وَرَهطٍ دَعَوني أَن أُجيبَ نِداءَهُم

وَرَهطٍ دَعَوني أَن أُجيبَ نِداءَهُم

فَلَمّا دَعَوني لَم يَرَوني بِقُعدُدِ

فَلَمّا دَعَوني لَم يَرَوني بِقُعدُدِ

And a band of men called me to answer their summons;

And a group called on me to answer their call

so when they called me, they found me no laggard.

Yet when they called me, they did not see me sitting

أَإِخوانَنا الداعينَ بي لِأُجيبَهُم

أَإِخوانَنا الداعينَ بي لِأُجيبَهُم

إِلَيكُم تَروا مِنّي اِهتِزازَ المُهَنَّدِ

إِلَيكُم تَروا مِنّي اِهتِزازَ المُهَنَّدِ

O our brothers who summon me to answer them,

My brothers who called me to answer them

to you I come—see in me the quivering of an Indian blade!

You will see the shaking of the spear from me

حَلَفتُ بِما بَينَالحَطيمِ وَزَمزَمَ

حَلَفتُ بِما بَينَالحَطيمِ وَزَمزَمَ

وَأَقسَمتُ بِالبَيتِ العَتيقِ المُشَيَّدِ

وَأَقسَمتُ بِالبَيتِ العَتيقِ المُشَيَّدِ

I swore by what lies between al-Hatim and Zamzam,

I swore by what is between al-Hatiym and Zamzam

and swore by the ancient House, raised high,

And I swore by the Ancient House that is built

وَبِالطائِفينَ العاكِفينَ بِهَذِهِ اللَيا

وَبِالطائِفينَ العاكِفينَ بِهَذِهِ اللَيا

لي تَراهُم مِن رُكوعٍ وَسُجَّدِ

لي تَراهُم مِن رُكوعٍ وَسُجَّدِ

and by those circling it and abiding in worship on these nights—

And by those circling around during these nights

you see them bowing and prostrating.

You see them bowing and prostrating

يَؤُمّونَ مَثوى لِلخَليلِ وَمَرقَداً

يَؤُمّونَ مَثوى لِلخَليلِ وَمَرقَداً

تَلَألَأَ نوراً بِالنَبِيِّ مُحَمَّدِ

تَلَألَأَ نوراً بِالنَبِيِّ مُحَمَّدِ

They make for al-Khalil's abode and a resting place

They populate the dwelling of Abraham and tomb

that gleamed with light from the Prophet Muhammad,

Shining with the light of the Prophet Muhammad

مُشاةٌ وَرِكبانا عَلى كُلِّ ضامِرِ

مُشاةٌ وَرِكبانا عَلى كُلِّ ضامِرِ

وَمِن فَوقِ قَضبانِ الحَديدِ المُمَدَّدِ

وَمِن فَوقِ قَضبانِ الحَديدِ المُمَدَّدِ

on foot and riding on every lean camel,

On foot and riders over every exhausted camel

and over the iron rails laid out.

And above the iron bars that are extended

فَما في حَديثِ الحَجِّ لينٌ وَقَد غَدا

فَما في حَديثِ الحَجِّ لينٌ وَقَد غَدا

يَجيءُ عَلى شَرطِ البُخاري بِمُسنَدِ

يَجيءُ عَلى شَرطِ البُخاري بِمُسنَدِ

So the account of the pilgrimage has no weakness; it now

So there is no gentleness in the talk of Hajj, and it is morning

comes with a chain of transmission meeting al-Bukhari's criterion.

Coming on the terms of al-Bukhari with support

لَعَمري لَقَد أَحيَت قَريحَةُ حافِظٍ

لَعَمري لَقَد أَحيَت قَريحَةُ حافِظٍ

عُهودَ أَغانٍ لِلسَريجِ وَمَعبَدِ

عُهودَ أَغانٍ لِلسَريجِ وَمَعبَدِ

By my life, Hafiz's poetic gift has indeed revived

By my life, the talent of the memorizer revived

the days of songs by al-Surayj and Ma'bad.

The eras of songs to al-Sarijj and Maʿbad

يَقولونَ لي شَيِّد عَنِ الشامِ ذِكرُهُ

يَقولونَ لي شَيِّد عَنِ الشامِ ذِكرُهُ

أَلَم يَكُ وَلِيَّ الشامِ شَطرَ التَوَدُّدِ

أَلَم يَكُ وَلِيَّ الشامِ شَطرَ التَوَدُّدِ

They tell me: Raise his renown on Syria's behalf;

They say to me, mention it from Syria

was he not Syria's friend in affection?

Was he not the beloved of Syria, the most affectionate

فَقُلتُ لَهُم أُثني عَلَيهِ بِصالِحٍ

فَقُلتُ لَهُم أُثني عَلَيهِ بِصالِحٍ

عَنِ العُربِ طَرّاً إِذّاكَ أَصلى وَمُحتَدي

عَنِ العُربِ طَرّاً إِذّاكَ أَصلى وَمُحتَدي

So I told them: I offer him worthy praise,

So I said to them, I will praise him with the righteous

on behalf of all the Arabs, for that is my origin and lineage.

Sprung from the Arabs whenever he prays and is guided

وَما عُربِيٌّ بَيَّنَ الضادَ نَطَقَهُ

وَما عُربِيٌّ بَيَّنَ الضادَ نَطَقَهُ

بِشامي وَلا مِصريٌّ وَلا مُتَبَغدِدِ

بِشامي وَلا مِصريٌّ وَلا مُتَبَغدِدِ

And no Arab whose speech clearly articulates the ḍād

No Arab elucidated its pronunciation

is merely Syrian, Egyptian, or one adopting Baghdadi ways.

Not a Syrian, nor Egyptian, nor wandering

وَقَبلي قَد أَولاكَ سامي شَهادَةً

وَقَبلي قَد أَولاكَ سامي شَهادَةً

وَمِثلي بِمَحمودِ السَجِيَّةِ يَقتَدي

وَمِثلي بِمَحمودِ السَجِيَّةِ يَقتَدي

And before me, Sami had already granted you a testimonial;

And before me I gave you honest witness

and one like me follows Mahmoud, praiseworthy in character.

And the like of me follows the praise of al-Sajiyya

فَأَنتَ إِما النَثرَ غَيرَ مُدافِعٍ

فَأَنتَ إِما النَثرَ غَيرَ مُدافِعٍ

وَأَنتَ أَميرُ الشِعرِ مِن بَعدِ أَحمَدِ

وَأَنتَ أَميرُ الشِعرِ مِن بَعدِ أَحمَدِ

So you are the undisputed master of prose,

So you are either prose without defending

and you are the prince of poetry after Ahmad.

Or the prince of poetry after Ahmad