سلوا عن فؤادي من بار واحنا يفدا

سلوا عن فؤادي من بار واحنا يفدا

وبثوا إسلاماً من فتى حافظٍ عهدا

وبثوا إسلاماً من فتى حافظٍ عهدا

Ask the kind and tender one about my heart—may he be ransomed [reading uncertain].

Ask about my heart from an affectionate one, may he ransom

And convey a greeting from a youth who keeps his pledge.

And spread Islam from a young man who keeps his word

سلام مشوق كلما لاح بأرق

سلام مشوق كلما لاح بأرق

يذكره تلك المعاصم والزندا

يذكره تلك المعاصم والزندا

A greeting from one who longs: whenever lightning flashes,

A longing greeting appears whenever he smiles

it reminds him of those wrists and that forearm.

It reminds those fortresses and flags

إذا بته بالهجران نيران بعدكم

إذا بته بالهجران نيران بعدكم

وقد طالما نال السلامة والبردا

وقد طالما نال السلامة والبردا

When the fires of your absence cut him off through estrangement,

If the separation fires afflict you after me

though he had so often known safety and coolness,

And safety and calmness had lasted for so long

نحيلٌ وحتى الوهم لم يبق عندهُ

نحيلٌ وحتى الوهم لم يبق عندهُ

وتاللّه ما أبقى الغرام لهُ عندا

وتاللّه ما أبقى الغرام لهُ عندا

he is wasted; even imagination has deserted him.

Thin, even hope has left him

And, by God, passion has left him no resistance.

By Allah, passion did not leave anything for him

أيا رحمة المولى علىّ أنا الذي

أيا رحمة المولى علىّ أنا الذي

بحبكم أقضي ولم أنل الوعدا

بحبكم أقضي ولم أنل الوعدا

O for the master's mercy upon me—I am the one

O Lord's mercy be upon me, I who

who perishes for love of you, yet has not attained what was promised.

Loves you and did not attain the promise

نعم لم نبع قبلي حياةٌ بنظرةٌ

نعم لم نبع قبلي حياةٌ بنظرةٌ

ولن تشتروا مثلي فتىً يحفظا لعهدا

ولن تشتروا مثلي فتىً يحفظا لعهدا

Yes, no life before mine was sold for a glance;

Yes, no life was sold before me for a glance

nor will you buy a youth like me who keeps his pledge.

And you will not buy anyone like me, a young man who keeps his word

أيا لائمي أن كنت مثلي لك ألبقا

أيا لائمي أن كنت مثلي لك ألبقا

فأين الذي يهدي وأين الذي يُهدا

فأين الذي يهدي وأين الذي يُهدا

O my reproacher, if you were like me—long life to you—

O you who blame me, if you were like me

where then would the guide be, and where the guided?

Where is the one who guides and where is the one guided?

وأن لم تكن من فتية راضها الهوى

وأن لم تكن من فتية راضها الهوى

فأنت إذن واللّه لم تبلغ الرشدا

فأنت إذن واللّه لم تبلغ الرشدا

And if you are not among the youths whom passion has tamed,

And if you are not one of the youths who desire consented

then, by God, you have not attained sound judgment.

Then by Allah, you have not reached maturity

دعوني وشأني لا أبالي بنصحكم

دعوني وشأني لا أبالي بنصحكم

فما كل نصح قد وجدت بهِ رشدا

فما كل نصح قد وجدت بهِ رشدا

Leave me to my own affairs; I care nothing for your counsel.

Leave me and my affairs, I do not care for your advice

For I have not found sound guidance in every counsel.

For not all advice have I found wisdom in

وما كل مشتاق إلى الحّي عاشقٌ

وما كل مشتاق إلى الحّي عاشقٌ

وما كل صبٍّ عاشقٍ عاشق هندا

وما كل صبٍّ عاشقٍ عاشق هندا

Nor is everyone who longs for the encampment a lover,

Not every longing for the living is a lover

nor is every lovesick lover in love with Hind.

And not every young man in love is a lover of bliss

وما كل عودٍ يجتنى منه سكرً

وما كل عودٍ يجتنى منه سكرً

وما كل من يجني الزهور جني وردا

وما كل من يجني الزهور جني وردا

Nor does every stalk yield sugar,

Not every piece of wood can be used for sugar

nor has everyone who gathers flowers gathered roses.

And not everyone who picks flowers picks roses

وما كل من قال القصائد شاعرُ

وما كل من قال القصائد شاعرُ

وما كل من رام العُلا يبلغ المجدا

وما كل من رام العُلا يبلغ المجدا

Nor is everyone who composes poems a poet,

Not everyone who recites poems is a poet

nor does everyone who seeks the heights attain glory.

And not everyone who desires glory attains glory

وما كل عبد يدعي صدق وده

وما كل عبد يدعي صدق وده

إلى راشد أضحى بحق لهُ عبدا

إلى راشد أضحى بحق لهُ عبدا

And not every servant who professes sincere affection

Not every slave who claims loyalty and love

for Rashid has truly become his servant.

Has sincerely become a slave to Al-Rashid

أمولاي ليس الخُلق في الخلق واحداً

أمولاي ليس الخُلق في الخلق واحداً

فذلك حكم اللّه لم يقبل الردا

فذلك حكم اللّه لم يقبل الردا

O my master, character is not the same in all people;

My Master, character is not the same in people

such is God's decree, which admits no reversal.

That is the judgment of Allah, it cannot be rejected

من الخلق مطواع أوامرَ ربِه

من الخلق مطواع أوامرَ ربِه

ومنهم على عصيانِه يبذل الجهدا

ومنهم على عصيانِه يبذل الجهدا

Among people is one who readily obeys his Lord's commands,

Among people are those obedient to their Lord’s commands

and among them one who exerts himself in disobeying Him.

And among them are those who strive in disobedience

إذا قلت أني عبدكم حافظ الوفا

إذا قلت أني عبدكم حافظ الوفا

فتشهد أفعالي التي قد غدت جندا

فتشهد أفعالي التي قد غدت جندا

When I say that I am your servant, steadfast in loyalty,

If I say I am your loyal slave

my deeds bear witness—they have become an army.

Then my actions which have become soldiers testify

إلى راشدٍ سقت الحديث وليتني

إلى راشدٍ سقت الحديث وليتني

أساق إلى أعتابهِ كي بها أهدى

أساق إلى أعتابهِ كي بها أهدى

I have directed my words toward Rashid; would that I

To Al-Rashid I conveyed the talk, if only

were led to his thresholds, that I might find guidance there.

I could convey to his threshold so that through it I would be guided

أمولاي ما كان الفراق عن الرضا

أمولاي ما كان الفراق عن الرضا

ولكنّ صرف الدهر أبدى الذي أبدا

ولكنّ صرف الدهر أبدى الذي أبدا

O my master, our parting was not by choice,

My Master, separation was not out of consent

but time's vicissitudes revealed what they revealed.

But the turning of fate showed what it showed

نأيتم عن الأوطان لكن مقامكم

نأيتم عن الأوطان لكن مقامكم

مقيمٌ بقلب ذاكرٍ لطفكم وردا

مقيمٌ بقلب ذاكرٍ لطفكم وردا

You have gone far from your homeland, yet your abode

You moved away from the homelands, but your dwelling

remains in a heart that recites your kindness as its daily litany.

Remains in a remembering heart, gentle and appeasing to it

وأّية دار كنت فيها سعيدةٌ

وأّية دار كنت فيها سعيدةٌ

وأسعد خلق اللّه من لم يذق بعدا

وأسعد خلق اللّه من لم يذق بعدا

And any house in which you have dwelt is fortunate;

And which house was I happy in

and happiest of God's creatures is he who has never tasted separation.

And Allah's creation was happiest not having tasted separation yet

تركتم هذا القطر مولاي بعدما

تركتم هذا القطر مولاي بعدما

تركتم بهِ فضلاً حكى القطر وأندا

تركتم بهِ فضلاً حكى القطر وأندا

You left this land, my master, after

You left this country, my Master, after

leaving there bounty that matched the rain and was more bountiful still.

Leaving excellence in it, which the country and its pillars told of

وقد ذاق مر الصبر بعد بعادكم

وقد ذاق مر الصبر بعد بعادكم

عبيدٌ يرى في قربكم مرّه شهدا

عبيدٌ يرى في قربكم مرّه شهدا

And after your departure, the bitterness of patience has been tasted

And your servants have tasted the bitterness of patience after you left

by a humble servant who, near you, finds its bitterness honey.

Who sees nearness to you as sweetness

ومذ هاجت الأشواق فيه ولم يجد

ومذ هاجت الأشواق فيه ولم يجد

سلوا فعن ذكراكمُ لم يجد بدّا

سلوا فعن ذكراكمُ لم يجد بدّا

And since longings surged within him and he could find no

And when the longing flared up in him and he did not find

solace, he has found no escape from remembering you.

Asking about your mention he did not find an alternative