1. A secret questioner whispers to you about three,
Their secrets are concealed and their proclamation is veiled.
١. يناجيك سر سائل عن ثلاثة
سرائرهم كتم وإعلانهم ستر
2. A young man whose secret was lost amid his ribs,
Unaware of its comprehension as if it had never been a secret.
٢. فتى ضاع كتم السر بين ضلوعه
عن إدراكه حتى كأن لم يكن سر
3. So he lowered the curtains of deception,
Protecting any talk from being the secret.
٣. فأسبل أستار التخفر صائناً
لكل حديث أن يكون هو السر
4. So the concealer of the realized secret obtained
Nothing but the extent of concealing the secret from his assumption mentioned.
٤. فكتّام سر مدرك الكتم لم ينل
سوى حد كتم السر من ظنه ذكر
5. So the concealer of the hidden then his breast was concealed,
All from its diffusion is empty.
٥. فكاتمه المكنون ثم تكاتمت
جوانحه فالكل من بثه صفر
6. The echoing of what he loves has no appearance,
The mind can only approach it by taking cover towards it.
٦. صنين بما يهواه ما لاح لائح
يقاربه إلا احتمى صوبها الفكر
7. And the secret-keeper fulfilled the consciences and rode
To his repository, denial, and there is no betrayal in him
٧. ومكتم وافى الضمائر وامتطى
لمودعه جحدا وليس به غدر
8. For their crown of pride, their mother mentioned it,
And whoever drinks it, it is the fountain of life in his state.
٨. لأمّهم تاج الفخار ذكرته
ومن شربه في حاله المنهل العمر