دَعَانِي مِن الهَمِّ الدَّفِين دَعَانِيَا

دَعَانِي مِن الهَمِّ الدَّفِين دَعَانِيَا

وهاتِ اسقِني كأسَ المَسَرَّةِ صَافِيا

وهاتِ اسقِني كأسَ المَسَرَّةِ صَافِيا

Spare me the buried grief—spare me, you two.

He called me from deep sorrow, he called me,

And bring it—give me a cup of pure joy to drink.

And bring me a cup of pure joy to drink.

لقد كانَ بدرُ التَّمِ عَنِّي مُحجَبا

لقد كانَ بدرُ التَّمِ عَنِّي مُحجَبا

والآنَ انظُروهُ مُشرِقا في فُؤادِيا

والآنَ انظُروهُ مُشرِقا في فُؤادِيا

The full moon had indeed been veiled from me,

The full moon was hidden from me,

and now behold it shining in my heart.

And now look at it shining in my heart.

أيا شَادِياً يشدُو بأَوصَافِ أَحمدٍ

أيا شَادِياً يشدُو بأَوصَافِ أَحمدٍ

أَعِدها علَى الأسماعِ حُيِّيتَ شَاديا

أَعِدها علَى الأسماعِ حُيِّيتَ شَاديا

O singer who sings of Ahmad's qualities,

O you who sing the praises of Ahmad,

repeat them for listening ears—hail to you as you sing.

Repeat them to the ears, greetings O singer!

فلِله هاتِيك الشمَائِل والنُهَى

فلِله هاتِيك الشمَائِل والنُهَى

ولله هَاتِيك المَبَادي مَبّاديا

ولله هَاتِيك المَبَادي مَبّاديا

So, God be praised for those virtues and that wisdom,

For God's sake, those attributes and taboos,

and God be praised for those principles—what principles!

And for God's sake, those principles, principles!

وأَكرِم بتِلكَ العَبقَريَةِ بينَنا

وأَكرِم بتِلكَ العَبقَريَةِ بينَنا

وأَنعِم بَهاتِيك المَعَالي مَعَاليا

وأَنعِم بَهاتِيك المَعَالي مَعَاليا

And how noble that genius in our midst,

And honor us with that genius among us,

and how splendid those lofty attainments—truly lofty!

And bless us with those high morals, morals!

وشُكراً لأخلاَقٍ كَزهرِ الرُّبَى وَمِن

وشُكراً لأخلاَقٍ كَزهرِ الرُّبَى وَمِن

نسِيمِ الصَّبَا كانت أرقَّ حَواشيا

نسِيمِ الصَّبَا كانت أرقَّ حَواشيا

And thanks for manners like the flowers of the hills, which, compared with

And thanks for morals like flowers of meadows, and from

the east wind's breeze, were more delicate in their touch.

the breeze of morning were the finest margins,

ليَبدُو كُعنوانٍ لِمَا في الكِتاب مِن

ليَبدُو كُعنوانٍ لِمَا في الكِتاب مِن

كُنوزٍ مِن الأخلاق زادت تَسامِيَا

كُنوزٍ مِن الأخلاق زادت تَسامِيَا

So that he may appear as a heading for what the book contains of

To appear as a title for what is in the book, of

treasures of character that have grown more exalted.

treasures of morals that increased sublimity,

ويبذُلُ في إرضائِهِم كلَّ جَهدِه

ويبذُلُ في إرضائِهِم كلَّ جَهدِه

وَفاءً وإخلاَصا لِمَولاَه نَامِيا

وَفاءً وإخلاَصا لِمَولاَه نَامِيا

And he expends all his effort to please them,

And he exerts all his efforts to please them,

out of loyalty and growing devotion to his lord.

Loyalty and sincerity to his Master, growing.

فَقَابلَ ذاك الوفدَ طِبقَ مَشِيئَةٍ

فَقَابلَ ذاك الوفدَ طِبقَ مَشِيئَةٍ

لِمولاَه تَرحِيبا بهِم مُتَمَاديا

لِمولاَه تَرحِيبا بهِم مُتَمَاديا

So he received that delegation in accordance with the will

So he met that delegation with the fulfillment

of his lord, offering them an unceasing welcome.

of his Master's will, progressively welcoming them.

رأينَا مِن الإخلاَصِ أسمَى ضُرُوبه

رأينَا مِن الإخلاَصِ أسمَى ضُرُوبه

ولم نَرَ في الإخلاَصِ هذا التَّفانِيا

ولم نَرَ في الإخلاَصِ هذا التَّفانِيا

We have seen the loftiest forms of devotion,

We saw the highest forms of sincerity from him,

but never in devotion have we seen such selfless dedication.

And we did not see such devotion in sincerity.

وجَازاه مولاَه الأميرُ بِحُبِّه

وجَازاه مولاَه الأميرُ بِحُبِّه

له دام مولاَنا الأميرُ مُجَازِيا

له دام مولاَنا الأميرُ مُجَازِيا

And his lord, the prince, rewarded him with his love

And his Master the Prince rewarded him with his love

for him; may our lord the prince ever reward him.

As long as our Master the Prince is rewarding.

فتىً قد كسَاه اللهُ ثَوبَ مَحبَّةٍ

فتىً قد كسَاه اللهُ ثَوبَ مَحبَّةٍ

وعِزٍّ وإقبَالٍ مِن الخَلقِ ضَافيا

وعِزٍّ وإقبَالٍ مِن الخَلقِ ضَافيا

A youth whom God has clothed in a robe of love

A young man whom God has clothed in a garment of love,

and honor and favor from humankind, ample and flowing.

And honor, and favor from people, abundant.

فيا ابنَ البشِيرِ الشَّهمِ بُشرَاكَ حيثُما

فيا ابنَ البشِيرِ الشَّهمِ بُشرَاكَ حيثُما

ذُكرتَ يفُوح الذكرُ مِنك غَوَاليا

ذُكرتَ يفُوح الذكرُ مِنك غَوَاليا

So, O son of noble al-Bashir, glad tidings to you: wherever

O son of the noble Basheer, good tidings wherever

you are mentioned, remembrance of you wafts precious perfumes.

You are mentioned, the mention from you smells fragrant.

ومَن كان مَحبُوبا مِن الخَلق كُلِّهِم

ومَن كان مَحبُوبا مِن الخَلق كُلِّهِم

يكونُ حَبِيبا عندَ ربِّه غَاليا

يكونُ حَبِيبا عندَ ربِّه غَاليا

And whoever is loved by all humankind

And whoever is beloved by all people,

is dearly beloved in the sight of his Lord.

Becomes a dear one with his Lord, precious.

نعمَ قد تَرى بعضَ الوُجوه قَد أُكمِدَت

نعمَ قد تَرى بعضَ الوُجوه قَد أُكمِدَت

وحَسبُ الورَى إكمادُ وجهِ أعَادِيا

وحَسبُ الورَى إكمادُ وجهِ أعَادِيا

Yes, you may see some faces already darkened,

Yes, you may see some faces frowned,

and enough for humankind is the darkening of foes' faces.

And people's account is frowning enemies' faces.

فتىً خُلقُه قد فاوحَ الزَّهرَ عِابِقا

فتىً خُلقُه قد فاوحَ الزَّهرَ عِابِقا

وكفَّه جُوداً سَاجِلُ الغيثِ غَادِيا

وكفَّه جُوداً سَاجِلُ الغيثِ غَادِيا

A youth whose fragrant character has rivaled the flowers in scent,

A young man whose nature exuded fragrant flowers,

and whose hand, in generosity, rivals the rain at dawn.

And his palm was generous, competing with pouring rain.

لُيونَةُ خُلقٍ في مَضاءِ عَزيمَةٍ

لُيونَةُ خُلقٍ في مَضاءِ عَزيمَةٍ

كحَدٍّ وإفرِندٍ لِعَضبٍ يَمَانِيا

كحَدٍّ وإفرِندٍ لِعَضبٍ يَمَانِيا

Gentleness of character within keenness of resolve,

Gentleness of nature in the brilliance of determination,

like the edge and watered sheen of a sharp Yemeni sword.

Like Indian blades and Damascene swords of Yemeni make.

كأَنَّ زمَانِي جَاء قُربَه تَائبا

كأَنَّ زمَانِي جَاء قُربَه تَائبا

ومُستَغفِرا عمَّا جَنَاه زَمَانيا

ومُستَغفِرا عمَّا جَنَاه زَمَانيا

It is as though my time had come near him, repentant,

It is as if my time has come near in repentance,

and seeking forgiveness for what my time had done.

And seeking forgiveness for what my time has wronged me.

فدُم للحِجَا والفضلِ والنُّبلِ والنَّدَى

فدُم للحِجَا والفضلِ والنُّبلِ والنَّدَى

وللأُدبَا طُرّاً ولا سيَما ليا

وللأُدبَا طُرّاً ولا سيَما ليا

So remain, for wisdom, excellence, nobility, and generosity,

So greetings to pilgrimage, merit, nobility and dew,

and for all men of letters, and especially for me,

And for literature, a flying horse, especially for you.

أخاً مُخلصاً مِثلِي أخاً لكَ مُخلِصاً

أخاً مُخلصاً مِثلِي أخاً لكَ مُخلِصاً

تَزيدُ على مرِّ السِّنين تَآخِيا

تَزيدُ على مرِّ السِّنين تَآخِيا

a loyal brother, as I am a loyal brother to you,

A sincere brother like me, a brother for you, sincere,

growing in brotherhood as the years pass.

Increasing over the years, cordiality.