طيبوا بِنا نحنُ طِيبٌ

طيبوا بِنا نحنُ طِيبٌ

لروحِ كلِّ مُحِبِّ

لروحِ كلِّ مُحِبِّ

Take delight in us; we are fragrance

Be kind to us, for we are kind

For the soul of every lover.

To the spirit of every lover

نُبدي السَّناءَ فيُجْلى

نُبدي السَّناءَ فيُجْلى

ظُهراً بشرقٍ وغربِ

ظُهراً بشرقٍ وغربِ

We reveal the radiance, and it shines forth

We express joy, so it shines

At noon in east and west.

East and West like the morning

ونحن عِتْرَةُ قُطْبٍ

ونحن عِتْرَةُ قُطْبٍ

سَما على كلِّ قُطْبِ

سَما على كلِّ قُطْبِ

And we are the descendants of a spiritual Pole

We are the hub’s chosen ones

Who rose above every Pole.

Like the pole star above all poles

حجَّتْ إليه المَعاني

حجَّتْ إليه المَعاني

ودمدَمَتْ كالمُلَبِّي

ودمدَمَتْ كالمُلَبِّي

Meanings made pilgrimage to him

Meanings have come to revolve around it

And murmured like a pilgrim answering the call.

Circling like planetoids

شيخُ العَواجِزِ ذُخري

شيخُ العَواجِزِ ذُخري

نِبراسُ حضرَةِ قلبي

نِبراسُ حضرَةِ قلبي

The sheikh of the helpless is my treasure,

My mentor in my weakness

The beacon of my heart's sanctuary.

A lantern in my heart's presence

في الحالَتَيْنِ إِمامي

في الحالَتَيْنِ إِمامي

ما بين وهبٍ وسلبِ

ما بين وهبٍ وسلبِ

In both states, he is my imam,

In both states, my imam

Between bestowal and withdrawal.

Between bestowal and withdrawal

فَنِيتُ فيه غَراماً

فَنِيتُ فيه غَراماً

ومزَّقَ الوَجْدُ لُبِّي

ومزَّقَ الوَجْدُ لُبِّي

I was annihilated in him through passion,

I perished in passionate love for him

And ecstasy tore apart my reason.

And longing tore my heart apart

يا عاذِلي أَنا هذا

يا عاذِلي أَنا هذا

مهما أَردْتَ فقُلْ بِي

مهما أَردْتَ فقُلْ بِي

O my reproacher, this is who I am;

Oh you who blame me, here I am

Whatever you wish, say it of me.

No matter what you say about me

إِبنُ الرِّفاعِيِّ شيْخي

إِبنُ الرِّفاعِيِّ شيْخي

في الأَولِياءِ وحبِّي

في الأَولِياءِ وحبِّي

Ibn al-Rifa‘i is my sheikh

Son of Rifa’i my master

Among the saints, and my beloved.

Among saints, the one I love

والهاشِمِيُّ نبيِّي

والهاشِمِيُّ نبيِّي

واللهُ قُدِّسَ ربِّي

واللهُ قُدِّسَ ربِّي

And the Hashimite is my prophet,

Hashimi my prophet

And God—hallowed be He—is my Lord.

God, sanctified is my Lord

وسُنَّةُ الطُّهْرِ ديني

وسُنَّةُ الطُّهْرِ ديني

ومنهَجُ الصَّحْبِ دَرْبي

ومنهَجُ الصَّحْبِ دَرْبي

And the tradition of purity is my religion,

The way of purity, my faith

And the Companions' way is my path.

The path of companions, my way

وحُبُّ أَبناءِ طَهَ

وحُبُّ أَبناءِ طَهَ

سَيْفي على كلِّ خَطْبِ

سَيْفي على كلِّ خَطْبِ

And love for the sons of Taha

Love for Prophet's family

Is my sword against every calamity.

My sword against all misfortune

على طريقِ الرِّفاعِي

على طريقِ الرِّفاعِي

زمزَمْتُ في اللهِ رَكْبي

زمزَمْتُ في اللهِ رَكْبي

On the path of al-Rifa‘i,

On Rifa’i’s path

I chanted my caravan onward for God's sake.

With God, my caravan marched on

يا حَادِيَ العِيسِ حَثًّا

يا حَادِيَ العِيسِ حَثًّا

إِلى البِطاحِ فسِرْ بِي

إِلى البِطاحِ فسِرْ بِي

O driver of the pale camels, urge them on;

Oh guide, drive my camel

To the broad plains, then journey with me.

To the open desert, take me

أَنا بأَحمدَ صَبٌّ

أَنا بأَحمدَ صَبٌّ

أُحِبُّ للدَّمعَ صبّي

أُحِبُّ للدَّمعَ صبّي

I am enamored of Ahmad;

For Ahmed, I ardently yearn

I love my outpouring of tears.

I love to weep in fervor

ما بينَ وجدٍ وحالٍ

ما بينَ وجدٍ وحالٍ

ونارِ شوقٍ وجذْبِ

ونارِ شوقٍ وجذْبِ

Between ecstasy and a spiritual state,

Between rapture and states

And the fire of longing and divine attraction,

Fires of passion and pull

ولَهْفِ هجرٍ ووصلٍ

ولَهْفِ هجرٍ ووصلٍ

وأَنِّ بعدٍ وقُرْبِ

وأَنِّ بعدٍ وقُرْبِ

And the anguish of separation and union,

Of distant love and reunion

And the moaning of distance and nearness.

Of remoteness and nearness

يا ناصِحي خلِّ نُصْحي

يا ناصِحي خلِّ نُصْحي

واقْلِلْ بحقِّكَ عَتْبي

واقْلِلْ بحقِّكَ عَتْبي

O my adviser, cease advising me,

My advisor, spare me your advice

And, by your honor, lessen your reproach of me.

For your sake, reduce my blame

أَسمعْتَني النُّصحَ مُرًّا

أَسمعْتَني النُّصحَ مُرًّا

أَتعَبْتَ بالعَتْبِ قلبي

أَتعَبْتَ بالعَتْبِ قلبي

You made me hear bitter counsel;

I heard your counsel bitter

You wearied my heart with reproach.

You wearied my heart with rebuke

فهل كشَفْتَ غِطاءً

فهل كشَفْتَ غِطاءً

عن باطِنِ الأَمرِ يُنْبي

عن باطِنِ الأَمرِ يُنْبي

Have you, then, lifted a veil

Did you uncover any secrets?

From the matter's inward truth, to make it known?

Reveal the truth that teaches me

وهل رأَيتَ التَّجلِّي

وهل رأَيتَ التَّجلِّي

مِنْ خلفِ رَفْرَفِ حُجْبِ

مِنْ خلفِ رَفْرَفِ حُجْبِ

And have you seen the divine manifestation

Did you see the epiphany

From behind the drapery of veils?

Behind the fluttering of veils?

وهل رأَيتَ بِحانِي

وهل رأَيتَ بِحانِي

مِنْ خمرَةِ الحُبِّ شُرْبي

مِنْ خمرَةِ الحُبِّ شُرْبي

And have you seen, in my tavern,

Have you seen my euphoria

My drinking of the wine of love?

From the wine-cup of love I sipped?

ما لي وما للبَرايا

ما لي وما للبَرايا

غُبارُ تُرْبٍ بتُرْبِ

غُبارُ تُرْبٍ بتُرْبِ

What have I to do with created beings?

What is left between me and wilderness

Dust of earth amid earth.

But dust upon dust?

لم يبقَ عندي مُقيماً

لم يبقَ عندي مُقيماً

إِلاَّ محبَّةُ حِبِّي

إِلاَّ محبَّةُ حِبِّي

Nothing has remained dwelling with me

Nothing remains with me

Except love for my beloved.

Except love for my beloved

والحِبُّ إِنْ مِتُّ رُوحي

والحِبُّ إِنْ مِتُّ رُوحي

وإِنْ مرِضْتُ فطِبِّي

وإِنْ مرِضْتُ فطِبِّي

And the beloved, if I die, is my soul;

If my soul dies, it's my love

And if I fall ill, he is my cure.

If I'm ill, it's my remedy

يفيضُ من رَشِّ عيني

يفيضُ من رَشِّ عيني

للهْفَتي فيضُ سُحْبِ

للهْفَتي فيضُ سُحْبِ

From the spray of my eye pours forth

My eyes rain generosity

In my anguish, a downpour like the clouds'.

My fervor, a downpour of clouds

ويُزعِجُ الرَّكْبَ أَنِّي

ويُزعِجُ الرَّكْبَ أَنِّي

بكلِّ شِعْبٍ فشِعْبِ

بكلِّ شِعْبٍ فشِعْبِ

And my moaning disturbs the caravan

My distress disturbs all travelers

In every ravine, ravine after ravine.

Every mountain pass and valley

وبينَ عيني ونَوْمي

وبينَ عيني ونَوْمي

قامَ الغَرامُ بحَرْبِ

قامَ الغَرامُ بحَرْبِ

And between my eye and my sleep,

Between my eyes and sleep

Passionate love has waged war.

Passion wages war

قالَ العَذولُ عَجيبٌ

قالَ العَذولُ عَجيبٌ

وُلوهُ هذا المُحِبِّ

وُلوهُ هذا المُحِبِّ

The reproacher said: "Strange is

The censurer said "how strange!"

The bewilderment of this lover!"

And accused this lover of madness

وصدَّ عنِّي ضَلالاً

وصدَّ عنِّي ضَلالاً

ومسَّ عِرْضي بكِذْبِ

ومسَّ عِرْضي بكِذْبِ

And he turned away from me in error,

He barred me from the misguided way

And harmed my honor with lies.

And stained my honor with lies

والحمدُ للهِ ما لي

والحمدُ للهِ ما لي

ذَنْبٌ بلِ الحُبُّ ذَنْبي

ذَنْبٌ بلِ الحُبُّ ذَنْبي

And praise be to God: I have no

Thanks be to God, I have no sin

Sin—rather, love is my sin.

My only sin is my love

إِنْ كانَ ذلك عَيْباً

إِنْ كانَ ذلك عَيْباً

رَضيتُ دهراً بعَيْبي

رَضيتُ دهراً بعَيْبي

If that is a fault,

If that's considered a vice

I am content with my fault for a lifetime.

I'm happy with it for life

يا نفحَةَ الحِبِّ زُوري

يا نفحَةَ الحِبِّ زُوري

يا نسمَةَ القُرْبِ هُبِّي

يا نسمَةَ القُرْبِ هُبِّي

O fragrant breath of the beloved, visit me;

Oh gentle breeze of love, visit me

O breeze of nearness, blow!

Oh zephyr of nearness, blow my way