إن الوجود استعملا

إن الوجود استعملا

في غير ما هو له

في غير ما هو له

Indeed, 'existence' has been used

Existence is merely

in a sense other than its proper one,

A metaphor for that which is not.

إذ لا وجود للملا

إذ لا وجود للملا

ولا لشيء قبله

ولا لشيء قبله

since the multitude has no existence,

Existence itself has no existence,

nor does anything before it.

Nor anything that came before.

فهو المجاز أرسلا

فهو المجاز أرسلا

فافهم وحقق نقله

فافهم وحقق نقله

Thus it is unrestricted figurative usage;

It is but a metaphor cast forth -

so understand, and verify its transfer.

Understand this and examine its conveyance.

عز الوجود وعلا

عز الوجود وعلا

فلست تلقى مثله

فلست تلقى مثله

Existence is exalted and sublime,

Existence is mighty and supreme,

so you do not encounter its like.

Yet you will not find its equal.

لا بد للمجاز من

لا بد للمجاز من

علاقة وهي السبب

علاقة وهي السبب

Figurative usage must have

Every metaphor requires

a relation, which is the cause.

A causal link - this is its secret,

وذاك سر مكتمن

وذاك سر مكتمن

عارفه يرى العجب

عارفه يرى العجب

And that is a concealed secret;

Hidden to all but those who see

whoever knows it beholds marvels.

The marvel this knowledge contains.

لولا الوجود قد ضمن

لولا الوجود قد ضمن

إظهار ذا الكون احتجب

إظهار ذا الكون احتجب

Had existence not guaranteed

Without existence to impart

this universe's manifestation, it would have been veiled.

The emergence of this universe, all would be obscured.

فالكون للكون انجلى

فالكون للكون انجلى

به ونال فضله

به ونال فضله

So the universe was revealed to the universe

Thus the universe became clear

through it, and gained its bounty.

Through it, and gained its bounty.

وجودنا الذي به

وجودنا الذي به

نحن وجدنا ربنا

نحن وجدنا ربنا

Our existence, through which

Our existence, by which

we found our Lord,

We and our Lord exist,

يلوح للمنتبه

يلوح للمنتبه

فيمتلي به الإنا

فيمتلي به الإنا

shines forth to the attentive,

Shines for those who perceive

so the vessel fills with it.

And so fills all souls.

يقول حين قربه

يقول حين قربه

من كل إنسان أنا

من كل إنسان أنا

It says, when it is close

When drawn near, He says

to every human being, 'I.'

To every human: I am.

والبعد عنه أشكلا

والبعد عنه أشكلا

وهم يرون فعله

وهم يرون فعله

And distance from it has become perplexing,

To be distant from Him is hard.

while they behold its action.

Yet they see but His actions.

عبد الغنيْ يقول ما

عبد الغنيْ يقول ما

قالت به كل الورى

قالت به كل الورى

Abd al-Ghani says what

Abdul Ghani says what

all creation has professed:

All creation has voiced:

هذا مجاز قد سما

هذا مجاز قد سما

له حقيقة ترى

له حقيقة ترى

This is figurative usage that has risen high;

"This is but a metaphor that has soared,

it has a reality one can see.

For an unseen Reality."

ما قلت شيئاً مبهماً

ما قلت شيئاً مبهماً

شرحت حالاً قرّرا

شرحت حالاً قرّرا

I have said nothing obscure;

I have spoken nothing ambiguous,

I have explained an established state.

I have explained the matter clearly.

من رام هذا العلم لا

من رام هذا العلم لا

يعدل ويعرف أصله

يعدل ويعرف أصله

Whoever seeks this knowledge does not

He who seeks this knowledge

turn aside, and knows its origin.

Must be just and recognize its origin.