جلexalted وجهٌa face بنورهby its light الوهاجِblazing
جل وجهٌ بنوره الوهاجِ
ضاءgrew bright ليلٌa night منfrom الحوادثevents داجيdark
ضاء ليلٌ من الحوادث داجي
Exalted is a face; by its blazing light
A face shining brightly with its glow
A night, dark with events, grew bright.
Illuminated a night full of calamities
جمعتنيunited me عليهwith him منهfrom him فروقdistinctions
جمعتني عليه منه فروق
هيthey بينيbetween me وبينهand between him فيin التناجيintimate converse
هي بيني وبينه في التناجي
Distinctions from him united me with him;
Its differences brought me together around it
They are between me and him in intimate converse.
They are between me and it in whispers
جبرتmended كسرthe fracture of نشأتيmy being فالتقيناso we met
جبرت كسر نشأتي فالتقينا
يومthe day of حربthe battle of النفوسthe souls بينamid العجاجswirling dust
يوم حرب النفوس بين العجاج
They mended the fracture of my being, and so we met
It mended the fracture of my upbringing so we met
On the day of the souls’ battle amid swirling dust.
The day the souls warred amidst the hubbub
جوهرthe jewel of العلمknowledge غصتI dived فيهinto him عليهfor it
جوهر العلم غصت فيه عليه
وهوand he بحرa sea ملاطمclashing الأمواجwaves
وهو بحر ملاطم الأمواج
I dived into him for the jewel of knowledge,
I immersed myself in its essence, knowledge
And he is a sea of crashing waves.
It is an ocean with surging waves
جامعinclusive للكمالof perfection والنقصand imperfection شمسa sun
جامع للكمال والنقص شمس
هيit بالنشأتينin both modes of being فيin أبراجzodiacal signs
هي بالنشأتين في أبراج
Encompassing perfection and imperfection, he is a sun;
A perfection and deficiency combining sun
It is in zodiacal signs in both modes of being.
With the two horizons in its mansions
جاءcame منهاfrom it إلىto النفوسthe souls رسولa messenger
جاء منها إلى النفوس رسول
فانمحتso it was effaced فيهin him ليلةthe night of المعراجthe Ascension
فانمحت فيه ليلة المعراج
From it a messenger came to the souls,
A messenger came from it to the souls
So the night of the Ascension was effaced within him.
So the night of ascension dissolved in it
جسدa body حشوهits contents نوافثthose breathing forth أمرa command
جسد حشوه نوافث أمر
هنthey أرواحهits spirits سرتflowed فيthrough المزاجthe bodily constitution
هن أرواحه سرت في المزاج
A body filled with those who breathe forth a command—
A body filled with the breath of affairs
They are its spirits, which flowed through its constitution.
They are its spirits that flowed in temperament
جنwent mad عقليmy mind بذاتfor a lady of خدرa curtained chamber تجلتrevealed herself
جن عقلي بذات خدر تجلت
بيthrough me فشاهدتso I beheld هيكلاًa form منof عاجivory
بي فشاهدت هيكلاً من عاج
My mind went mad for a lady behind a curtain who revealed herself
My mind was tempted by an essence that appeared
Through me; so I beheld a form of ivory.
So I saw a structure made of ivory
جارحاتbirds of prey العيونthe eyes منهاfrom her لقلبيfor my heart
جارحات العيون منها لقلبي
حينwhen صادتهthey caught it لمnot يكنwas بالناجيone who escaped
حين صادته لم يكن بالناجي
Her eyes were birds of prey upon my heart;
When the eyes' wounds caught it, my heart
When they caught it, it did not escape.
Had it not been saved, would not have survived
جمحتshe bolted كلماwhenever أتيتI came بنفسيwith my own self
جمحت كلما أتيت بنفسي
وبهاand through her إنif أتيتI came أنيwhere? (reading أنى) المناجيthe intimate speaker
وبها إن أتيت أني المناجي
She bolted whenever I came with my own self;
Whenever I came with my soul
And if I came through her, where was the one who whispered?
And with it, if I came, I am the confider
Sol 6.1