أَدِرْ ذِكْرَ سَلْمَى وَذِكْرَ سُعَادْ

أَدِرْ ذِكْرَ سَلْمَى وَذِكْرَ سُعَادْعَلَى مَسْمَعِي عَلَّ يَصْفُو الفُؤَادْ

Adir dhikra salmā wadhikra suʿād, ʿalā masmaʿī ʿalla yaṣfū al-fuʾād

Let the mention of Salma and the mention of Su'ad go round in my hearing; perhaps my heart will grow clear,

وَيَهْدَأْ وَتَسْكُنُ أَشْجَانُهُفَإِنَّ بِهِ مِثْلَ وَرْيِ الزِّنَادْ

Wayahdaʾ wataskunu ashjānuhu, Faʾinna bihi mithla waryi az-zinād

And grow calm, and its sorrows be stilled, for within it burns something like the spark of a flint.

إِذَا ذَكَرَ الصَّبُّ عَيْشاً مَضَىبِحَيِّ الأَحِبَّةِ فِي خَيْرِ وَادْ

Idhā dhakara aṣ-ṣabbu ʿayshan maḍā, Biḥayyi al-ʾaḥibbati fī khayri wad

When the lover recalls a life gone by in the encampment of the beloveds in the best of valleys,

بَكَاهُ بِدَمْعٍ يُرَوِّي الخُدُودْكَمَا يُرْوِيَ الأَرْضَ صَوْبُ العِهَادْ

Bakāhu bidamʿin yurawwī al-khudūd, Kamā yurwiya al-ʾarḍa ṣawbu al-ʿihād

He weeps for it with tears that water his cheeks as the spring rains water the earth,

وَهَاجَتْ بِأَحْشَائِهِ لَوْعَةٌلَهَا زَفَرَاتٌ تَكَادُ تَكَادْ

Wahājat biʾaḥshāʾihi lawʿatun, Lahā zafarātun takādu takād

And an anguish stirs within him with sighs that almost, almost...

وَإِنِّي لَأُبْقِي عَلَى مُهْجَتِيإِذَا جَدَّ بِي الوَجْدُ خَوْفَ النَّفَادْ

Waʾinnī laʾubqī ʿalā muhjatī, Idhā jadda bī al-wajdu khawfa an-nafād

Yet I spare my heart when ecstasy presses me, for fear it will be consumed,

تَسَلٍّ وَمَا ثَمَّ مِنْ سَلْوَةٍوَلَسْتُ بِنَاسٍ عُهُودَ الوِدَادْ

Tasallin wamā thamma min salwatin, Walastu bināsin ʿuhūda al-widād

Consoling myself, though there is no consolation, for I do not forget the pledges of love,

وَلَا مَعْشَراً كَانَ مِنْ أُسْرَتِيوَقَوْمِي هُمُ المُبْتَغَى وَالمُرَادْ

Walā maʿsharan kāna min usratī, Waqawmī humu al-mubtaghā wa-al-murād

Nor a company who were of my own kin; my people are my aim and my desire.

تَفَانَوْا جَمِيعاً وَأُفْرِدْتُ فِيأُنَاسٍ وَخَلْفٍ كَثِيرِ الفَسَادْ

Tafānaw jamīʿan waʾufridtu fī, Unāsin wakhalfin kathīri al-fasād

They have all passed away, and I am left alone among people and successors full of corruption,

قَلِيلِ الرَّشَادِ جَمَاهِيرُهُمْعَبِيدُ الحُطَامِ نُسَاةُ المَعَادْ

Qalīli ar-rashādi jamāhīruhum, ʿabīdu al-ḥuṭāmi nusātu al-maʿād

With little guidance among the mass of them, slaves of worldly debris, forgetful of the Return.

فَلَا مَرْحَباً لَا وَسَهْلاً بِهِمْوَأَهْلاً وَسَهْلاً بِحِزْبِ الرَّشَادْ

Falā marḥaban lā wasahlan bihim, Waʾahlan wasahlan biḥizbi ar-rashād

No welcome to them, no greeting; but welcome and greeting to the party of right guidance!

فَيَا سَعْدُ إِنْ كُنْتَ لِي مُسْعِداًفَهَيَّا وَهَيَّا نَطُوفُ البِلَادْ

Fayā saʿdu in kunta lī musʿidan, Fahayyā wahayyā naṭūfu al-bilād

So, O Sa'd, if you would help me, come, come, let us travel the lands,

لِتَسْآلِنَا وَبِأَقْدَامِنَاعَنِ السَّادَةِ الغُرِّ فَالشَّوْقُ زَادْ

Litasʾālinā wabiʾaqdāminā, ʿani as-sādati al-ghurri fa-ash-shawqu zād

Asking with our questions and our feet after the radiant masters, for longing has grown.

فَإِنْ قَدْ ظَفِرْنَا بِمَطْلُوبِنَافَفَضْلٌ مِنَ اللهِ رَبِّ العِبَادْ

Faʾin qad ẓafirnā bimaṭlūbinā, Fafaḍlun mina Allāhi rabbi al-ʿibād

If we attain what we seek, it is a favour from Allah, Lord of His servants;

وَإِنْ قَدْ فَقَدْنَا فَحَالُ الزَّمَانْزَمَانِ البَلَايَا كَثِيرِ النَّكَادْ

Waʾin qad faqadnā faḥālu az-zamān, Zamāni al-balāyā kathīri an-nakād

And if we do not, then such is the state of the time, a time of trials and much trouble.

عَلَى أَنَّ مِنْهُمْ بَقَايَا قَلِيلْوَلَكِنَّهُمْ تَحْتَ سَتْرِ الجَوَادْ

ʿalā anna minhum baqāyā qalīl, Walakinnahum taḥta satri al-jawād

Yet a few of them remain, though they are hidden beneath the veil of the Generous One,

عَلَى وُفْقِ مَا قَالَ خَيْرُ الوَرَىوَقَالَ الوَصِيُّ إِمَامُ السَّدَادْ

ʿalā wufqi mā qāla khayru al-warā, Waqāla al-waṣiyyu imāmu as-sadād

In accordance with what the best of creation said, and what the Legatee, imam of right conduct, said.

فَيَا رَبُّ يَا رَبَّنَا كُنْ لَنَافَإِنَّكَ خَيْرُ وَلِيٍّ وَهَادْ

Fayā rabbu yā rabbanā kun lanā, Faʾinnaka khayru waliyyin wahād

So, Lord, O our Lord, be ours, for You are the best Protector and Guide.

وَاخْتِمْ بِخَيْرٍ وَحُسْنِ اليَقِينْوَحُبِّ اللِّقَا خَيْرُ مَا يُسْتَفَادْ

Wakhtim bikhayrin waḥusni al-yaqīn, Waḥubbi al-liqā khayru mā yustafād

Seal our lives with good and with fine certainty, and love of meeting You, the best of all gains.

وَصَلِّ وَسَلِّمْ عَلَى أَحْمَدٍنَبِيِّ الهُدَى كُلَّمَا غُصْنُ مَادْ

Waṣalli wasallim ʿalā aḥmadin, Nabiyyi al-hudā kullamā ghuṣnu mād

And send blessings and peace upon Ahmad, Prophet of guidance, whenever a branch sways,

وَذَرَّ الغَمَامُ وَهَبَّ النَّسِيمْوَغَنَّى الحَمَامُ وَزَمْزَمَ شَادْ

Wadharra al-ghamāmu wahabba an-nasīm, Waghannā al-ḥamāmu wazamzama shād

And the clouds scatter rain, the breeze blows, the dove sings, and a singer chants.