لِمَغيبِfor the absence of قَلبيmy heart فيin هَواكُمlove of you all مَشهَدُa place of witness
لِمَغيبِ قَلبي في هَواكُم مَشهَدُ
كُلُّall البَرِيَّةِcreation مُطلَقٌunbound وَمُقَيَّدُand bound
كُلُّ البَرِيَّةِ مُطلَقٌ وَمُقَيَّدُ
My heart's vanishing in love of you has a place of witness:
all creation, the unbound and the bound.
ماno عَنfrom شَريعَتِهِits watering-place لَصادٍfor one athirst مَصدَرٌa departure
ما عَن شَريعَتِهِ لَصادٍ مَصدَرٌ
إِذsince ماno لِبادٍfor a desert-dweller فيin سِواهُanything other than it مَورِدُa watering-place
إِذ ما لِبادٍ في سِواهُ مَورِدُ
No thirsty one departs from its watering-place,
since no desert-dweller has a watering-place elsewhere.
فيهِin it تُوَحَّدَتِwere united القُلوبُthe hearts عَلىin الهَوىlove
فيهِ تُوَحَّدَتِ القُلوبُ عَلى الهَوى
وَتَعَدَّدَتand became many أَهوؤُهُمtheir passions فَتَعَدَّدواso they became many
وَتَعَدَّدَت أَهوؤُهُم فَتَعَدَّدوا
In it, hearts were united in love,
and their passions became many, so they themselves became many.
فيin ظِلِّthe shade of ظاهِرِهِits outward form ثَوَواthey dwelt فَمُغَوِّرٌso one descending to lowlands
في ظِلِّ ظاهِرِهِ ثَوَوا فَمُغَوِّرٌ
فيin قَصدِseeking باطِنِهِits inward meaning وَآخَرُand another مُنجِدُascending to highlands
في قَصدِ باطِنِهِ وَآخَرُ مُنجِدُ
They dwelt in the shade of its outward form: one descends to the lowlands
seeking its inward meaning, and another ascends to the highlands.
وَمُحَدِّدٌand one defining مَعنىthe meaning of الهَوىlove بِعِيانِهِby directly seeing it
وَمُحَدِّدٌ مَعنى الهَوى بِعِيانِهِ
وَعِمٍand a blind one عَلىabout غَيبِthe unseen of الشَهادَةِthe visible realm يَشهَدُbears witness
وَعِمٍ عَلى غَيبِ الشَهادَةِ يَشهَدُ
And one defines love's meaning by directly seeing it,
and one, blind, testifies to the unseen within the seen.
وَمُكابِرٌand one defying إِحساسَهُhis perception فيin أَنَّهُthat he
وَمُكابِرٌ إِحساسَهُ في أَنَّهُ
وَسِواهُand someone other than him مِنamong أَضدادِهِhis opposites مَتَوَحِّدُunited as one
وَسِواهُ مِن أَضدادِهِ مَتَوَحِّدُ
And one defies his own perception, asserting that he
and another among his opposites are one.
فَيُريكَso he shows you باطِلَthe falsity of مَدَّعاهُhis claim بِجَحدِهِby his denial
فَيُريكَ باطِلَ مَدَّعاهُ بِجَحدِهِ
لِمَقالِof the words of مَنwhoever لِلقَولِthe statement مِنهُfrom him يَجحَدُdenies
لِمَقالِ مَن لِلقَولِ مِنهُ يَجحَدُ
Thus he shows you the falsity of his claim by his denial
of the words of whoever denies his statements.
وَمُحَجَّبٌand one veiled بِالإِسمِby the name عَنfrom مَعىmeaning (text uncertain) الthe (word fragment)
وَمُحَجَّبٌ بِالإِسمِ عَن مَعى ال
هَوىlove العُذرِيِّ‘Udhri (chaste) فيin تيهِthe wilderness of العَمىblindness يَتَرَدَّدُwanders
هَوى العُذرِيِّ في تيهِ العَمى يَتَرَدَّدُ
And one, veiled by the name from the meaning of—
chaste ‘Udhri love, wanders in the wilderness of blindness.
لِدُعاءِat the call of ناعِقِa crier كُلِّevery نَعقٍcry ناعِقٌcrying out
لِدُعاءِ ناعِقِ كُلِّ نَعقٍ ناعِقٌ
مَعَwith كُلِّevery ريحِwind of ضَلالَةٍerror مُتَأَوِّدُswaying
مَعَ كُلِّ ريحِ ضَلالَةٍ مُتَأَوِّدُ
At a crier's call, he cries out with every cry,
swaying with every wind of error.
لاnot يَستَضيءُseeks illumination بِنورِby the light of حِكمَةِthe wisdom of عالِمٍa learned man
لا يَستَضيءُ بِنورِ حِكمَةِ عالِمٍ
لِلناكِبينَof those turning aside عَنِfrom الصِراطِthe path مُقَلِّدُan imitator
لِلناكِبينَ عَنِ الصِراطِ مُقَلِّدُ
He takes no illumination from the light of a learned man's wisdom,
but imitates those who turn aside from the path.
مُتَفِّقونَin agreement عَلىupon الغِوايَةِerror أَجمَعواthey agreed unanimously
مُتَفِّقونَ عَلى الغِوايَةِ أَجمَعوا
وَلَحواand they reviled دَعاةَthe heralds of الراشِدينَthe rightly guided وَفَنَّدواand called them fools
وَلَحوا دَعاةَ الراشِدينَ وَفَنَّدوا
They unanimously agreed on going astray,
and reviled the heralds of the rightly guided, calling them fools.
إِنif أَسمَعوare made to hear مَعروفَan acknowledged حَقٍّtruth أَنكَرواthey deny
إِن أَسمَعو مَعروفَ حَقٍّ أَنكَروا
أَوor أَشهَدواare shown عِنوانَa sign of صِدقٍtruthfulness أَلحَدواthey deviate
أَو أَشهَدوا عِنوانَ صِدقٍ أَلحَدوا
If made to hear an acknowledged truth, they deny it;
or shown a sign of truthfulness, they turn aside.
فَهُمso they بِزَعمِهِمُby their own claim الدُعاةُthe callers إِلىto الهُدىguidance
فَهُم بِزَعمِهِمُ الدُعاةُ إِلى الهُدى
وَبَهيمَةُand a beast of الأَنعامِthe livestock مِنهُthan him أَرشَدُbetter guided
وَبَهيمَةُ الأَنعامِ مِنهُ أَرشَدُ
So, by their own claim, they are the callers to guidance,
yet a beast of the herd is better guided than he is.
أَغوواthey led astray بِظاهِرِwith the outward sense of ماwhat رَوواthey related جُلَّmost of الوَرىhumankind
أَغووا بِظاهِرِ ما رَووا جُلَّ الوَرى
وَلَدَيهِمُand among them طَرقَthe paths of البَواطِنِinner meanings سَدَّدواthey blocked
وَلَدَيهِمُ طَرقَ البَواطِنِ سَدَّدوا
They led most people astray with the outward sense of what they related,
and among themselves blocked the paths to inner meanings.
وَتَعَوَّضواand they took in exchange عَرَضاًan accident; transient attribute بِأَنفُسِfor the most precious جَوهَرٍsubstance; a jewel
وَتَعَوَّضوا عَرَضاً بِأَنفُسِ جَوهَرٍ
وَإِلىand to الثَرىthe dust دونَrather than الثُرَيّاthe Pleiades أَخلَدواthey clung
وَإِلى الثَرى دونَ الثُرَيّا أَخلَدوا
They exchanged the most precious substance for an accident,
and clung to the dust rather than the Pleiades.
جَحَدواthey denied يَديmy hand البَيضاءَthe white إِذwhen وافىcame بِهاwith it الدthe caller (opening fragment)
جَحَدوا يَدي البَيضاءَ إِذ وافى بِها الد
اعيcaller (closing fragment) لِأَنَّهُمُbecause they السَوادُthe throng الأَسوَدُthe black
اعي لِأَنَّهُمُ السَوادُ الأَسوَدُ
They denied my white hand when it was brought by the—
caller, for they are the black throng.
مُتَمَسِّكونَclinging مِنَof الحَياةِlife بِظاهِرٍto an outward form
مُتَمَسِّكونَ مِنَ الحَياةِ بِظاهِرٍ
عَنfrom قَصدِseeking باطِنِهِits inward meaning عَمواthey became blind وَتَبَلَّدواand grew dull
عَن قَصدِ باطِنِهِ عَموا وَتَبَلَّدوا
They cling to life's outward form;
they became blind and dull to seeking its inward meaning.
فَلَوso if اِقتَفواthey followed سُنَنَthe paths of البَصيرَةِinsight أَبصَرواthey would see
فَلَو اِقتَفوا سُنَنَ البَصيرَةِ أَبصَروا
وَاِستَرشَدواand sought guidance from أَهلَthe people of الرُشدِright guidance لَأَرشَدواthey would find guidance
وَاِستَرشَدوا أَهلَ الرُشدِ لَأَرشَدوا
Had they followed the paths of insight, they would have seen,
and sought guidance from the rightly guided, they would have found guidance.
بِالشِركِto polytheism شاهِدُهُمtheir witness عَلَيهِمagainst them شاهِدٌa witness
بِالشِركِ شاهِدُهُم عَلَيهِم شاهِدٌ
هَذاthis وَعِندَهُمand in their view بِأَنthat قَدindeed وَحَّدواthey affirmed oneness
هَذا وَعِندَهُم بِأَن قَد وَحَّدوا
Their own witness testifies against them to polytheism:
this, though they suppose they have affirmed oneness.
لَمnot يَفزِقواthey distinguished (apparent typo) بَينَbetween المُسَمّيthe named one (contextual) وَاِسمِهِand his name
لَم يَفزِقوا بَينَ المُسَمّي وَاِسمِهِ
وَلِغَيرِand to other than رِسمِthe form of الاِسمِthe name لَمnot يَتَعَبَّدواthey worshipped
وَلِغَيرِ رِسمِ الاِسمِ لَم يَتَعَبَّدوا
They did not distinguish the named one from his name,
and worshipped nothing beyond the form of the name.
وَبَغَيرِand by other than جَورِthe perversion of العَدلِjustice لَمnot يَتَدَيَّنواthey practiced religion
وَبَغَيرِ جَورِ العَدلِ لَم يَتَدَيَّنوا
وَعَلىand about سِوىanything besides غَيبِthe unseen of العَمىblindness لِمnot (contextual) يَشهَدواthey bore witness
وَعَلى سِوى غَيبِ العَمى لِم يَشهَدوا
They professed no faith but the perversion of justice,
and bore witness to nothing but the unseen of blindness.
هَذاthis وَآياتُand the verses of الشَهادَةِtestimony عِندَهُمamong them
هَذا وَآياتُ الشَهادَةِ عِندَهُم
تَتلىare recited وَحُكمُand the judgment of القِسطِjustice فيهاin them يورَدُis set forth
تَتلى وَحُكمُ القِسطِ فيها يورَدُ
All this, though among them the verses of testimony
are recited, and the judgment of justice is set forth within them.
فَاِبعُدso go far away كَماas بَعُدَتbecame distant ثَمودُThamud بِدارِهاwith its dwelling
فَاِبعُد كَما بَعُدَت ثَمودُ بِدارِها
وَبِبَيتِهاand with its house فَهوَfor it الخَبيثُthe foul الأَنكَدُthe wretched
وَبِبَيتِها فَهوَ الخَبيثُ الأَنكَدُ
So go far away, as Thamud was banished with its dwelling,
and with its house, for it is foul and wretched.
وَاِرغَبand desire إِلىtoward دارٍa dwelling تَخَطّاهاpassed it by الشَقاmisery
وَاِرغَب إِلى دارٍ تَخَطّاها الشَقا
وَلِأَهلِهاand for its people فيهاin it النَعيمُbliss السَرمَدُeverlasting
وَلِأَهلِها فيها النَعيمُ السَرمَدُ
And turn your desire toward a dwelling that misery has passed by,
where its people have everlasting bliss.
فيهاin it لِآلِfor the house of نُمَيرِNumayr أَيَّةُwhat a كَعبَةٍKaaba
فيها لِآلِ نُمَيرِ أَيَّةُ كَعبَةٍ
كُلُّall الجِهاتِdirections لَهاto it رُكوعٌbowing سُجَّدُprostrate
كُلُّ الجِهاتِ لَها رُكوعٌ سُجَّدُ
What a Kaaba the house of Numayr has there!
All directions bow and prostrate themselves before it.
قَدِمَتit is ancient فَكُلُّso every قَديمِancient شَيءٍthing حادِثٌnewly arisen
قَدِمَت فَكُلُّ قَديمِ شَيءٍ حادِثٌ
عَنهاfrom it وَكُلُّand every جَديدِnew رَبعٍabode مَعهَدُa familiar haunt
عَنها وَكُلُّ جَديدِ رَبعٍ مَعهَدُ
It is ancient: every ancient thing has newly arisen
from it, and every new abode is a familiar haunt.
أَمسىbecame لِقاصِدِهاfor its seeker الرِجالُthe men وَكُلُّهُمand all of them
أَمسى لِقاصِدِها الرِجالُ وَكُلُّهُم
عَبدٌa slave لَهُto him وَلِمَنand to whoever تَلاهُمfollowed them سَيِّدُa master
عَبدٌ لَهُ وَلِمَن تَلاهُم سَيِّدُ
For its seeker, the men have all become
his slaves, and masters to those who follow them.
وَلِأَهلِهاand for its people فيin كُلِّevery حَيٍّcommunity مَأهَلٌa dwelling
وَلِأَهلِها في كُلِّ حَيٍّ مَأهَلٌ
وَبِهِand through it لَهاfor it فيin كُلِّevery رَبعٍquarter مَسجِدُa mosque
وَبِهِ لَها في كُلِّ رَبعٍ مَسجِدُ
And its people have a dwelling in every community,
and thereby it has a mosque in every quarter.
بِالهِندِin India قُبَّتُهاits dome وَفيand among أَتراكِهاits Turks
بِالهِندِ قُبَّتُها وَفي أَتراكِها
بِئرٌa well وَقَصرٌand a palace فيin العَلاءِthe heights مُشَيَّدُbuilt high
بِئرٌ وَقَصرٌ في العَلاءِ مُشَيَّدُ
Its dome is in India, and among its Turks
are a well and a palace built on high.
وَبِصينِand in the China of أَهلِthe people of الصينِChina مَنزِلٌthe abode of غَيبِهاits unseen presence
وَبِصينِ أَهلِ الصينِ مَنزِلٌ غَيبِها
لِلشاهِدينَfor those witnessing عَلىabout الشَهادَةِthe visible realm مَشهَدُa place of witness
لِلشاهِدينَ عَلى الشَهادَةِ مَشهَدُ
And in the China of China's people, its unseen abode
is a place of witness for those who testify to the visible realm.
هِيَit أَصلُthe source of نَشأَةِthe arising of نَشوَتيmy rapture وَبِظِلِّand in the shade of دَوtree (opening fragment)
هِيَ أَصلُ نَشأَةِ نَشوَتي وَبِظِلِّ دَو
حَتِهاits tree (closing fragment) زَكاflourished المَنشاthe origin وَطابَand became sweet المَولِدُthe birth
حَتِها زَكا المَنشا وَطابَ المَولِدُ
It is the source of my rapture's arising, and in the shade of its—
great tree, my origin flourished and my birth was sweet.
لَمnot أَدعُI was called (contextual) فيهاin it بِالدَعِيِّas an impostor وَنِسبَتيand my lineage
لَم أَدعُ فيها بِالدَعِيِّ وَنِسبَتي
فيamong العارِفينَthose who know بَصِدقِto the truth of قَوليmy words تَشهَدُbears witness
في العارِفينَ بَصِدقِ قَولي تَشهَدُ
I was not called an impostor within it, and my lineage
among those who know attests to the truth of my words.
عَنfrom آدَمٍAdam نَشَأَتit arose وَخاتَمَand the seal of سَطرُهاits line
عَن آدَمٍ نَشَأَت وَخاتَمَ سَطرُها
فَمُحَمَّدٌso Muhammad وَمُحَمَّدٌand Muhammad وَمُحَمَّدُand Muhammad
فَمُحَمَّدٌ وَمُحَمَّدٌ وَمُحَمَّدُ
It sprang from Adam, and the seal of its line
is Muhammad, and Muhammad, and Muhammad.
لَمnot يَصبُturned aside عَنهاfrom it الصابِئونَthe Sabians وَلَمand not يَهُدembraced Judaism
لَم يَصبُ عَنها الصابِئونَ وَلَم يَهُد
إِلّاexcept إِلَيهاtoward it فيin الهُدىguidance المُتَهَوِّدُthe convert to Judaism
إِلّا إِلَيها في الهُدى المُتَهَوِّدُ
The Sabians did not turn away from it, nor did one embrace Judaism
except by turning toward it in guidance—the convert to Judaism.
وَبِهاand through it النَصارىthe Christians قَدَّسواthey gave glory وَبِذِكرِهاand in remembrance of it الthe (word fragment)
وَبِها النَصارى قَدَّسوا وَبِذِكرِها ال
أَنصارَAnsar (Helpers) فيin جُنحِthe cover of الظَلامِdarkness تَهَجَّدواkept prayer-vigil
أَنصارَ في جُنحِ الظَلامِ تَهَجَّدوا
Through it the Christians gave glory, and in its remembrance the—
Ansar kept vigil in prayer under the cover of darkness.
فَمَنارُهاso its beacon فيin كُلِّevery قَصرٍpalace واضِحٌclear
فَمَنارُها في كُلِّ قَصرٍ واضِحٌ
لِمُعايِنٍto a beholder وِبِهِand in it وَلِيٌّa saint مُرشِدُguiding
لِمُعايِنٍ وِبِهِ وَلِيٌّ مُرشِدُ
So its beacon is clear in every palace,
to a beholder, and within it is a guiding saint.
أَناI فيin هَواهاlove of it مُشهَدٌmade present وَمَغيبٌand absent
أَنا في هَواها مُشهَدٌ وَمَغيبٌ
فَاِعجَبso marvel لِأَنّيbecause I واصِفٌascribing attributes وَمُجَرِّدُand stripping away attributes
فَاِعجَب لِأَنّي واصِفٌ وَمُجَرِّدُ
In love of it, I am both made present and absent;
so marvel that I ascribe attributes and strip them away,
وَمُنَزُّهٌand affirming transcendence وَمُشَبِّهٌand ascribing likeness وَمُوَحِّدٌand affirming oneness
وَمُنَزُّهٌ وَمُشَبِّهٌ وَمُوَحِّدٌ
وَمُعَدِّدٌand affirming multiplicity وَمُقَرِّبٌand bringing near وَمُبَعِّدُand setting far away
وَمُعَدِّدٌ وَمُقَرِّبٌ وَمُبَعِّدُ
affirm transcendence, ascribe likeness, and declare oneness,
and multiplicity, bringing near and setting far away.
وَمُفَوِّضٌand affirming free agency وَالجَبرُand compulsion غَيرَnot مُجاحِدٍa denier
وَمُفَوِّضٌ وَالجَبرُ غَيرَ مُجاحِدٍ
عِنديin my view لِأَنَّbecause عَيانَهُits visible reality لاnot يُجحَدُis denied
عِندي لِأَنَّ عَيانَهُ لا يُجحَدُ
I affirm free agency, yet do not deny compulsion
as I see it, for its visible reality cannot be denied.
وَمُكَلِّفٌand imposing duties وَمُرَفَّهٌand granted ease وَمُبَصَّرٌand given insight
وَمُكَلِّفٌ وَمُرَفَّهٌ وَمُبَصَّرٌ
وَمَبَصِّرٌand giving insight وَمُقَلِّدٌand imitating وَمُقَلَّدُand imitated
وَمَبَصِّرٌ وَمُقَلِّدٌ وَمُقَلَّدُ
I impose duties, am granted ease, and am given insight;
I give insight, imitate, and am imitated.
مُتَفَلسِفٌa philosopher مُتَصَوِّفٌa Sufi مُتَسَنِّنٌa Sunni
مُتَفَلسِفٌ مُتَصَوِّفٌ مُتَسَنِّنٌ
مُتَشَيِّعٌa Shi‘i ذوpossessing رَغبَةٍlonging مُتَزِهِّدُpracticing asceticism
مُتَشَيِّعٌ ذو رَغبَةٍ مُتَزِهِّدُ
A philosopher, a Sufi, a Sunni,
a Shi‘i, full of longing, practicing renunciation.
عَنfrom مَجمَعيmy gathering فِرقُthe sects of الغُواةِthe erring تَفَرَّقواthey dispersed
عَن مَجمَعي فِرقُ الغُواةِ تَفَرَّقوا
وَلِتُربِهِand upon its dust أَهلُthe people of الرَشادِright guidance تَوَسَّدواlaid their heads
وَلِتُربِهِ أَهلُ الرَشادِ تَوَسَّدوا
The sects of the erring dispersed from my gathering,
and the rightly guided made its dust their pillow.
فَلَدَيَّso before me أَبكارُthe virgins of المَعانيmeanings تُجتَلىare unveiled
فَلَدَيَّ أَبكارُ المَعاني تُجتَلى
وَإِلَيَّand to me أَخبارُreports of الحَقائِقِrealities تُسنَدُare ascribed
وَإِلَيَّ أَخبارُ الحَقائِقِ تُسنَدُ
So before me the virgin meanings are unveiled,
and reports of realities are ascribed to me.
صَونُguarding الهَوىlove صَوميmy fast وَحَجّيand my pilgrimage قَصدُهُseeking it
صَونُ الهَوى صَومي وَحَجّي قَصدُهُ
وَبِهِand through it صَلاتيmy prayer فيin زَكايmy purification توجَدُis found
وَبِهِ صَلاتي في زَكاي توجَدُ
Guarding love is my fast, and seeking it is my pilgrimage,
and through it my prayer is found in my purification.
وَجِهادُand the struggle with نَفسيmy soul حَملُهاits bearing فيهِin it الأَذىsuffering
وَجِهادُ نَفسي حَملُها فيهِ الأَذى
وَعِنادُand defying مَنwhoever ليme عَنconcerning هَوايَmy love يُفَنّدُrebukes as foolish
وَعِنادُ مَن لي عَن هَوايَ يُفَنّدُ
My struggle with my soul is its endurance of suffering in love,
and defying whoever rebukes me for my love.
وَبِمَحويand through my effacing المَحوِيَّwhat is contained عِندَat عِيانِهِbeholding it
وَبِمَحوي المَحوِيَّ عِندَ عِيانِهِ
إِثباتُthe affirmation of شاهِدِهِits witness لِقَومٍto a people يَشهَدُbears witness
إِثباتُ شاهِدِهِ لِقَومٍ يَشهَدُ
And through my effacing what is contained when beholding it,
the affirmation of its witness bears witness to a people.
Sol 6.1