قُلsay لِمَنto whoever يَفهَمُunderstands عَنِّيfrom me ماwhat أَقُولُI say
قُل لِمَن يَفهَمُ عَنِّي ما أَقُولُ
قَصِّرِshorten القَولَthe speech فَذَاfor this شَرحٌan explanation يَطُولُruns long
قَصِّرِ القَولَ فَذَا شَرحٌ يَطُولُ
Say to whoever understands what I say:
Tell those who comprehend me what I say
Keep your speech brief, for this explanation runs long.
Keep it brief, for explanation makes it long
ثمّthere سِرٌّa secret غَامِضٌobscure مِنfrom دُونِهِshort of it
ثمّ سِرٌّ غَامِضٌ مِن دُونِهِ
قَصرتfell short واللهِby God أعنَاقُthe necks الفُحولِthe stallions
قَصرت واللهِ أعنَاقُ الفُحولِ
There is an obscure secret, before which
Beyond is a secret, obscure mystery
the necks of stallions have fallen short, by God.
By Allah, I have shortened the necks of the brave
أنتَyou لاnot تَعرِفyou know إيَّاكَyourself ولاَnor
أنتَ لا تَعرِف إيَّاكَ ولاَ
تَدريyou know مَنwho أنتَyou وَلاَnor كَيفَhow الوُصُولُarrival
تَدري مَن أنتَ وَلاَ كَيفَ الوُصُولُ
You do not know yourself, nor
You know not yourself nor
do you know who you are, or how to arrive.
Do you know who you are and how to reach
لاَno وَلاَnor تَدريyou know صِفَاتattributes رُكِّبَتwere implanted
لاَ وَلاَ تَدري صِفَات رُكِّبَت
فِيكَwithin you حَارَتwere bewildered فِيin خَفَايَاهاtheir hidden aspects العُقُولُminds
فِيكَ حَارَت فِي خَفَايَاها العُقُولُ
No, nor do you know the attributes implanted
No, you know not the attributes combined
within you; minds are bewildered by their hidden aspects.
In you, minds are confused in their hidden ways
أَنتَyou أكلeating الخُبزِbread لاَnot تَعرِفهُyou understand it
أَنتَ أكل الخُبزِ لاَ تَعرِفهُ
كَيفَhow يَجريit passes مِنكَfrom you أمor كَيفَhow تَبُولyou urinate
كَيفَ يَجري مِنكَ أم كَيفَ تَبُول
You do not understand the eating of bread:
You eat bread not knowing it
how it passes out of you, or how you urinate.
How it flows through or out you
أينwhere مِنكwithin you الرُّوحُthe soul فيin جَوهَرِهَاits essence
أين مِنك الرُّوحُ في جَوهَرِهَا
هَلdo ...? تَرَاهَاyou see it فَتَرَىand so you see كَيفَhow تجولُit roams
هَل تَرَاهَا فَتَرَى كَيفَ تجولُ
Where within you is the soul in its essence?
Where is your soul in its essence?
Do you see it, and thus see how it roams?
Do you see it and how it wanders?
أينَwhere مِنكَwithin you العَقلُreason والفَهمُand understanding إذَاwhen
أينَ مِنكَ العَقلُ والفَهمُ إذَا
غَلَبَprevailed النَّومُsleep فَقُلthen say ليto me يَاO جَهُولُignorant one
غَلَبَ النَّومُ فَقُل لي يَا جَهُولُ
Where within you are reason and understanding when
Where is your mind and understanding when
sleep prevails? Then tell me, O ignorant one.
Sleep overcomes you? Say, oh ignorant one
فَإذَاso if كانَتwere طَوَايَاكَyour inner recesses الَّتيwhich
فَإذَا كانَت طَوَايَاكَ الَّتي
بَينَbetween جَنبَيكَyour two sides كَذَاthus فِيهَاwithin them ضَلُولُutterly lost
بَينَ جَنبَيكَ كَذَا فِيهَا ضَلُولُ
So if your inner recesses, which lie
If your innards between your sides are thus
between your sides, leave you so utterly lost,
Lost within, how can you know?
كَيفَhow تَدريyou know مَنthe One who عَلَىupon العَرشِthe Throne استوىHe established Himself
كَيفَ تَدري مَن عَلَى العَرشِ استوى
لاَdo not تَقُلsay كَيفَhow استَوَىHe established Himself كَيفَhow النُّزُولُthe descent
لاَ تَقُل كَيفَ استَوَى كَيفَ النُّزُولُ
how can you know Him who established Himself upon the Throne?
How can you know He who sits upon the throne?
Do not say, 'How did He establish Himself? How does He descend?'
Say not how He sits nor how He descends
فَهُوَfor He لاَno أَينَwhere وَلاَand no كَيفَhow لَهُfor Him
فَهُوَ لاَ أَينَ وَلاَ كَيفَ لَهُ
وَهُوَand He فيin كُلِّevery النَّوَاحيdirection لاَnot يَزُولُHe passes away
وَهُوَ في كُلِّ النَّوَاحي لاَ يَزُولُ
For He has neither a 'where' nor a 'how';
He is neither where nor how, for Him
and He is in every direction, never passing away.
He is in all places, never fading
جَلَّis majestic ذَاتاًin essence وَصِفَاتٍand in attributes وَسَمَاand is sublime
جَلَّ ذَاتاً وَصِفَاتٍ وَسَمَا
وَتَعَالَىand is exalted رَبّنَاour Lord عَمَّاabove what تَقُولُyou say
وَتَعَالَى رَبّنَا عَمَّا تَقُولُ
He is majestic in essence and attributes, and sublime,
Exalted is He in essence, attributes and highness
and our Lord is exalted above what you say.
Our Lord is far above what you say
Sol 6.1