ماnot عَرَفْتُI recognized الوَلِيَّthe saint إِلاَّexcept بدِلْقٍby a patched robe
ما عَرَفْتُ الوَلِيَّ إِلاَّ بدِلْقٍ
ياO مُسَيْكينُpoor little fellow أَنْتَyou عبدُa slave الدُّلُوقِthe patched robes
يا مُسَيْكينُ أَنْتَ عبدُ الدُّلُوقِ
I recognized the saint only by a patched robe.
I knew not the saint but by his gentleness,
O poor little fellow, you are a slave to patched robes.
O you poor one, you're a slave to arrogance,
وظنَنْتَand you thought الأَسْرارَthe mysteries بالثَّوبِin the robe قامَتْresided
وظنَنْتَ الأَسْرارَ بالثَّوبِ قامَتْ
بينَbetween مصقولِpolished ذَيْلِهاits hem والزُّيوقِand the trimmings
بينَ مصقولِ ذَيْلِها والزُّيوقِ
And you thought the mysteries resided in the robe,
You thought the mysteries were in clothes,
between its polished hem and its trimmings.
Rising between the polished tail and ornament.
حَدِّقْopen wide العينَthe eye بالدِّرايَةِwith discernment وانظُرْand look
حَدِّقْ العينَ بالدِّرايَةِ وانظُرْ
شارِقاتِdawning lights القُلُوبِthe hearts قبلَbefore الخُروقِthe rents in cloth
شارِقاتِ القُلُوبِ قبلَ الخُروقِ
Open your eye wide with discernment, and look
Stare with insight and look,
at the hearts’ dawning lights before the rents in cloth.
At the enlightened hearts before the rising.
قدindeed طلَبْتَyou sought العُقودَthe necklaces فيin تِلَعِhills البَthe wilderness (beginning)
قد طلَبْتَ العُقودَ في تِلَعِ البَ
رِّwilderness (completion) وأَنَّand indeed العُقودُthe necklaces فيin الصُّنْدوقِthe chest
رِّ وأَنَّ العُقودُ في الصُّنْدوقِ
You sought necklaces on the wilderness hills,
You sought knots in the sheep pen,
though the necklaces are in the chest.
Yet the knots are in the box.
ورَطيبُand the ripe fruit النَّخيلِthe date palms فيin الشَّرقِthe east ياO منone who
ورَطيبُ النَّخيلِ في الشَّرقِ يا من
راحَwent يرجوhoping الْتِقاطَهُto gather it بفَرُوقin Faruq
راحَ يرجو الْتِقاطَهُ بفَرُوق
And the palms’ ripe fruit is in the east, O you who
The scent of palm trees in the east, O one
went hoping to gather it in Faruq.
Who went hoping to pick it up in the morn.
أَنْتَyou ضمنَwithin الحَضيضِthe depths تزعُمُyou claim وَهْماًdeludedly
أَنْتَ ضمنَ الحَضيضِ تزعُمُ وَهْماً
وشُؤُنُand the states الوَلِيِّthe saint فيin العيُّوقCapella
وشُؤُنُ الوَلِيِّ في العيُّوق
You are in the depths, making deluded claims,
You're down in the low thinking falsely,
while the saint’s states are up with Capella.
Yet the saint's affairs are in loftiness.
أَنْتَyou مُستغْرِبٌfinding strange شُروقَthe dawning التَّجلِّيthe manifestation
أَنْتَ مُستغْرِبٌ شُروقَ التَّجلِّي
لمُحِبٍّfor a lover جَهِلْتَyou did not know مَعنىthe meaning الشُّرُوقthe dawning
لمُحِبٍّ جَهِلْتَ مَعنى الشُّرُوق
You find the dawning of manifestation strange
You're a stranger to the dawning of revelation,
for a lover; you do not know the meaning of dawn.
To a lover you're ignorant of the meaning of dawn.
ياO مُسَيْكِينُpoor little fellow هلwhether عَلِمْتَyou have known يَقيناًwith certainty
يا مُسَيْكِينُ هل عَلِمْتَ يَقيناً
ماwhat طَواهُHe concealed it الخَلاَّقُthe Creator فيin المَخلوُقthe created being
ما طَواهُ الخَلاَّقُ في المَخلوُق
O poor little fellow, have you known with certainty
O poor one, did you know with certainty,
what the Creator concealed within the created being?
What the Creator concealed in the creation?
ترقُبُyou watch for السِّرَّthe secret فيin سَمينٍfat عَريضٍbroad
ترقُبُ السِّرَّ في سَمينٍ عَريضٍ
ربّa master قولٍspeech منظَّمٍwell-arranged مَنْسُوقwell-ordered
ربّ قولٍ منظَّمٍ مَنْسُوق
You watch for the secret in a fat, broad man,
You await the secret in a fat, broad,
a master of polished, well-ordered speech.
Beautiful utterance, well-arranged.
ياO قليلَlittle الجِحاsense تَرىyou see البرقَthe lightning فيin اللَّيْthe night (beginning)
يا قليلَ الجِحا تَرى البرقَ في اللَّيْ
لِnight (completion) فخذْso take حُكمَthe lesson سانِحاتِfleeting occurrences البُرُوقthe lightning flashes
لِ فخذْ حُكمَ سانِحاتِ البُرُوق
O you of little sense, you see lightning in the night,
O little smart one, you see lightning in the night,
so take the lesson of fleeting lightning flashes.
So take the ruling of the flashing lights.
إنَّindeed ربِّيmy Lord يستَوْدِعُentrusts السِّرَّthe secret منwhomever شَاHe wills (beginning)
إنَّ ربِّي يستَوْدِعُ السِّرَّ من شَا
ءَwills (completion) برمزِthrough the symbol المجْموعِthe gathered والمَفْرُوقand the dispersed
ءَ برمزِ المجْموعِ والمَفْرُوق
Indeed, my Lord entrusts the secret to whomever He wills,
My Lord hides the secret in whom He will,
through the symbol of the gathered and the dispersed.
By the symbol of the joined and separate.
كمmany a سَبوقٍfront-runner فيin أوَّلِthe front الرَّكْبِthe caravan حالَat the time of الthe
كم سَبوقٍ في أوَّلِ الرَّكْبِ حالَ ال
عَوْدِreturn يُدعىis called بالآخِرِas the last المَسْبُوقthe one overtaken
عَوْدِ يُدعى بالآخِرِ المَسْبُوق
Many a front-runner at the caravan’s head, on
How many raced ahead at first,
the return, is called the last, the one overtaken.
Then called last when returning.
نحنُwe منfrom بَيتِناour house عَرَفْناwe have known رِجالاًmen
نحنُ من بَيتِنا عَرَفْنا رِجالاً
خَدَمواthey served اللهَGod فيon سَواءِthe straight course الطَّريقthe path
خَدَموا اللهَ في سَواءِ الطَّريق
We have known men from our house
We from our house knew men,
who served God upon the straight path.
Who served God on the common path.
تَرَكواthey forsook الكائِناتِcreated things ترْكَa forsaking لَبيبٍa discerning man
تَرَكوا الكائِناتِ ترْكَ لَبيبٍ
ذيpossessed of فُؤادٍa heart مُوَلَّعٍimpassioned مَحرُوقscorched
ذي فُؤادٍ مُوَلَّعٍ مَحرُوق
They forsook created things as a discerning man does,
They left creation like a reasonable one,
with a heart impassioned and scorched:
With a burning, passionate heart.
عُصبَةُthe fellowship السَّيِّدِthe master الرِّفاعِيal-Rifa‘i
عُصبَةُ السَّيِّدِ الرِّفاعِي
شيخِmaster أَهلِthe people الطَّريقِthe path والتَّحقيقand realization
شيخِ أَهلِ الطَّريقِ والتَّحقيق
the fellowship of the master al-Rifa‘i,
The group of the eminent master,
master of the people of the path and realization,
Sheikh of the path and verification.
الحَكيمِthe wise الكَريمِthe generous ذيpossessed of الهِمَّةِresolve العَلْthe lofty (beginning)
الحَكيمِ الكَريمِ ذي الهِمَّةِ العَلْ
ياءِlofty (completion) شيخِmaster المَفْهومِthe implicit meaning والمَنْطُوقand the explicit wording
ياءِ شيخِ المَفْهومِ والمَنْطُوق
the wise, the generous, possessed of lofty resolve,
The wise, generous one with high ambition,
master of the implicit and the explicit.
Sheikh of the understood and spoken.
أَودَعَhe entrusted الكتمَconcealment آلَهُhis family للمَعانيfor the meanings
أَودَعَ الكتمَ آلَهُ للمَعاني
فَتَخَافَوْاso they hid themselves عنfrom جارِهِمْtheir neighbor والرَّفيقand the companion
فَتَخَافَوْا عن جارِهِمْ والرَّفيق
He entrusted his family with concealing the meanings,
He entrusted concealment to his people,
so they hid themselves from their neighbor and companion.
So they were wary of their neighbor and friend.
خَلِّناleave us ياO صُوَيْحِبيmy little friend منfrom أُناسٍpeople
خَلِّنا يا صُوَيْحِبي من أُناسٍ
زَعَمواthey claimed المسكَthe hide عينَthe very جِسمِbody الحُقوقthe truths
زَعَموا المسكَ عينَ جِسمِ الحُقوق
Let us be done, my little friend, with people
Free us, my friend, from people
who claimed the hide was the very body of truth.
Who claimed musk was the essence of rights.
هاكَbehold منfrom بيتِناour house أَباAbu (father of) البَرَكاتِal-Barakat (blessings) الal- (the)
هاكَ من بيتِنا أَبا البَرَكاتِ ال
فَحْلِFahl (stallion) شيخَmaster الهُدىguidance الكَريمِnoble العُرُوقthe roots
فَحْلِ شيخَ الهُدى الكَريمِ العُرُوق
Behold Abu al-Barakat from our house,
The champion, noble sheikh of loftiness.
al-Fahl, the master of guidance, of noble stock,
To see a silent master, great,
لتَرىso that you may see سيِّداًa master كَتوماًdiscreet عَظيماًgreat
لتَرى سيِّداً كَتوماً عَظيماً
ذاpossessed of شُؤُنٍstates قامَتْarose بقلبِin a heart مَشُوقyearning
ذا شُؤُنٍ قامَتْ بقلبِ مَشُوق
that you may see a master, discreet and great,
With affairs that rose from a passionate heart.
possessed of states that arose in a yearning heart.
How he stayed up at night and awakened
كمhow often أقامَhe raised العَجاجَthe swirling dust ليلاًby night وحَيَّىand greeted
كم أقامَ العَجاجَ ليلاً وحَيَّى
راكِباًriding فيon الطَّريقِthe path بيضَeggs الأَنُوقthe vulture
راكِباً في الطَّريقِ بيضَ الأَنُوق
How often he raised dust by night and greeted
Riding the path on white she-camels.
the vulture’s eggs while riding along the path.
Shed a tear on the cheeks constantly,
ذرَّhe scattered دمعاًtears علىupon الخُدودِthe cheeks وُلوهاًin lovesick longing
ذرَّ دمعاً على الخُدودِ وُلوهاً
كوُلُوهِlike the longing العُشَّاقِthe lovers للمَعْشُوقfor the beloved
كوُلُوهِ العُشَّاقِ للمَعْشُوق
He scattered tears upon his cheeks in lovesick longing,
Like the constant yearning of lovers for the beloved.
like lovers’ longing for the beloved.
Outwardly peaceful, and within the matter, burning,
ساكِنٌstill ظاهِراًoutwardly وفيand in باطِنِthe inward part الأَمْthe matter (beginning)
ساكِنٌ ظاهِراً وفي باطِنِ الأَمْ
رِmatter (completion) وَلوعٌimpassioned أَخوpossessed of فُؤادٍa heart خَفُوقfluttering
رِ وَلوعٌ أَخو فُؤادٍ خَفُوق
Outwardly still, yet in the inward reality,
A brother to a tender, sensitive heart.
impassioned, with a fluttering heart.
Negligent, he eats food, and if he drinks water,
ذاهِلاًabsent-minded يأكُلُhe eats الطَّعامَthe food وإنْand if ماever (emphatic)
ذاهِلاً يأكُلُ الطَّعامَ وإنْ ما
يشرَبِhe drinks الماءَthe water فهوthen it is شُربُthe drinking الغَريقthe drowning man
يشرَبِ الماءَ فهو شُربُ الغَريق
Absent-minded, he eats his food; and if ever
It’s the drinking of the drowning.
he drinks water, it is the drinking of a drowning man.
Never a day I clothed him
ماhow أُحَيْلىdelightfully sweet يوماًa day نَشَرْتُI spread عليهِover him
ما أُحَيْلى يوماً نَشَرْتُ عليهِ
كِسوَةَa robe الأَمنِsafety فيin المَقامِthe station الأَنيقthe splendid
كِسوَةَ الأَمنِ في المَقامِ الأَنيق
How sweet the day I spread over him
With the garment of security in the graceful abode.
a robe of safety at the splendid station.
This was about the matter of the most noble guide,
كانَwas هذاthis عنat أَمرِthe command أَشرفِthe noblest هادٍguide
كانَ هذا عن أَمرِ أَشرفِ هادٍ
بحُضورِin the presence of الصِّدِّيقِal-Siddiq (the truthful) والفارُوقand al-Faruq (the discerner)
بحُضورِ الصِّدِّيقِ والفارُوق
This was at the command of the noblest guide,
In the presence of the truthful and the distinguisher.
in the presence of al-Siddiq and al-Faruq.
Clarify for me, my friends, about a friend
عَلِّلونيconsole me ياO رفْقَتيmy companions عنabout رَفيقٍa friend
عَلِّلوني يا رفْقَتي عن رَفيقٍ
أَناI فارَقْتُهُI parted from him وشَطَّand went far away فَريقيmy company
أَنا فارَقْتُهُ وشَطَّ فَريقي
Console me, my companions, with talk of a friend:
I parted with, and my troop marched on.
I parted from him, and my company went far away.
Will the nights gather friends
ياO تُرىdo you think? تجمَعُreunites اللَّياليthe nights صِحاباًcompanions
يا تُرى تجمَعُ اللَّيالي صِحاباً
عاهَدوناmade a covenant with us علىconcerning قَديمِlongstanding الحُقُوقthe rights
عاهَدونا على قَديمِ الحُقُوق
I wonder, will the nights reunite companions
Who pledged to us the old rights?
who pledged to us to uphold longstanding rights?
It's a secret not divulged as long as
هوit سِرٌّa secret لمnot يُفْشَwas divulged ماas long as دامَتِendures الأَرْthe earth (beginning)
هو سِرٌّ لم يُفْشَ ما دامَتِ الأَرْ
ضُearth (completion) ومَرَّتْand passed لياليnights التَّشْريقTashriq
ضُ ومَرَّتْ ليالي التَّشْريق
It is a secret never divulged while the earth endures
The earth remains and the feast nights pass.
and the nights of Tashriq pass.
The hearts concealed it from every market,
قدindeed طوَتْهُhave hidden it القُلُوبُthe hearts عنfrom كلِّevery سوقٍmarketplace
قد طوَتْهُ القُلُوبُ عن كلِّ سوقٍ
ليسَis not سِرُّthe secret القُلُوبِthe hearts سِرَّthe secret السُّوقthe marketplace
ليسَ سِرُّ القُلُوبِ سِرَّ السُّوق
The hearts have hidden it from every marketplace;
The secret of hearts isn't the secret of markets.
the secret of hearts is not the secret of the marketplace.
Convey my fragrant greetings, O breeze,
بلِّغيcarry ياO نَسيمُbreeze منِّيfrom me سَلاميmy greeting
بلِّغي يا نَسيمُ منِّي سَلامي
عَبْهَرِيًّاnarcissus-scented إلىto الخَليلِthe intimate friend الصَّدُوقthe faithful
عَبْهَرِيًّا إلى الخَليلِ الصَّدُوق
Carry my greeting from me, O breeze,
To the sincere, trusted friend.
narcissus-scented, to the faithful friend.
I have led my heart to the beloved,
أَناI قدْindeed سُقْتُI drove للأَحِبَّةِto the beloveds قلبيmy heart
أَنا قدْ سُقْتُ للأَحِبَّةِ قلبي
إنْif رأَىsaw العاشِقونَthe lovers سَوْقَthe driving النُّوقthe she-camels
إنْ رأَى العاشِقونَ سَوْقَ النُّوق
I have driven my heart to the beloveds,
If the lovers see the camel market.
if the lovers have seen she-camels being driven.
Partial English translation: 63 of 64 Arabic lines translated.
Sol 6.1