Al-Hhaa Aydwan · الْهَاءُ أَيْضًا

دَعَتْنِــــي مَهَــاةٌ دَلُّـهَا وَابْتِسَامُهَــا
دَهَانِي أَوَانَ الشَّيْبِ مِنْهَا غَرَامُهَـا

Da‘atnī mahātun dalluhā wa-btisāmuhā
Dahānī awāna al-shaybi minhā gharāmuhā

A "wild doe" (a beautiful woman) called to me with her coquetry and smile; her passion beset me even in my time of old age.

فَقَلْبِــي مَـدَى الْأَيَّامِ عِنْـــــدَ خِبَائِهَــا
وَقَدْ عَزَّ مِنْهَا الْوَصْلُ حَتَّى سَلاَمُهَا

Fa-qalbī madā al-ayyāmi ‘inda khibā’ihā
Wa-qad ‘azza minhā al-waṣlu ḥattā salāmuhā

So my heart stays, throughout the days, at her tent; though union with her—even a mere greeting—has become unattainable.

وَقَدْ طَافَ بِي مِنْهَا خَيَالٌ بُعَيْدَ مَا
تَيَقَّنْتُ أَنْ أَصْمَى فُـؤَادِي وِسَامُهَـا

Wa-qad ṭāfa bī minhā khayālun bu‘ayda mā
Tayaqqantu an aṣmā fu’ādī wisāmuhā

A phantom of her visited me shortly after I became certain that her beauty had pierced my heart.

عَجِبْتُ لَـهَا ضَنَّتْ بِوَصْلٍ قَرِيبَـــةً
مَتَى وَصَلَتْ إِذْ بَانَ عَنِّي خِيَامُهَا

‘Ajibtu lahā ḍannat bi-waṣlin qarībatan
Matā waṣalat idh bāna ‘annī khiyāmuhā

I wondered at her: she was stingy with union when she was near, so when would she ever connect now that her tents have moved far from me?

فَقُلْتُ لَـهَـا هَــلاَّ اقْتَدَيْــتِ بِأَحْمَــدٍ
شَفِيـعِ الْوَرَى غَوْثِ الْبَرَايَا إِمَامُهَا

Fa-qultu lahā hallā-qtadayti bi-Aḥmada
Shafī‘i al-warā ghawthi al-barāyā imāmuhā

I said to her: Why do you not follow the example of Ahmad? The intercessor of creation, the succor of beings, their Imam.

نَبِيٌّ كَرِيمٌ رَحْمَـــةُ النَّاسِ رَاحَــةٌ
بِهِ يَقْتَـــدِي الْأَكْـــوَانُ إِلاَّ لِئَامُهَــا

Nabiyyun karīmun raḥmatu al-nāsi rāḥatun
Bihi yaqtadī al-akwānu illā li’āmuhā

A noble Prophet, a mercy to people and a source of rest; all existence follows his lead, except for the ignoble.

فَذَاكَ وَإِنْ خَانَتْ سُلَيْمَى وَأَخْلَفَتْ
تَجِـــدْهُ مَدَى الْأَيَّامِ وَافٍ ذِمَامُهَا

Fa-dhāka wa-in khānat Sulaymā wa-akhlafat
Tajid-hu madā al-ayyāmi wāfin dhimāmuhā

For he—even if "Sulayma" betrays and breaks her promise—you will find that throughout all time, his covenant is kept.

فَذَاكَ الَّذِي إِنْ مَــنَّ يَوْمًا بِوَصْلِــهِ
فَمَا ضَرَّ مِنْ وَعْدٍ لِسَلْمَى جَهَامُهَـا

Fa-dhāka alladhī in manna yawman bi-waṣlihi
Fa-mā darra min wa‘din li-Salmā jahāmuhā

He is the one who, if he ever favors [me] with his union, then the empty clouds of Salma’s promises cause no harm.

فَذَاكَ إِذَا خُيِّلْـــــتُ سَمْــعَ كَلاَمِــهِ
تَصِيرُ سُلَيْمَـى كَالْـهَبَـاءِ كَلاَمُهَــا

Fa-dhāka idhā khuyyiltu sam‘a kalāmihi
Taṣīru Sulaymā kal-habā’i kalāmuhā

He is the one: if I am imagined to hear his speech, then the speech of Sulayma becomes like scattered dust.

عَلَيْـــــهِ صَــــلاَةُ اللّٰهِ ثُمَّ سَلاَمُــهُ
يُسَاقُ لِنَفْسِي الدَّهْرَ مِنْكَ مَرَامُهَا

‘Alayhi ṣalātu Allāhi thumma salāmuhu
Yusāqu li-nafsī al-dahra minka marāmuhā

Upon him be the prayer of Allah and then His peace; may my soul's desire be driven toward you forever.

عَلَيْــــهِ صَـــلاَةُ اللّٰهِ ثُــــمَّ سَلاَمُــهُ
مَعَ الْآلِ وَالصَّحْبِ الثِّقَاتُ كِرَامُهَا

‘Alayka ṣalātu Allāhi thumma salāmuhu
Ma‘a al-āli wal-ṣaḥbi al-thiqātu kirāmuhā

Upon you be the prayer of Allah and then His peace, along with the family and the companions, the trustworthy and noble.