غنيٌّ به عبد الغنيِّ فيبلغُ

غنيٌّ به عبد الغنيِّ فيبلغُ

إلى أن تراه عن معانيه يفرغُ

إلى أن تراه عن معانيه يفرغُ

Through Him ʿAbd al-Ghanī is enriched, and thus attains

Through Him, ʿAbd al-Ghanī is rich, and so reaches

the point where you see him emptied of his own meanings.

the point where you see him emptied of his meanings.

تجلى فكان الإنحراف لحرفه

تجلى فكان الإنحراف لحرفه

وما كل حرف بالتغايير يصبغ

وما كل حرف بالتغايير يصبغ

He disclosed Himself, and His letter took on inflection;

He manifested Himself, and the deviation belonged to His letter.

yet not every letter is colored by otherness.

And not every letter is dyed by alterations.

به ظلمة نور ونور وظلمة

به ظلمة نور ونور وظلمة

ومبلغه ما مثله قط مبلغ

ومبلغه ما مثله قط مبلغ

Through Him darkness is light, and light is darkness;

In Him are a darkness of light, and light and darkness.

and His reach is one no reach has ever matched.

And His reach—no reach has ever equaled it.

دنا وهو دان في بعيد مقامه

دنا وهو دان في بعيد مقامه

فلا شمس إلا في تجليه تبزغ

فلا شمس إلا في تجليه تبزغ

He drew near—He is near, even in the remoteness of His station;

He drew near, and He is near in His distant station.

no sun, then, rises except in His self-disclosure.

So no sun rises except in His self-revelation.

وإن غرد الشحرور كان إشارة

وإن غرد الشحرور كان إشارة

به منه فينا أو تناوح لغلغ

به منه فينا أو تناوح لغلغ

And if the blackbird warbles, its song is a sign

And if the blackbird warbles, it is a sign

of Him, from Him, among us—or a raven’s answering lament.

through Him, from Him, within us—or if a stork cries in reply.