لنا أتت منك أبيات محسنة

لنا أتت منك أبيات محسنة

حتى كان اسمك العروف حل بها

حتى كان اسمك العروف حل بها

Fine verses came to us from you,

You sent us well-composed verses

so that your discerning name had settled in them.

Until your famous name settled in them

لسانها الرطب بالتوحيد مشتغل

لسانها الرطب بالتوحيد مشتغل

وقلبها لم يزل في الله منتبها

وقلبها لم يزل في الله منتبها

Their moist tongue is busy proclaiming God's oneness,

Her moist tongue is busy with Tawheed

and their heart has never ceased to be attentive to God.

And her heart has never stopped being aware of God

وكل ما جمعته رونقٌ وصفاً

وكل ما جمعته رونقٌ وصفاً

وكل ما قد حوته بهجة وبها

وكل ما قد حوته بهجة وبها

And all they have gathered is splendor in description,

And everything you have collected is elegance and description

and all they encompass is delight and radiance,

And everything it contains is delight and splendor

سوى مقالك أن الكل ذلك هوْ

سوى مقالك أن الكل ذلك هوْ

فإن معناه صعب الفهم فانتبها

فإن معناه صعب الفهم فانتبها

except your saying that all of that is He.

Except your saying that all that is Him

For its meaning is difficult to grasp, so take heed.

For its meaning is difficult to understand, so be aware

وابسط جوابك في معناه منبسطاً

وابسط جوابك في معناه منبسطاً

فإنه لم يزل في الخلق مشتبها

فإنه لم يزل في الخلق مشتبها

And unfold your answer concerning its meaning at length,

And elaborate your answer about its meaning openly

for it has always remained obscure among created beings.

For it has always been ambiguous to people

وإنما كن كلام الله في أزل

وإنما كن كلام الله في أزل

قديمة ليس بالإيجاد قرّبها

قديمة ليس بالإيجاد قرّبها

And “Be!” is nothing but God's speech from eternity,

Indeed, the words of God in pre-eternity

eternal; not through creation did He draw it near.

Are ancient, not brought into existence, come near to it

وقلت بالفرق بين الرتبتين فلا

وقلت بالفرق بين الرتبتين فلا

عبد كرب ولا بالعكس رتبها

عبد كرب ولا بالعكس رتبها

And you affirmed the distinction between the two ranks, so no

And you spoke of the difference between the two ranks, so no

servant is like the Lord, nor the reverse; set them in order.

Servant is Lord, nor vice versa, ranked them

فكيف قولك أن الكل ذلك هو

فكيف قولك أن الكل ذلك هو

فقد تناقض منك القول واشتبها

فقد تناقض منك القول واشتبها

How, then, can you say that all of that is He?

So how can you say that all that is Him

So your speech has contradicted itself and become confused.

Your words have contradicted and confused

مني السلام على أهل الهدى أبداً

مني السلام على أهل الهدى أبداً

ما ذاقت الروح بالإحسان مشربها

ما ذاقت الروح بالإحسان مشربها

From me, peace upon the people of guidance forever,

From me, greetings forever upon the people of guidance

as long as the spirit tastes its draught through beneficence.

Whose spirits have never tasted well-being in benevolence