حادي الركب لا تحث المطيا

حادي الركب لا تحث المطيا

فكفاها شوق يسوق البطيا

فكفاها شوق يسوق البطيا

O driver of the caravan, do not urge the mounts on.

O guide of the caravan, do not hasten the camel,

For longing suffices them, driving even the slow.

For longing itself drives the slow camel.

خلها تمتطي الحزون وغدها

خلها تمتطي الحزون وغدها

بعدها بالحمي مهادا وطيا

بعدها بالحمي مهادا وطيا

Let them climb the rugged heights, and [promise] them

Let it ride the saddened one, and tomorrow

afterward in the sanctuary a soft, level resting place.

After it, the sands will be a bed and a wrap.

لا تزدها على جوادها ودعها

لا تزدها على جوادها ودعها

الآن تهوي بين الوهاد هويا

الآن تهوي بين الوهاد هويا

Do not press them further [phrase unclear], and let them

Do not give it more than its ability, leave it be

now plunge headlong between the hollows.

Now it wanders between the valleys plummeting.

أن بين الضلوع منها إلى الردى

أن بين الضلوع منها إلى الردى

بعين الزرقاء داء دويا

بعين الزرقاء داء دويا

For between their ribs, drawing them toward death,

For in its ribs to the land of ruin

lies a grievous sickness at ‘Ayn al-Zarqa.

Is an illness that rumbles like blue eyes.

ضمر مكالفقسي ترمي بشعث

ضمر مكالفقسي ترمي بشعث

فوقها كالسهام مرمى قضيا

فوقها كالسهام مرمى قضيا

Lean mounts, [like bows], hurl disheveled riders

It has malicious determination, throwing its dishevelled hair

upon them like arrows toward a [distant] mark.

Over it like arrows with intended targets.

بلبلتهم كأس السرى فتنثنوا

بلبلتهم كأس السرى فتنثنوا

نشوة ما سقوا بها البابليا

نشوة ما سقوا بها البابليا

The cup of night travel bewildered them, so they swayed,

Their nightingales drank from the cup of the Pleiades, so they leaned

in a rapture for which they had been given no Babylonian wine.

In ecstasy like none have made the Babylonians lean.

نشروا ذكر من أتوه وأضغت

نشروا ذكر من أتوه وأضغت

فأعادت ثوب الفلا مطويا

فأعادت ثوب الفلا مطويا

They spread the remembrance of him they came to, and [the mounts listened],

They spread the name of their visitors and listened closely

so they folded the desert's garment once more.

So it brought back the robe of virtue folded up.

وتغنوا به فأغنى سراها

وتغنوا به فأغنى سراها

عن براها زمامها المرخيا

عن براها زمامها المرخيا

They sang of him, and their night journey had no need

And they sang of it, so it made its secret wealth

of the slackened rein at their nose-rings.

Needless of any clear proof, releasing its tied reins.

حسبها من ظما تكابد في الفقر

حسبها من ظما تكابد في الفقر

غدا رؤية المنازل ريا

غدا رؤية المنازل ريا

Enough for them, after the thirst they endure in want,

It is enough for it to endure poverty in verse

is tomorrow's sight of the dwellings, a quenching draught,

Tomorrow, seeing the dwellings will be a pasture.

ومناخاً رحباً وظلاً ظليلاً

ومناخاً رحباً وظلاً ظليلاً

ونباتاً رطباً وماء رويا

ونباتاً رطباً وماء رويا

and a spacious halting-place and deep shade,

And a vast meadow, shaded shade

and fresh herbage and thirst-quenching water.

And moist plants and plentiful water.

ثم رقتهم جسيماًإذا ما

ثم رقتهم جسيماًإذا ما

بلغت ركبي مطاها النبيا

بلغت ركبي مطاها النبيا

Then they raised them [greatly], when

Then when my caravan reaches

the mounts of my caravan reached the Prophet.

Its furthest destination, they softened.

ثم رقتهم إلى الحرم الزاهي

ثم رقتهم إلى الحرم الزاهي

من حله مكانا عليا

من حله مكانا عليا

Then they bore them up to the resplendent sanctuary,

Then they softened to the brilliant sanctuary

whose inhabitant is exalted in station.

That He made an exalted, towering place.

وخلاها ذم فقد أرضت القوم

وخلاها ذم فقد أرضت القوم

وأوفوا بها المكان الرضيا

وأوفوا بها المكان الرضيا

And blame spared them, for they had pleased the company,

And they left it with dispraise, for it pleased the people

and on them they reached the well-pleasing place.

And they fulfilled it with the satisfactory place.

حرم ضم ذلك المصطفى الهادي

حرم ضم ذلك المصطفى الهادي

البشير المطهر الهاشميا

البشير المطهر الهاشميا

A sanctuary embracing that Chosen One, the guide,

A sanctuary that enveloped that guiding Prophet

the bearer of glad tidings, the purified Hashimite.

The bearer of good news, the cleanser, the Hashimite

حيث تلقى مهابط الوحي فيه

حيث تلقى مهابط الوحي فيه

بجتلى وفده سناها المضيا

بجتلى وفده سناها المضيا

Where you find within it the places where revelation descended,

Where the descents of revelation upon him were received

its visitors [behold] their shining radiance.

Openly, and the passage of his years, gone.

حرم كان جبرائيل بوحي الله

حرم كان جبرائيل بوحي الله

يأتيه بكرة وعشيا

يأتيه بكرة وعشيا

A sanctuary where Gabriel, with God's revelation,

A sanctuary where Gabriel brought him God's revelation

would come morning and evening.

Morning and evening.

حرم حل فيه أعلى البرايا

حرم حل فيه أعلى البرايا

شرفاً شامخاً واصلاً زكيا

شرفاً شامخاً واصلاً زكيا

A sanctuary where the highest of creatures dwelt,

A sanctuary where the highest of creations dwelled

lofty in honor and pure in lineage.

With towering nobility and ancestry most pure.

رحمة الله في الوجود على الخلقق

رحمة الله في الوجود على الخلقق

هداهم بها الصراط السويا

هداهم بها الصراط السويا

God's mercy upon creatures throughout existence,

God's mercy upon people in existence

by which He guided them along the straight path.

Guided them with it to the straight path.

فاستجاب الذي براه سعنيا

فاستجاب الذي براه سعنيا

وتولي الذي قضاة

وتولي الذي قضاة

So the one He created responded [last word unclear],

So he who saw him as innocent responded

and the one [phrase unclear] turned away.

And turned to Him who judges.

فغدا من أطاعه وأتاه

فغدا من أطاعه وأتاه

راضياً عند ربه مرضيا

راضياً عند ربه مرضيا

So whoever obeyed him and came to him became

Thus tomorrow, he who obeyed and came to Him

content before his Lord, and pleasing to Him.

Will be content with his Lord, pleasing.

وهوي من عصاه في درك

وهوي من عصاه في درك

النار وكانوا بها أحق بريا

النار وكانوا بها أحق بريا

And whoever disobeyed him fell into an abyss

And he who disobeyed Him plummets

of the Fire; they were the [creatures] most deserving of it.

Into the heat of Hell, and they were most deserving of it.

ما أفادت قربة أبي لهب

ما أفادت قربة أبي لهب

شيئاً وتبت يداه عبداً عصيا

شيئاً وتبت يداه عبداً عصيا

Abu Lahab's kinship did not avail him

No benefit did the devotion of Abee Lahab bring

at all; his hands perished—a rebellious servant.

Anything, and his hands perished, disobedient.

وأفادت عناية الخالق الرومي

وأفادت عناية الخالق الرومي

والفارسي والحبشيا

والفارسي والحبشيا

And the Creator's care benefited the Roman,

But the care of the Creator benefited

and the Persian and the Abyssinian.

The Romans, the Persians and the Ethiopians.

صاحب المعجزات يشبه أخفا

صاحب المعجزات يشبه أخفا

خها لرائيه كوكباً دريا

خها لرائيه كوكباً دريا

Master of miracles: even the most hidden [of them] resembles

The owner of miracles resembles his brother

a brilliant star to its beholder.

To the beholder, like a brilliant star.

خاتم الرسل كان آدم طيناً

خاتم الرسل كان آدم طيناً

في ابتداء خلقه وكان نبيا

في ابتداء خلقه وكان نبيا

Seal of the messengers: Adam was clay

The seal of the messengers was Adam, clay

at the beginning of his creation, while the Seal was already a prophet.

In the beginning of his creation, and was a prophet.

خصه الله بالكمال فاندى الخلق

خصه الله بالكمال فاندى الخلق

طراً يداً وأفضى نديا

طراً يداً وأفضى نديا

God singled him out for perfection: the most generous of creatures,

God endowed him with perfection, so humanity shone

all without exception, in hand, and the most spacious in assembly.

Aloof, handed and most generous.

واصطفاه على البرايا وآتا

واصطفاه على البرايا وآتا

ه كتاباً مطهراً عربيا

ه كتاباً مطهراً عربيا

And He chose him above all creatures, and gave

And He chose him over all of creation and gave him

him a purified book in Arabic.

A book made pure, in Arabic.

حسبه رفعة سراه إلى الأقصى

حسبه رفعة سراه إلى الأقصى

ومنه أم السماء رقيا

ومنه أم السماء رقيا

His night journey to al-Aqsa is sufficient exaltation for him,

It is enough for him, the loftiness of his ascent to the Farthest

and from there he headed for heaven, ascending.

And from it, the Sky's Mother climbed high.

وكفاه عموم دعوته للخلق

وكفاه عموم دعوته للخلق

فرقاً في المعجزات جليا

فرقاً في المعجزات جليا

And the universality of his call to creation suffices him

And enough for him, the comprehensiveness of his call to creation

as a clear distinction among miracles.

Evident, distinguished in miracles.

وأجلت له الغنائم والله

وأجلت له الغنائم والله

تولي فيهن قسماً سويا

تولي فيهن قسماً سويا

And spoils were [made lawful] for him, and God

And gains were made legitimate for him, and God

undertook their equitable division.

Assumed for him in them an equal distribution.

وغدت مسجد له الأرض والترب

وغدت مسجد له الأرض والترب

طهوراً أن عزماء وفيا

طهوراً أن عزماء وفيا

And the earth became a mosque for him, and the dust

And the earth and soil became a mosque for him

a means of purification [if sufficient water is scarce].

Purified, if resolved and loyal.

وحباه مع اللواء مقام المسجد

وحباه مع اللواء مقام المسجد

في بعثه وحوضاً رويا

في بعثه وحوضاً رويا

And He granted him, with the banner, the station of the mosque,

And granted him, along with the banner, the station of the mosque

at his resurrection, and a thirst-quenching pool,

In his mission, and a pond from which to drink.

وعموماً من الشفاعة لم يبين

وعموماً من الشفاعة لم يبين

من المسلمين خلقاً شقيا

من المسلمين خلقاً شقيا

and all-embracing intercession that excluded no

And comprehensive intercession for whom he did not make

wretched creature from among the Muslims.

Of the Muslims, a single wretched being.

ليت شعري هل لي إليه معاد

ليت شعري هل لي إليه معاد

فلعي أجلو الفؤاد العديا

فلعي أجلو الفؤاد العديا

Would that I knew: is there a return to him for me?

I wish I knew, is there for me a return to Him

So [perhaps I] may polish my hostile heart.

So I meet Him, elating my longing heart?

ولعلي أنضو ثياب هوى النفس

ولعلي أنضو ثياب هوى النفس

وألقى الإله منها عربا

وألقى الإله منها عربا

And perhaps I may strip off the garments of the soul's desire,

And perhaps I shed the garb of the soul's passions

and meet God [stripped bare] of them.

And meet my God stripped bare.

وأن الحظ أيقظه يد التوفيق

وأن الحظ أيقظه يد التوفيق

لم أنو عن حماه مضيا

لم أنو عن حماه مضيا

And if the hand of divine aid awakens fortune,

And that fate awakened him, the hand of accord

I would not intend to depart from his sanctuary.

Had I not turned away from His sanctuary.

وأنادي طرفي تمتعلدي القرب

وأنادي طرفي تمتعلدي القرب

بدار قضيت عنها مليا

بدار قضيت عنها مليا

And I call to my gaze: [Delight in] nearness

And I call my eyes, enjoy the nearness

to a home from which you were long [kept far].

Of a home from which I have been long absent.

هذه نعمة أتتك وقد كنت

هذه نعمة أتتك وقد كنت

فقيرا لها فعدت غنيا

فقيرا لها فعدت غنيا

This is a blessing that came to you; you had been

This is a blessing that came to you when

poor for want of it, and so became rich.

You were poor for it, and so you became rich.

وأهنى النفس التي أصبح الدهر

وأهنى النفس التي أصبح الدهر

بها بعد طول حتف حفيا

بها بعد طول حتف حفيا

And I congratulate the soul: time has become

And it comforted the soul which the days

kind to it after a long spell of death.

Made die at long last an easy death.

هذه بغيتي فإن مت من قبل

هذه بغيتي فإن مت من قبل

فكم مغرم قضي مقضيا

فكم مغرم قضي مقضيا

This is my desire; if I die before then,

This is my purpose - so if I die beforehand

for many a love-stricken man has died as decreed.

Then how many ardently in love have met their fate.

فعليه السلام ما قدح الصبح

فعليه السلام ما قدح الصبح

بجنح الدجا زناداً وريا

بجنح الدجا زناداً وريا

So peace be upon him as long as dawn strikes

So upon him be peace for as long as the dawn

a glowing fire-stick in the wing of darkness.

Stirs the wings of night with a burning wick.

وصلاة الإله تسرى عليه

وصلاة الإله تسرى عليه

ما تنثني القضيب ليناً وريا

ما تنثني القضيب ليناً وريا

And may God's blessing course upon him

And may God's prayers flow upon him

as long as the bough bends, supple and well-watered.

As long as the pliant rod bends gently and willingly.