ما زِلتُ بَينَ الوَرى حَيران ذا كلف

ما زِلتُ بَينَ الوَرى حَيران ذا كلف

مغرى بذي همة أَشكو له لَهفى

مغرى بذي همة أَشكو له لَهفى

I remained among humankind, bewildered and possessed by longing,

I am still perplexed among people, burdened with worries

Drawn to one of lofty resolve, to whom I might lament my anguish,

Inclined toward the resolute one to whom I complain of my ardor

حَتّى اِنتَهى بِي جَواد العَزم منتدبا

حَتّى اِنتَهى بِي جَواد العَزم منتدبا

نَحو امرىء لاحَ بَدرا في ذرى الشَّرفِ

نَحو امرىء لاحَ بَدرا في ذرى الشَّرفِ

Until the steed of resolve carried me, answering the call,

Until the steed of determination took me willingly

Toward a man who shone as a full moon upon the heights of honor.

Toward a man whose full moon rose in the horizons of nobility

مَددت كَفى فلما اِن رَأى حُزني

مَددت كَفى فلما اِن رَأى حُزني

نادى بهمته أَقبَل وَلا تخف

نادى بهمته أَقبَل وَلا تخف

I stretched out my palm; when he saw my sorrow,

I extended my palm, and when he saw my sadness

With lofty resolve he called, “Come forward, and do not fear.”

He called out with his resolve, came forward saying: "Do not worry!"

دامَت مَعاليه كَم أَروى بِراحَتِهِ

دامَت مَعاليه كَم أَروى بِراحَتِهِ

ظَمآن همّ فَولى همه وَنَفى

ظَمآن همّ فَولى همه وَنَفى

May his eminence endure! How often has his palm quenched

His sublime traits brought me comfort, how often his tranquility

One parched by care: his care fled, and he banished it.

Revived a thirsty soul, so his worries departed and were dispelled

بِه رَأَيت ضِياء العرف منتَشِرا

بِه رَأَيت ضِياء العرف منتَشِرا

مِن بَعد ما قلت مِصباح السَخاء طَفى

مِن بَعد ما قلت مِصباح السَخاء طَفى

Through him I saw the light of benevolence spreading,

Through him I saw the light of magnanimity spreading

After I had said, “The lamp of generosity has gone out.”

After I had said the lamp of generosity was extinguished

أَحيى الهدى فيهِ زالَ الرَدى وَبِهِ

أَحيى الهدى فيهِ زالَ الرَدى وَبِهِ

عادَ النَدى بَعد أَن أَشفى عَلى التَلف

عادَ النَدى بَعد أَن أَشفى عَلى التَلف

He revived guidance; through him doom vanished, and through him

He revived righteousness, so waywardness vanished, and through him

Bounty returned after standing on the brink of destruction.

Freshness returned after it had healed what had spoiled

شَفيت يا نَفس من لُقياه فَاعتَصِمي

شَفيت يا نَفس من لُقياه فَاعتَصِمي

بِهِ وَمن غرس اِنعاماتِه اِقتَطفي

بِهِ وَمن غرس اِنعاماتِه اِقتَطفي

You were healed, O soul, by meeting him; so hold fast

I was healed, O soul, by meeting him, so adhere

To him, and pluck from the plantings of his favors.

To him, and from the saplings of his favors pick

اِن شِئت درّا فَغوصي فيه وَاغتَنِمي

اِن شِئت درّا فَغوصي فيه وَاغتَنِمي

درّا وَاِلّا فَهذا البَحر فَاغتَرِفي

درّا وَاِلّا فَهذا البَحر فَاغتَرِفي

If you desire pearls, dive into him and gather

If you wish for pearls then dive into him and take advantage

Pearls; otherwise, here is the sea—draw from it.

Of pearls, otherwise this sea is yours to draw from

رَمى عداه بِسَهم من علاه وَما

رَمى عداه بِسَهم من علاه وَما

اخطى فهم بَين ذي شَكوى وَمُعتَرِف

اخطى فهم بَين ذي شَكوى وَمُعتَرِف

He shot his enemies with an arrow from his eminence, and did not

He shoots his foes with arrows from his sublime refuge, but

Miss; some complain, while others concede.

He does not miss between one complaining and one admitting

اِذا رَأَيتُم مَحياه البَديع بَدا

اِذا رَأَيتُم مَحياه البَديع بَدا

لا تَعجبوا اِنَّما كل المَلاحة في

لا تَعجبوا اِنَّما كل المَلاحة في

When you see his wondrous countenance appear,

When you see his radiant smile manifest

Do not marvel; all beauty resides only in

Do not be surprised - Indeed, all charm is in him

مَولى بِراحته كفّ الاذى وَكفى

مَولى بِراحته كفّ الاذى وَكفى

لِلَّهِ كف كَفى من جاءه وَكَفى

لِلَّهِ كف كَفى من جاءه وَكَفى

A patron whose palm repelled harm and sufficed.

With his tranquility, my Master relieved harm and sufficed

What a palm! It sufficed for whoever came to him—and sufficed.

To God belongs sufficing the harm of those who came to him and sufficed

يا نَفس ان رُمت حصنا تَأمنين بِهِ

يا نَفس ان رُمت حصنا تَأمنين بِهِ

ها أَنتِ في غرفات المُكرمات قِفي

ها أَنتِ في غرفات المُكرمات قِفي

O soul, if you seek a fortress where you may be safe,

O soul, if you seek a fortress in which you would be safe

Here you are in the chambers of noble deeds; remain.

And do not say the gardens of generosity have withered

وَلا تَقولي رِياض الجود قَد محلت

وَلا تَقولي رِياض الجود قَد محلت

أَو كَوكَب المَجدِ وَلى نوره وَخَفى

أَو كَوكَب المَجدِ وَلى نوره وَخَفى

And do not say, “The gardens of generosity have grown barren,”

Or the star of glory has faded and its light extinguished

Or, “The star of glory’s light has departed and vanished.”

The hardships of humanity disappeared upon seeing the one

زالَ العَناولي البشرى بِرُؤيَة من

زالَ العَناولي البشرى بِرُؤيَة من

لَولا حماه لما كانَ اِنقَضى أَسفى

لَولا حماه لما كانَ اِنقَضى أَسفى

Hardship has vanished; glad tidings are mine on seeing one

Who, had it not been for his protection, would have demolished in sorrow

Without whose protection my sorrow would not have ended.

O you who aspires to a position too lofty to be similar

يا مَن يَرومُ مقاما جَلّ عن شبه

يا مَن يَرومُ مقاما جَلّ عن شبه

شاهد بِعَيك ما مِنهُ صَفا وَصف

شاهد بِعَيك ما مِنهُ صَفا وَصف

O you who seek a station exalted beyond compare,

Witness with your eyes that from it no clarity nor description manifests

Behold with your own eye what is pure in him, and describe it.

His hands narrated the discourse of generosity from a

رَوَت يَداهُ حَديث الجودِ عَن عَطا

رَوَت يَداهُ حَديث الجودِ عَن عَطا

بمسند صح عن بشر وَعن خلف

بمسند صح عن بشر وَعن خلف

His hands narrated generosity’s account from ʿAta,

Trustworthy transmission, from people now gone and people left

With a chain proven sound, from Bishr and from Khalaf.

With his authority he erased all troubles from

مَحا بِسطوَتِهِ كل المَكارِه عَن

مَحا بِسطوَتِهِ كل المَكارِه عَن

راجيه فَهوَ من الاسواء في كَنف

راجيه فَهوَ من الاسواء في كَنف

With his might he erased every affliction from

Those hopeful of him, so he shelters them from even ground

The one who hopes in him, who is thus sheltered from evils.

I turned the aim of my hopes toward him, so I

صرفت همة آمالي اِلَيه فَما

صرفت همة آمالي اِلَيه فَما

أَخطَأت في السعى وَالآمال لَم تَقِف

أَخطَأت في السعى وَالآمال لَم تَقِف

I directed the resolve of my hopes toward him, and did not

Did not err in my seeking, nor did my hopes cease

Err in my quest, and my hopes did not halt.

I raised my complaint, hoping for the pearls of his help

رَفَعتُ شَكوايَ أَرجو درّ نصرته

رَفَعتُ شَكوايَ أَرجو درّ نصرته

وَطالِب الدرّ لا يغتَرّ بِالصَدف

وَطالِب الدرّ لا يغتَرّ بِالصَدف

I raised my complaint, hoping for the pearls of his aid;

And seekers of pearls are not fooled by shells

And a seeker of pearls is not deceived by shells.

I drew near, seeking refuge in your sanctum

دَنَوت أَسعى لِآوي منك في حرم

دَنَوت أَسعى لِآوي منك في حرم

يا كَعبَة بسواه الطرف لم يَطف

يا كَعبَة بسواه الطرف لم يَطف

I drew near, striving to find refuge in a sanctuary of yours,

O Kaaba, nothing distracted my gaze but you

O Kaaba, around no other has my gaze circled.

May God sustain you in honor and wellness

أَدامَكَ اللَهُ في عز وَعافِيَة

أَدامَكَ اللَهُ في عز وَعافِيَة

ممتعا بسرور غير مُنصرِف

ممتعا بسرور غير مُنصرِف

May God keep you in honor and well-being,

Delighting in bliss that knows no end

Blessed with joy that never departs.

Who do I have but you? And in all matters you see

من لي سِواكَ وَفي كُل الامور تَرى

من لي سِواكَ وَفي كُل الامور تَرى

أَنتَ الملىء وَفي بَذل العُهود وفي

أَنتَ الملىء وَفي بَذل العُهود وفي

Who have I but you? In every matter, you are seen—

You are the perfect one. And in fulfilling promises, you are true

You are the man of means, and faithful in making pledges.

I am amazed by a jealous one spying from the atmosphere

عَجِبتُ مِن حاسِد في الجَوّ مُستَرِق

عَجِبتُ مِن حاسِد في الجَوّ مُستَرِق

رَأى علاكَ وَولى غير منخطف

رَأى علاكَ وَولى غير منخطف

I marveled at an envious eavesdropper in the sky,

He saw your ascent and turned away without glancing back

Who saw your eminence and turned away, yet was not snatched away.

The prime of my praise adorned you, so it is then

زَينت بكر مَديحي فيكَ فَهي اذن

زَينت بكر مَديحي فيكَ فَهي اذن

خود تحف ضُحى من أَحسن التحف

خود تحف ضُحى من أَحسن التحف

I adorned the maiden of my praise of you; she is therefore

A precious gift from the best gifts of morning

A maiden attended in the forenoon, among the finest gifts.

If I liken it to spreading bamboo or his army

اِن رُمتُه أَرخن ند زَكا وَغَلا

اِن رُمتُه أَرخن ند زَكا وَغَلا

أَو جندُه أَرخن كم فاضِل حنفى

أَو جندُه أَرخن كم فاضِل حنفى

If I seek him, record the date: “A perfume grew fragrant and precious”;

As gracious branches, how perfect is that price

Or for his troops, record the date: “How many a virtuous Hanafi!”

A fool finding fault spoke at length, but my

يَخسا جُهول أَطالَ اللوم فيهِ فَما

يَخسا جُهول أَطالَ اللوم فيهِ فَما

مَدحي لَهُ سرف بَل ذاكَ الثَمَن شرفى

مَدحي لَهُ سرف بَل ذاكَ الثَمَن شرفى

Let the ignoramus who prolonged reproaches against him be rebuffed, for

Praise of him was no excess - indeed that price was my honor

My praise of him is no excess; rather, that price is my honor.

If I veil him from the lights of his rising

ان كنت أَكمه عن أَنوارِ طَلعَتِه

ان كنت أَكمه عن أَنوارِ طَلعَتِه

دَعني فَما ضَرّ شهدا ذوق مُنحَرِف

دَعني فَما ضَرّ شهدا ذوق مُنحَرِف

If you are born blind to the radiance of his countenance,

Let me be - For what harm is a deviant's taste?

Leave me be; a faulty palate does honey no harm.

Not all who are given rule remain upright in it

ما كل من أَعطى الحُكم اِستَقام بِه

ما كل من أَعطى الحُكم اِستَقام بِه

حَكم وَلا كُل من يرجى وَفاه يَفي

حَكم وَلا كُل من يرجى وَفاه يَفي

Not everyone who pronounces judgment brings about a sound

Nor do all hoped to be faithful actually fulfill

Judgment, nor does everyone whose fidelity is hoped for keep faith.

The gifts of his tranquility, since he installed them

هبات راحَته مذ أرخوه لها

هبات راحَته مذ أرخوه لها

هدا بَدا فبه زالَ الرَدى وَخَفى

هدا بَدا فبه زالَ الرَدى وَخَفى

His palm’s gifts, since they recorded his date for them:

Guidance appeared, so waywardness vanished and diminished

“Guidance appeared; through it doom vanished and disappeared.”