خفايا المعاني تنجلي بالدلائل

خفايا المعاني تنجلي بالدلائل

وفي المرء سر من عروق الفصائل

وفي المرء سر من عروق الفصائل

The hidden depths of meanings are revealed by proofs.

The meanings' secrets are revealed through evidence

Within a person lies a secret drawn from the roots of clans.

And within a person is a lineage's vein

تنكر قوم بالزمان وطورهم

تنكر قوم بالزمان وطورهم

به يعرف الحذاق شأن الاوائل

به يعرف الحذاق شأن الاوائل

People have changed with time, and their disposition

Some people deny the era and their ways

reveals to the discerning the character of their forebears.

Through it the astute know the affair of the predecessors

على أي حال يندب الشهم ما مضى

على أي حال يندب الشهم ما مضى

وفي كل حال مقتل للفواضل

وفي كل حال مقتل للفواضل

Whatever the circumstances, the noble man mourns what has passed.

In any case, the magnanimous lament what has passed

In every circumstance there is a deathblow to virtues.

And in every state is death for the virtuous

وقد شرق المجد الاثيل بدمعه

وقد شرق المجد الاثيل بدمعه

وبات عليلا ناكصا راس خامل

وبات عليلا ناكصا راس خامل

Deep-rooted glory has choked on its tears

Glory's morning shone with its tears

and passed the night sick and retreating; an obscure man took the lead.

And became sickly, heading down with inactive mind

واصبح جلمود الحجارة ناطقا

واصبح جلمود الحجارة ناطقا

وقس المعاني صامتا غير قائل

وقس المعاني صامتا غير قائل

The solid stone has become a speaker,

And the rocks' numbness started speaking

while the Quss of meanings is silent, saying nothing.

While meanings became silent, unable to speak

عجائب اقدار خفايا رموزها

عجائب اقدار خفايا رموزها

تتيه لها الافكار من كل عاقل

تتيه لها الافكار من كل عاقل

Wondrous decrees—the mysteries of their symbols

The destinies' wonders, their symbols are obscure

leave every rational person's thoughts bewildered.

Minds, from every rational one, wander astray about them

قضى الامر بالتسليم لله انه

قضى الامر بالتسليم لله انه

له الفعل والمخلوق ليس بفاعل

له الفعل والمخلوق ليس بفاعل

The matter requires submission to God, for

The matter was decreed to submit to God, for He

His is the action, and the creature is not the doer.

Does the act while the creature is not the doer

الى الله شكوى المستجير بطوله

الى الله شكوى المستجير بطوله

وعزته من موبقات النوازل

وعزته من موبقات النوازل

To God goes the complaint of one seeking refuge in His bounty

To God is the complaint of one seeking refuge in His might

and His might from the ruinous blows of calamity.

And His glory from the terrible tribulations

الى الله شكوى لائذٍ برسوله

الى الله شكوى لائذٍ برسوله

نبي الهدى المحمود خير الوسائل

نبي الهدى المحمود خير الوسائل

To God goes the complaint of one seeking shelter through His Messenger,

To God is the complaint of one taking shelter in His Messenger

the praised Prophet of guidance, the best means of approach.

The guide prophet, the best of means

الى الله شكوى لاجىءٍ بوليه

الى الله شكوى لاجىءٍ بوليه

ابي العلمين الغوث عذب المناهل

ابي العلمين الغوث عذب المناهل

To God goes the complaint of one seeking refuge through His saint,

To God is the complaint of one taking asylum in His Guardian

Abu al-ʿAlamayn, the Ghawth, whose wellsprings are sweet.

Father of the two knowledges, the aid, sweet watering places

امام بعيد العصر مدت تفضلا

امام بعيد العصر مدت تفضلا

له راحة المختار بين القوافل

له راحة المختار بين القوافل

An imam—shortly after the afternoon prayer, graciously was extended

An Imam, the era's distance extended graciously for him

to him the Chosen One's palm amid the caravans.

For him is the chosen one’s comfort among the caravans

حفيد علي شيخ اعيان بيته

حفيد علي شيخ اعيان بيته

رفاعي ابناء الحسين البواسل

رفاعي ابناء الحسين البواسل

Ali's descendant, chief of his household's notables,

Grandson of Ali, the sheikh of his house’s notables

the Rifaʿi of Husayn's valiant sons.

Rifa’i, sons of Hussein, the valiant

فتى طوّق العليا قلائد حكمة

فتى طوّق العليا قلائد حكمة

من الشرع ما ابقت مقالا لقائل

من الشرع ما ابقت مقالا لقائل

A noble man who adorned the heights with necklaces of wisdom

A young man who adorned the most high with wisdom’s necklaces

from the Sacred Law, leaving nothing for another speaker to say.

From the rules, which let no words remain for any speaker

يهش خيال الحاسدين لمثله

يهش خيال الحاسدين لمثله

واين الثريا من يد المتناول

واين الثريا من يد المتناول

The fancy of the envious brightens at the thought of his equal—

The envious ones’ imagination is frightened of his like

yet how far are the Pleiades from a grasping hand!

And where is the covetous from the outstretcher’s hand?

تسنم متن المجد فردا بعصره

تسنم متن المجد فردا بعصره

ومن بعده يا فقد نوع المماثل

ومن بعده يا فقد نوع المماثل

He climbed glory's ridge, peerless in his age.

He ascended the glory's saddle uniquely in his time

And after him—alas for the absence of anyone comparable!

And after him, O loss, the like of his kind

وما جهلته انفس وهو كالضحى

وما جهلته انفس وهو كالضحى

وقد تتعامى مقلة المتجاهل

وقد تتعامى مقلة المتجاهل

No soul failed to recognize him, for he is like morning brightness,

I did not know he was like the morning

though the eye of the willfully ignorant may feign blindness.

While the ignoramus' glance was pretending not to see

نمته العروق الطاهرات لمحتد

نمته العروق الطاهرات لمحتد

عظيم وحيد ماله من مشاكل

عظيم وحيد ماله من مشاكل

Pure ancestral roots trace him to a lineage

The pure veins grew him

great and unique, without a peer.

Great and unique, having no issues

الى الحسنين الاحسنين انتسابه

الى الحسنين الاحسنين انتسابه

به عطرت في الكون بيض المحافل

به عطرت في الكون بيض المحافل

His descent is from Hasan and Husayn, the two most excellent;

To the two best Hasans, his lineage

through it, bright assemblies throughout creation were perfumed.

Through it, the assemblies' eggs in the universe scented

سليل جدود معدن الوحي بيثهم

سليل جدود معدن الوحي بيثهم

ومنزلهم في الأرض خير المنازل

ومنزلهم في الأرض خير المنازل

Descendant of forebears whose house is the wellspring of revelation,

Descendent of forefathers, the revelation's mine, their abode

and whose dwelling on earth is the best of dwellings.

And their dwelling in the land is the best dwellings

هزبر حمى ميدان كل فضيلة

هزبر حمى ميدان كل فضيلة

واقصر بالعرفان باع المطاول

واقصر بالعرفان باع المطاول

A lion who guarded the arena of every virtue

Gray hair protected the field of every virtue

and, through spiritual knowledge, shortened the rival's reach.

And was closest in mystic knowledge, the lengtheners' arms are too short

وشيخ سما في محفل الفتح رتبة

وشيخ سما في محفل الفتح رتبة

نأت في تناهي طولها عن معادل

نأت في تناهي طولها عن معادل

A shaykh who rose in the assembly of spiritual unveiling to a rank

And the sheikh rose in the Opening's assembly to a position

whose towering height placed it far beyond any equal.

Whose remoteness in its length is beyond equivalence

من النفر الغر الذين ودادهم

من النفر الغر الذين ودادهم

لدى القصد عند الله خير الوسائل

لدى القصد عند الله خير الوسائل

One of the radiant company, love for whom

Of the distinct people whose affection for Him

is, when seeking God, the best means of approach in His sight.

Is the best means, in the sight of God

يعان به العاني ويحمى به الحمى

يعان به العاني ويحمى به الحمى

ويعطى به المحتاج كل المآمل

ويعطى به المحتاج كل المآمل

Through him the captive is aided and the sanctuary protected,

Through him the distressed gains comfort and through him the protected is guarded

and through him the needy is granted all he hopes for.

And through him the needy is given all hopes

له دولة الصدق التي شيدت لنا

له دولة الصدق التي شيدت لنا

منارا على عن مدرك المتطاول

منارا على عن مدرك المتطاول

His is the dominion of truth, which raised for us

Through him is the truthfulness state that built for us

a beacon soaring beyond the reach of any would-be rival.

A minaret above the reach of the ambitious

له شرف شاعت مآثر مجده

له شرف شاعت مآثر مجده

وسارت به الركبان رغم المخاتل

وسارت به الركبان رغم المخاتل

His is an honor whose glorious feats became widely known,

For him is the honor whose glories of his glory spread

and caravans carried its fame abroad despite the deceiver.

And the travelers went on with it despite the dissenters

به لهجت آساد كل فصيلة

به لهجت آساد كل فصيلة

فما ضره نج الكلاب القلائل

فما ضره نج الكلاب القلائل

The lions of every clan spoke constantly of him,

Through him the lions of each clan roared

so the barking of a few dogs did him no harm.

So what harm can a few dogs do to him?

اجل حسدوا آباؤه الزهر قبله

اجل حسدوا آباؤه الزهر قبله

وقد تحسد اللخناء ذات الخلاخل

وقد تحسد اللخناء ذات الخلاخل

Yes, his radiant forebears were envied before him;

Yes, they envied his forefathers, the flowers before him

a foul-smelling woman may well envy the wearer of anklets.

And the mangy are envious of those with anklets

وام يحسدون الناس فيها رقائق

وام يحسدون الناس فيها رقائق

كشفن قناع المشكلات لسائل

كشفن قناع المشكلات لسائل

And in 'Or do they envy people?' lie subtle truths

And do they envy people in whom are kindnesses

that lifted the veil from perplexities for an inquirer.

That removed the masks from complexities for the questioner?

سل المجد عن فضل الرفاعي والعلا

سل المجد عن فضل الرفاعي والعلا

وسل ساعة الهيجاء بيض المناصل

وسل ساعة الهيجاء بيض المناصل

Ask glory and the heights about al-Rifaʿi's excellence,

Ask glory about Rifa'i's excellence and ascent

and at the hour of battle, ask the bright sword-blades.

And ask the shining white blades at the time of fervor

وسل كل علم غامض وحقيقة

وسل كل علم غامض وحقيقة

تراه لجمع الكل أعظم كافل

تراه لجمع الكل أعظم كافل

Ask every obscure science and every truth:

And ask every obscure science and truth

you will find him the greatest custodian, bringing them all together.

You will see he is for the collection of all the greatest guarantor

هو العلم الخفاق والمرشد الذي

هو العلم الخفاق والمرشد الذي

له شد اهل الله شهب الرواحل

له شد اهل الله شهب الرواحل

He is the fluttering banner and the guide for whom

He is the blooming knowledge and the guide

God's people saddled their gray-white riding camels.

To whom the people of God tied the necks of their riding camels

هو السيد الندب المؤمل فيضه

هو السيد الندب المؤمل فيضه

لكل مجد في السلوك وواصل

لكل مجد في السلوك وواصل

He is the noble, generous master whose outpouring is hoped for

He is the master, hoped for is his abundance

by every earnest traveler on the path and everyone who has attained.

For every glory in conduct and connection

اذا مر يوما في المجالس ذكره

اذا مر يوما في المجالس ذكره

فقد رش فيها عطر ورد الخمائل

فقد رش فيها عطر ورد الخمائل

If mention of him passes through gatherings one day,

Whenever a day his mention comes up in assemblies

then the perfume of roses from leafy groves has been sprinkled there.

Then in it the scent of affection's roses spread

خلائق خير المرسلين به انجلت

خلائق خير المرسلين به انجلت

كواكبها للناس من دون حائل

كواكبها للناس من دون حائل

The virtues of the best of messengers were revealed through him,

The manners of the best of messengers through him shone

their stars shining before mankind without a veil.

Their stars for people without any obstacles

وطارت لها في الخافقين خوارق

وطارت لها في الخافقين خوارق

لها حجج تقضي بخزي المباهل

لها حجج تقضي بخزي المباهل

And their wonders flew across the East and West,

For them in the horizons marvels flew

bearing proofs that decree disgrace for the challenger invoking God's curse.

For them are arguments that prove the boasting liars shame

ومن معجزات المصطفى ان سره

ومن معجزات المصطفى ان سره

سرى بنفوذ الهمة المتواصل

سرى بنفوذ الهمة المتواصل

Among the Chosen One's miracles is that his secret

And of the Chosen's miracles is that his secret

flowed through the ceaseless potency of spiritual resolve.

Flowed with determination's continuous penetration

ينادي ويبدو السر منه مؤيدا

ينادي ويبدو السر منه مؤيدا

بعزم جليل للعواجز شامل

بعزم جليل للعواجز شامل

He calls out, and the secret appears from him, upheld

by a sublime resolve embracing the powerless.

لنا الفخر انا ننتهي لجنابه

لنا الفخر انا ننتهي لجنابه

وحسب العلا عضبا لقطع المناضل

وحسب العلا عضبا لقطع المناضل

Ours is the pride of tracing ourselves to his noble person,

and for lofty honor, this is a keen sword enough to cut down the rival.

عليه رضا الرحمن ينهل ساقيا

عليه رضا الرحمن ينهل ساقيا

حضيرته الكبرى باشرف وابل

حضيرته الكبرى باشرف وابل

May the All-Merciful's favor pour upon him, watering

his great precinct with the noblest downpour,

ويشمل اسلافا له وبقية

ويشمل اسلافا له وبقية

اليه عزثهم طاهرات السلاسل

اليه عزثهم طاهرات السلاسل

and encompass his forebears and the descendants

whom pure chains of descent have traced to him.