ مسحوقا بخدٍّ مُعَصفَرِ

وكالمسكِ مسحوقا بخدٍّ مُعَصفَرِ

A greeting like rosewater blended with ambergris,

Greetings like rose water deep with ambergris

And like powdered musk on a safflower-tinted cheek.

And like musk powdered on a tanned cheek

أخصُّ به الشيخ الولى أخا الرضى

أخصُّ به الشيخ الولى أخا الرضى

فتَى الجودِ والجدوى وأهل التفكرِ

فتَى الجودِ والجدوى وأهل التفكرِ

I reserve it for the saintly sheikh, brother of contentment,

I reserve it for the Sheikh, the loyal friend, brother of Rida

A man of generosity and bounty, and one devoted to reflection.

The youth of generosity, purposefulness, and reflection

فمذْ مدةٍ من دَهْرنا لم نقفْ على

فمذْ مدةٍ من دَهْرنا لم نقفْ على

رسائلَ منكم لا ولا عِلم مُخبِرِ

رسائلَ منكم لا ولا عِلم مُخبِرِ

For some time now, we have received no

For some time during our lives we have not come upon

Letters from you—none, nor news from a messenger.

Letters from you, no, nor any informing knowledge

فلا تحسَبوا أنى نسيتُ عُهودكم

فلا تحسَبوا أنى نسيتُ عُهودكم

فما ولَهى إلا بكم وتَذَكُّرِى

فما ولَهى إلا بكم وتَذَكُّرِى

So do not think I have forgotten your pledges;

So do not think I have forgotten your pacts

For my yearning and remembrance are for you alone.

For I have not been distracted except by thoughts of you

أتحسبُ أنَّ البعدَ يسلى قلوبنا

أتحسبُ أنَّ البعدَ يسلى قلوبنا

وننساكم لا والإلهِ المصوِّرِ

وننساكم لا والإلهِ المصوِّرِ

Do you think that distance makes our hearts forget,

Do you reckon that distance consoles our hearts

And that we forget you? No, by God, the Fashioner!

And that we forget you? No, by the God who forms all things

وحقك يا مسعودُ حِلْفَةُ صادقٍ

وحقك يا مسعودُ حِلْفَةُ صادقٍ

لما راق عينى بَعدكم مِن مُصوّرِ

لما راق عينى بَعدكم مِن مُصوّرِ

And by your worth, O Mas'ud—a truthful man's oath—

And your right, O Mas'ud, is the oath of a truthful one

No figure has pleased my eye since your departure.

Nothing has pleased my eye since you, O image maker

وأنتَ عِليمٌ بالذي أنا مضمرٌ

وأنتَ عِليمٌ بالذي أنا مضمرٌ

مِن الحق في إنصافكم والتَّدبُّرِ

مِن الحق في إنصافكم والتَّدبُّرِ

And you know what I harbor within

And you know what I conceal

Of truth in doing you justice and in reflection.

Of truth in supporting you and consideration

رضينا بما يَرْضى لنا اللهُ فيكمُ

رضينا بما يَرْضى لنا اللهُ فيكمُ

فما يجدُ الإنسانُ غير المُقدّرِ

فما يجدُ الإنسانُ غير المُقدّرِ

We are content with what God approves for us concerning you;

We are content with what satisfies God for us

For a person finds nothing but what is decreed.

For man finds nothing but what is ordained

لئن قصرتْ باعُ الزيارة عنكُم

لئن قصرتْ باعُ الزيارة عنكُم

فإنى لباعِ الوُدّ غير مُقصّرِ

فإنى لباعِ الوُدّ غير مُقصّرِ

Even if the reach of visiting has fallen short of you,

If the camel of visitation to you has fallen short

Still, in affection's reach I do not fall short.

Then the camel of affection is not derelict

عَسى ولعلَّ اللهَ يجمعُ شملَنا

عَسى ولعلَّ اللهَ يجمعُ شملَنا

فلا تكُن ممن قال ذَا لم يُقدَّرِ

فلا تكُن ممن قال ذَا لم يُقدَّرِ

Perhaps—may God reunite us;

May God gather our divided state

So do not be among those who say, 'This was not decreed.'

So be not among those who said: had it been ordained

فكلّ بأمر الله يجرى وقدرةٍ

فكلّ بأمر الله يجرى وقدرةٍ

مِن الخالق الربّ العظيم المقدِّرِ

مِن الخالق الربّ العظيم المقدِّرِ

For everything proceeds by God's command and by power

For all things proceed according to God's command and power

From the Creator, the mighty Lord, the Ordainer.

From the Exalted Creator, the Great Ordainer

فكنْ فِطماً في كل أمرٍ تريدُه

فكنْ فِطماً في كل أمرٍ تريدُه

فما المرءُ في تدبيره بالمخيَّرِ

فما المرءُ في تدبيره بالمخيَّرِ

So be [discerning] in every matter you desire,

So be weaned in every matter you desire

For a person is not free to choose in his planning.

For man has no choice in his management

وإن قُلتَ قلْ إن شاءَ ربِّي مدبِّرا

وإن قُلتَ قلْ إن شاءَ ربِّي مدبِّرا

فإِنّك في أشياءَ غيرُ مظفرِ

فإِنّك في أشياءَ غيرُ مظفرِ

And if you speak, say, 'If my Lord wills,' as you plan,

And if you say: if my Lord wills as Manager

For in some things you are not granted success.

Then you will be successful in things you cannot control