عندنا سر عجيب خطرا

عندنا سر عجيب خطرا

إن للجهال فيه خطرا

إن للجهال فيه خطرا

We have a wondrous secret that has come to mind.

We have a wondrous, perilous secret

Indeed, in it lies danger for the ignorant.

That would be perilous for fools to know

نحن ثوب كلنا أجمعنا

نحن ثوب كلنا أجمعنا

فيه نقش وهو أنواع الورى

فيه نقش وهو أنواع الورى

We are a garment, all of us together;

We are a robe, all of us together

in it is a pattern—the varieties of created beings.

In it a pattern, the forms of all creation

فسداه أوّلاً قد مده

فسداه أوّلاً قد مده

ربنا من ذاته نورا برى

ربنا من ذاته نورا برى

So first its warp was stretched out

Our Lord first outstretched it

by our Lord, from His Essence, as a light He fashioned.

From His own essence, purest light

وهو نور المصطفى حتى كما

وهو نور المصطفى حتى كما

جاءنا نور على نور جرى

جاءنا نور على نور جرى

And it is the light of the Chosen One, even as

It is the light of Mustafa, verily

'light upon light' came to us, flowing forth.

Upon a light came a light streaming

ثم أبدى لحمةً منه له

ثم أبدى لحمةً منه له

حائك الأسماء لما ظهرا

حائك الأسماء لما ظهرا

Then a weft was brought forth from it, for it,

Then He displayed from it a morsel for him

by the Weaver of the Names, when He appeared.

The weaver of names, when he appeared

وهو ثوب ربنا قد حاكه

وهو ثوب ربنا قد حاكه

بيد عزت وجلت قدرا

بيد عزت وجلت قدرا

And it is a garment that our Lord has woven

It is our Lord's robe He wove

with a hand mighty and exalted in rank.

With the hand of His might and power

ثم منه فصَّل الروح له

ثم منه فصَّل الروح له

كقميص للتجلي سترا

كقميص للتجلي سترا

Then from it He tailored the spirit for Himself,

Then from it He detailed the spirit for him

as a shirt, a veil for manifestation.

As a shirt for manifesting, a veil

فوقه النفس كقنبازٍ بدا

فوقه النفس كقنبازٍ بدا

حشوُهُ من كل معنى خطرا

حشوُهُ من كل معنى خطرا

Over it the soul appeared like a long robe,

Above it the soul appeared like a robe

its filling made of every meaning that came to mind.

Its stuffing of every dangerous meaning

فوقها الجبة جسم قد حوى

فوقها الجبة جسم قد حوى

ما حوى مما علا أو قصرا

ما حوى مما علا أو قصرا

Over it, the outer robe is a body that encompasses

Above it the jerkin, the body that contained

all it encompasses, whether lofty or low.

All it contained, whether lofty or low

فهي أثوابٌ ثلاثٌ لك يا

فهي أثوابٌ ثلاثٌ لك يا

أيها الإنسان تحوى عبرا

أيها الإنسان تحوى عبرا

So these are three garments for you, O

These are three robes for you, O

human being, containing lessons.

Human being, containing lessons

لابس تلك عليك الله في

لابس تلك عليك الله في

كل حين فاكتشف ذا الخبرا

كل حين فاكتشف ذا الخبرا

God wears these upon you at

Wearing them, upon you God is

every moment; discover, then, this fact.

At every moment—know this secret

ثم هذا كله قام بمن

ثم هذا كله قام بمن

هو منشيه علاً فاقتدرا

هو منشيه علاً فاقتدرا

Then all this subsists through the One

Then all this is upheld by Him

who is its Maker, exalted and mighty.

Who makes it high, so emulate Him

لا به قام الذي أنشأه

لا به قام الذي أنشأه

فالذي ظن حلولاً كفرا

فالذي ظن حلولاً كفرا

The One who made it does not subsist through it;

Not by it is upheld He who originated it

so whoever supposes indwelling has disbelieved.

So one who believes in infusion blasphemes

وهو فان كله أيضا كما

وهو فان كله أيضا كما

قال إلا وجهه يا من قرا

قال إلا وجهه يا من قرا

And all of it, too, is perishing, just as

And it is all transient, just as

He said, 'except His Face,' O you who read.

He said, except His countenance, O reader

فالوجود الحق فرد واحد

فالوجود الحق فرد واحد

وسواه كخيال في الكرى

وسواه كخيال في الكرى

Thus true Being is single, one,

So true existence is singular, one

and all else is like a phantom in sleep.

All else like mirages in the deserts

واعتبر نفسك يا جاهلها

واعتبر نفسك يا جاهلها

أي شيء شئت واجعل صورا

أي شيء شئت واجعل صورا

And consider your self, O you who do not know it:

Consider your soul, O you who are ignorant of it

think of anything you wish, and fashion images.

Whatever you wish, make it a form

هل تراها كلها قائمة

هل تراها كلها قائمة

لك إلا بك حقق نظرا

لك إلا بك حقق نظرا

Do you see them all subsisting

Do you see it upheld at all

for you except through you? Examine closely.

Except by you? Discern with insight

وتأملها فلا داخلة

وتأملها فلا داخلة

هي أو خارجة عنك ترى

هي أو خارجة عنك ترى

And contemplate them: neither within

Contemplate it, neither entering

you nor outside you are they seen.

Nor leaving you does it appear

ثم هل نفسك عن حالتها

ثم هل نفسك عن حالتها

غيرت إن هي أبدت أثرا

غيرت إن هي أبدت أثرا

Then has your self, from its state,

Then, has your soul changed its state

been altered, if it has produced an effect?

If it showed any effect?

لا ومن قال وفي أنفسكم

لا ومن قال وفي أنفسكم

أفلا أي تبصرون الفكرا

أفلا أي تبصرون الفكرا

No, by Him who said, 'And within yourselves—

No! And Who said: Within yourselves—

will you not then perceive?'—that is, thought.

Will you not reflect?

فمثالا ضرب الله لكم

فمثالا ضرب الله لكم

وهو من أنفسكم قد بهرا

وهو من أنفسكم قد بهرا

So God has set forth an example for you,

So God struck a metaphor for you

and, drawn from your own selves, it has dazzled.

From your own souls, dazzlingly clear