1. أحزاننا بلقائكم أفراحُ

    وزماننا قدح وأنتم راحُ

    Our sorrows become joys through meeting you.

    And our time is a goblet, and you are wine.

  2. يا سادة من ذكرهم نرتاحُ

    أبداً تحن إليكم الأرواحُ

    O masters, in whose remembrance we find rest!

    Forever the souls yearn toward you.

  3. ووصالكم ريحانها والراحُ

    هذا الوجود جميعه إشراقكم

    And union with you is their sweet basil and wine.

    All this existence is your radiance.

  4. وجميع من في الكون هم عشاقكم

    ما هكذا يا سادتي أخلاقكم

    And all who are in the cosmos are your lovers.

    Not thus, my masters, are your ways.

  5. وقلوب أهل ودادكم تشتاقكم

    وإلى لذيذ لقائكم ترتاح

    And the hearts of those who love you long for you,

    And find repose in the delight of meeting you.

  6. من ذا ترى يدري بكم من يعرف

    أنتم حقيقة كل شيء يوصف

    Who, do you think, knows of you? Who understands?

    You are the reality of everything that is described.

  7. غلب الهوى أين المعين المسعف

    وارحمتا للعاشقين تكلفوا

    Passion has prevailed; where is the helper who brings relief?

    Oh, pity the lovers who have struggled

  8. ستر المحبة والهوى فضاح

    قوم صفا عما يغاير ماؤهم

    To conceal their love, while passion exposes it.

    A people whose water has cleared of whatever is other,

  9. وإليك من دون السوى إيماؤهم

    كتموك حتى أنكرت أحشاؤهم

    And whose gestures are toward you, apart from all else.

    They concealed you until their very hearts denied you.

  10. بالسر إن باحوا تباح دماؤهم

    وكذا دماء البائحين تباح

    If they divulge the secret, their blood is forfeit.

    And thus the blood of those who divulge is forfeit.

  11. عَرْف الوصال يفوح فينا منهمُ

    وسواهم المستحقرون فمن هم

    The fragrance of union wafts through us from them.

    And others are held in contempt; who, then, are they?

  12. قوم لهم حال شريف مبهم

    فإذا همو كتموا تحدث عنهم

    A people with a noble, mysterious state.

    And when they conceal it, what speaks of them

  13. عند الوشاة المدمع السفاح

    أوصافهم يسمو بها من يفهمُ

    Before the tale-bearers is the eye that pours out tears.

    Whoever understands rises through their qualities.

  14. وهم الدواء من الردى والمرهم

    كل المعارف والعلوم لديهم

    And they are the medicine against death, and the balm.

    All spiritual knowledge and sciences are with them.

  15. وكذا شواهد للسقام عليهم

    فيها لمشكل أمرهم إيضاح

    And signs of sickness are upon them too;

    In these is clarification of their puzzling state.

  16. يا سادتي مني السلام إليكمُ

    فأنا هو المطروح بين يديكم

    My masters, from me to you, peace.

    For I am the one cast down before you.

  17. ومن الجميع على البعاد لديكم

    خفض الجناح لكم وليس عليكم

    And from everyone, despite the distance, before you comes

    The lowering of the wing to you; nor, on your account, is there

  18. للصب في خفض الجناح جناح

    لجمالكم في كل قلب ساحة

    Blame on the lover for lowering his wing.

    Your beauty has a courtyard in every heart.

  19. وزهورنا بنسيمكم فواحة

    هل للمتيم من جفاكم راحة

    And our flowers are fragrant with your breeze.

    Has the lovesick one any rest from your coldness?

  20. فإلى لقاكم نفسه مرتاحة

    وإلى رضاكم طرفه طماح

    So his soul finds repose in meeting you,

    And his gaze aspires toward your favor.

  21. كدر الحوادث زال عن عين الصفا

    وبدا جمال أحبتي بعد الخفا

    The murk of events has cleared from the spring of purity.

    And my beloveds' beauty appeared after concealment.

  22. فبحق ذاك العهد يا أهل الوفا

    عودوا بنور الوصل من غسق الجفا

    So by that covenant, O people of fidelity,

    Return with the light of union from estrangement's gloom.

  23. فالهجر ليل والوصال صباح

    قد راق في حان الوفا مشروبهم

    For separation is night, and union is morning.

    Their drink has grown clear in fidelity's tavern.

  24. ولهم أباح وصاله محبوبهم

    صوفية تبدي الشهود غيوبهم

    And their beloved has granted them union with him.

    Sufis whose hidden depths bring witnessing to light.

  25. صافاهم فصفوا له فقلوبهم

    في نوره المشكاة والمصباح

    He befriended them sincerely, so they became pure for him; thus their hearts

    In his light are the niche and the lamp.

  26. يا قومنا أنا زائد وجدي بكم

    والصبر مني قد مضى في حبكم

    O our people, my longing for you is growing.

    And patience has left me in loving you.

  27. فاهنوا بما فزتم بهم من شربكم

    وتمتعوا فالوقت طاب بقربكم

    So rejoice in what you have won through them from your drinking.

    And take pleasure, for the time is sweet through your nearness.

  28. راق الشراب وراقت الأقداح

    رفعت لقلبي في الغرام ظلامة

    The wine is clear, and the cups are pleasing.

    I lodged a grievance for my heart in love

  29. لأمير حسن ما لديه جهالة

    انظر عذولي في الجمال جلالة

    With a prince of beauty who knows no ignorance.

    Look, my reproacher, at the majesty in beauty.

  30. يا صاح ليس على المحب ملامة

    إن لاح في أفق الوصال ملاح

    O friend, no blame lies upon the lover

    If beautiful ones appear on the horizon of union.

  31. رفقا بنا يا أهل ذياك اللوى

    إن المتيم عن هواكم ما لوى

    Be gentle with us, O people of those winding sands.

    The lovesick one has not turned away from loving you.

  32. والله حلفة مغرم يشكو النوى

    لا ذنب للعشاق إن غلب الهوى

    By God—the oath of an enamored one lamenting separation—

    Lovers bear no blame if passion overcomes

  33. كتمانَهم فنما الغرام وباحوا

    سلمى التي يا ويح مهجة صبها

    Their concealment, so love grows and they speak out.

    Salma, who—alas for her lover's lifeblood!—

  34. جرحت بمقلتها وأسهم هدبها

    لله در عصابة في حبها

    Has wounded it with her eye and the arrows of her lashes.

    God bless the band who, in love for her,

  35. سمحوا بأنفسهم ما بخلوا بها

    لما رأوا أن السماح رباح

    Gave their lives freely, not begrudging them,

    When they saw that generosity is gain.

  36. شربوا كؤوس هوى الأحبة قهوةً

    ولهم غدت كل المكاره شهوةً

    They drank the cups of love for the beloveds as wine,

    And every hardship became something they desired.

  37. طلبتهم الذات النزيهة نخوةً

    ودعاهمُ داعي الحقائق دعوةً

    The immaculate Essence sought them out in magnanimity,

    And the caller of realities issued them a summons.

  38. فغدوا بها مستأنسين وراحوا

    هم سادة منهم بطيب خضوعهمْ

    So, finding solace in it, they went forth morning and evening.

    They are masters among them, through their sweet submission

  39. للحب حيث به تنير ربوعهم

    لما تزايد بالفراق ولوعهم

    To love, through which their dwellings shine.

    When separation made their ardor grow,

  40. ركبوا على سفن الدجا فدموعهم

    بحر وشدة خوفهم ملّاح

    They boarded the ships of darkness; so their tears

    Are a sea, and their intense fear is the sailor.

  41. نزعوا الثياب فعوضوا بثيابه

    وعن الخطا قد ساقهم لصوابه

    They removed their garments and were given his garments instead.

    And from error he has led them to his rectitude.

  42. وهو المعز لهم برفع حجابه

    والله ما طلبوا الوقوف ببابه

    And he honors them by lifting his veil.

    By God, they did not seek to stand at his door

  43. حتى دُعُوا وأتاهم المفتاح

    هو إن نأى أو زاد في تقريبهم

    Until they were called, and the key came to them.

    He—whether he withdraws or draws them still nearer—

  44. يشكو كما يشكون فرط نحيبهم

    وهم الذين تمتعوا بلبيهم

    Laments, as they lament, the intensity of their sobbing.

    And they are those who delighted in his "Here I am" to them.

  45. لا يطربون لغير ذكر حبيبهم

    أبداً فكل زمانهم أفراح

    They rejoice in nothing but the mention of their beloved,

    Ever; so all their time is joy.

  46. فيهم لقد دارت كؤس سقاتهم

    حتى بها زالت عقول صحاتهم

    Their cupbearers' cups have indeed gone round among them,

    Until, through them, the minds of their sober ones departed.

  47. وحبيبهم لما بدا بصفاتهم

    حضروا وقد غابت شواهد ذاتهم

    And when their beloved appeared in their attributes,

    They became present, while the signs of their own selves had vanished.

  48. فتهتكوا لما رأوه وصاحوا

    نور التجلي الحق حيَّر عقلهمْ

    So they cast off restraint when they saw him, and cried out.

    The light of true self-disclosure bewildered their reason.

  49. لفروعهم أخفى وأظهر أصلهم

    قوم جميع الفضل منتسب لهم

    As for their branches, it hid them and revealed their root.

    A people to whom all excellence is ascribed.

  50. فتشبهوا إن لم تكونوا مثلهم

    إن التشبه بالكرام فلاح

    So imitate them if you are not like them;

    For emulating the noble is success.

  51. سكرت غصون الروض من نسماتها

    وترنمت أطياره بلغاتها

    The garden's branches grew drunk on her breezes,

    And its birds sang in their own tongues.

  52. والذات تجلى في بديع صفاتها

    قم يا نديم إلى المدام فهاتها

    And the Essence revealed itself in its wondrous attributes.

    Rise, O drinking companion, to the wine, and bring it here.

  53. في كأسها قد دارت الأقداح

    عرفت أهاليها بحفظ أمانةٍ

    In her cup, the cups have indeed gone round.

    Her people were known for safeguarding a trust,

  54. وكمال عرفان ورفع مكانةٍ

    بكر أجل طلاً وخير مدامةٍ

    And perfect spiritual knowledge, and exalted rank.

    A virgin—the noblest wine and the finest vintage—

  55. مِن كَرْمِ إكرامٍ بِدَنِّ ديانةٍ

    لا خمرة قد داسها الفلاح

    From a vineyard of honor, in a wine jar of piety,

    Not wine that the farmer has trodden.