رأَيْنا بدِيباجِ الوُجودِ خَيالَكُمْ

رأَيْنا بدِيباجِ الوُجودِ خَيالَكُمْ

وسِرنا إِليه لا عَدِمنا ظِلالَكُمْ

وسِرنا إِليه لا عَدِمنا ظِلالَكُمْ

We beheld your likeness upon the brocade of existence,

We saw your image in the brocade of existence.

and journeyed toward it—may we never be deprived of your shade.

And we journeyed toward it—may we never lose your shadows.

وطارتْ بنا الألبابُ من غيرِ سائقٍ

وطارتْ بنا الألبابُ من غيرِ سائقٍ

إِليكم وأمَّتْ في المَرايا جَمالَكُمْ

إِليكم وأمَّتْ في المَرايا جَمالَكُمْ

Our minds took wing with us, without any driver,

And our minds bore us aloft, without a driver,

toward you, seeking your beauty in the mirrors.

Toward you, and sought your beauty in the mirrors.

وسارَتْ وقد أَودى بمجموعِها النَّوى

وسارَتْ وقد أَودى بمجموعِها النَّوى

دُجًى مذْ أَثارَ السَّائقونَ جِمالَكُمْ

دُجًى مذْ أَثارَ السَّائقونَ جِمالَكُمْ

They journeyed on, though distance had shattered their gathering,

And they journeyed, though separation had laid them all to waste,

through darkness, ever since the drivers roused your camels.

Through darkness, since the drivers set your camels in motion.

رأَيْناكُمُو في كلُّ بادً وطامِسٍ

رأَيْناكُمُو في كلُّ بادً وطامِسٍ

كأَنَّا جُلوسٌ كلَّ آنٍ قُبالَكُمْ

كأَنَّا جُلوسٌ كلَّ آنٍ قُبالَكُمْ

We saw you in everything manifest and hidden,

We saw you in everything visible and obscure,

as though we sat before you at every moment.

As though we were seated before you at every moment.

فيا أيُّها الغُيَّابُ قد طالَ عهدُكُمْ

فيا أيُّها الغُيَّابُ قد طالَ عهدُكُمْ

فعودوا جَعلنا الرُّوحَ منَّا حَلالَكُمْ

فعودوا جَعلنا الرُّوحَ منَّا حَلالَكُمْ

O absent ones, too long has it been since you were here;

So, O absent ones, your absence has grown long.

return—we offer you our very souls.

So return; we have made our soul yours to take.

فإِن كانَ هذا يَستحيلُ بحقِّكم

فإِن كانَ هذا يَستحيلُ بحقِّكم

ولو في الكرَى لا تَحرِمونا مِثالَكُمْ

ولو في الكرَى لا تَحرِمونا مِثالَكُمْ

And if this is impossible, by your honor,

So if this is impossible, by your honor,

then even in sleep, do not deny us your likeness.

Do not deny us your likeness, even if only in sleep.

وقد تُنْقَدُ منَّا رَخيصَةً

وقد تُنْقَدُ منَّا رَخيصَةً

لتُرْبٍ عليه قد وضعْتُمْ نِعالَكُمْ

لتُرْبٍ عليه قد وضعْتُمْ نِعالَكُمْ

It may indeed be paid out by us, held cheap,

And it may be paid out by us as a paltry price,

to be won as profit, now that you have set your sandals upon it.

For dust upon which you have set your sandals.

أَلا طيِّبوا باللهِ بالقُربِ بالَنا

أَلا طيِّبوا باللهِ بالقُربِ بالَنا

على عَجَلٍ يا طيَّبَ اللهُ بالَكُمْ

على عَجَلٍ يا طيَّبَ اللهُ بالَكُمْ

Come, by God, soothe our hearts by drawing near,

Pray, by God, set our minds at ease by drawing near,

and quickly, kind ones—may God soothe your hearts.

Quickly—oh, may God set your minds at ease!

على كلِّ حالٍ نحن حقًّا عَبيدُكم

على كلِّ حالٍ نحن حقًّا عَبيدُكم

وهذا مُنانا فافْعَلوا ما بَدا لَكُمْ

وهذا مُنانا فافْعَلوا ما بَدا لَكُمْ

Whatever may come, truly we are your servants,

In every circumstance, we are truly your slaves.

and this is our desire; do whatever seems good to you.

And this is our desire; so do whatever you please.