إني أنا المعني القديمُ

إني أنا المعني القديمُ

إني أنا النبأ العظيمُ

إني أنا النبأ العظيمُ

Indeed, I am the eternal one intended.

I am the ancient meaning

Indeed, I am the mighty tidings.

I am the great tidings

وأنا هو السر الخفي

وأنا هو السر الخفي

وأنا الصراط المستقمُ

وأنا الصراط المستقمُ

And I am the hidden secret.

And I am the hidden secret

And I am the straight path.

And I am the straight path

والحق بي هو عالم

والحق بي هو عالم

وبنفسه فهو العليم

وبنفسه فهو العليم

And the Real is knowing through me.

The truth is with me, all-knowing

And through Himself, He is the All-Knowing.

And of itself it is the Knower

والذات لا معنى لها

والذات لا معنى لها

تلك الوجود هي القديم

تلك الوجود هي القديم

And the Essence has no meaning.

Existence itself has no meaning

That is Being; it is the Eternal.

That existence is the Ancient

فإذا عرفت فإنما

فإذا عرفت فإنما

معنى لمعنى مستديم

معنى لمعنى مستديم

So when you know it, it is only

So if you know, then the meaning

a meaning for an abiding meaning.

Is a meaning for an enduring meaning

هو نزلة أخرى له

هو نزلة أخرى له

قمنا بها وهو المقيم

قمنا بها وهو المقيم

It is another descent for Him.

It is another attribute of His

Through it we arose, and He is the Sustainer.

Which we did and He is the Lasting

ولقد رآه بها الذي

ولقد رآه بها الذي

هو فضله فينا العميم

هو فضله فينا العميم

And through it He was indeed seen by the one

And the one whom He has favored

who is His all-embracing grace among us.

With His abundant grace saw Him through it

يا جوهراً لا جوهر

يا جوهراً لا جوهر

لكنه وصف كريم

لكنه وصف كريم

O substance that is no substance,

O essence without essence

but rather a noble attribute.

But it is a generous description

قامت به أعارضه

قامت به أعارضه

وبطيبه جاء النسيم

وبطيبه جاء النسيم

Its accidental qualities subsist through it,

Its manifestations carried out by Him

and with its fragrance came the breeze.

And by His benevolence came the breeze

حرنا فقلنا هكذا

حرنا فقلنا هكذا

والذات غيث يا فهيم

والذات غيث يا فهيم

We were bewildered, so we said thus:

We yearned so we said thus

And the Essence is rain, O discerning one.

And the essence is rain, O sagacious one

غيب الغيوب تنزهت

غيب الغيوب تنزهت

عما القلوب به تهيم

عما القلوب به تهيم

The unseen of all unseen, it is exalted

The unseen of the unseen, glorified

above whatever the hearts are enamored of.

Is what hearts are preoccupied with

إنّا إليك نشير لا ال

إنّا إليك نشير لا ال

موجود نحن بل العديم

موجود نحن بل العديم

Indeed, we point to You—not the

We point to You, not to

existent are we, but the nonexistent.

Something existent, we are but the non-existent

والحق ليس عبارةً

والحق ليس عبارةً

منّا له وهو النديم

منّا له وهو النديم

And the Real is not an expression

And the Truth is not an expression

from us for Him; He is the boon companion.

From us to Him and He is the Companion

يدني ويقصي من يشا

يدني ويقصي من يشا

وهو العذاب هو النعيم

وهو العذاب هو النعيم

He brings near and drives away whomever He wills.

He draws near and distances whom He wills

And He is torment; He is bliss.

He is the punishment, He is the bliss

معناه نحن وإنما

معناه نحن وإنما

معناه يدركه الشميم

معناه يدركه الشميم

We are His meaning, and it is only

We are its meaning, but

scent that perceives His meaning.

Its meaning is grasped by the discerning

وهو الكوائن كلها

وهو الكوائن كلها

والكهف أيضا والرقيم

والكهف أيضا والرقيم

And He is all existing things,

And He is all existence

and the Cave as well, and al-Raqim.

And the cave and the inscribed

الله أكبر لا سوا

الله أكبر لا سوا

ه فإنه العقد النظيم

ه فإنه العقد النظيم

Allah is greatest—none besides

God is Greater, none other

Him, for He is the well-strung necklace,

For He is the perfect wisdom

والسلك وهو وراء كل

والسلك وهو وراء كل

ل الكل غفار حليم

ل الكل غفار حليم

and the thread; He is beyond the entirety

And the wire, and He is beyond everything

of all—All-Forgiving, Forbearing.

All is Forgiving, Forbearing

وأنا السقيم وقد رتى

وأنا السقيم وقد رتى

عجز ولا يشفى السقيم

عجز ولا يشفى السقيم

And I am the ailing one, already [bound] by

And I am the ill one who has seen

helplessness; and the ailing one is not healed.

Incapacity, and the ill are not cured

والكون مثلي هكذا

والكون مثلي هكذا

لكن رضيع أو فطيم

لكن رضيع أو فطيم

And the universe is thus like me,

And the universe is like me in this way

but a suckling or a weaned child.

But an infant or one who is weaned