1. جاءَ البشيرُ ليعْقوبي بيوسُفِهِ

    أَهلاً بيوسُفِ وقتٍ سرَّ يعْقوبي

    The bearer of glad tidings came to my Jacob with his Joseph.

    Welcome to a Joseph of the age who gladdened my Jacob.

  2. رنَّتْ له في طريقِ السَّمعِ داعِيَةٌ

    فقُمْتُ مُبْتهِجاً في طَوْرِ مجْذوبِ

    A summons rang out for him along the path of hearing.

    So I rose rejoicing, in the state of one drawn into ecstasy.

  3. أَرتاحُ هذا قَميصُ الوعدِ مسَّ به

    على عُيونِ فُؤادي كفُّ مَحْبوبي

    I rejoice: this is the shirt of promise, with which

    my beloved's palm touched the eyes of my heart.

  4. أَبصرتُ بعد انْطِماسٍ كنتُ أَحملُهُ

    وراقَ لي من كُؤوسِ القربِ مَشْروبي

    I saw after an obscuration I had borne,

    and my drink from the cups of nearness became pleasing to me.

  5. وصِرتُ أَشهَدُهُ في كلِّ بارِزَةٍ

    وصِرْتُ أَقرؤُهُ في كلِّ مكتوبِ

    And I came to witness him in every manifest thing,

    and I came to read him in everything written.

  6. والصًّحوُ يُثبِتُ لي حالاً يُثَبِّتُني

    والمحوُ يُبرِزُ عندي حالَ مسْلوبِ

    Sobriety establishes for me a state that steadies me,

    and effacement reveals in me the state of one dispossessed.

  7. لم أَخشَ بعد شُهودي حسنَ طلعَتِهِ

    تلوينَ حالي بمعْزولٍ ومنصوبِ

    After witnessing the beauty of his countenance, I no longer feared

    my state's fluctuations between dismissal and appointment.

  8. إِنْ صحَّ لي وشُؤُنُ الكونِ عاطِلَةٌ

    فلا ضِرارَ لَعَمْري ذاكَ مطْلوبي

    If it holds true for me, though the world's affairs lie idle,

    then there is no harm—by my life, that is what I seek.

  9. أَقومُ والليلُ مُدْجاةٌ عوالِمُهُ

    وذيلُهُ ساقِطٌ في شكلِ مسْحوبِ

    I rise while night's realms are shrouded in darkness,

    and its hem hangs down like a trailing train.

  10. أَئنُّ أنَّةَ ثَكْلى الحيِّ فاقِدَةً

    وأَستعيدُ صِراخاً شأْنَ مرْغوبِ

    I moan the moan of the camp's bereaved mother, stricken with loss,

    and repeat a cry on account of the one desired.

  11. وأَسْتميلُ غُصونَ البانِ عاكِفَةً

    عليَّ أَطْيارُها تَصْغَى لتَشْبيبي

    And I sway the boughs of the ban tree; intent

    upon me, their birds listen to my love-song.

  12. وحُجَّتي وقُفولُ القومِ قافِلَةً

    بكلِّ خيرٍ مَسيري نحو مَرْغوبي

    My warrant, while the people return in a caravan

    with every good, is my journey toward the one I desire.

  13. كأَنَّ بي يومَ أَن تُلْوى جَنائبُهُمْ

    مَوْقورَةَ الرَّحلِ كَسباً ما بمسْلوبِ

    It is as though, when their led mounts are turned about,

    their saddles laden with gains not plundered,

  14. أَطيرُ وجْداً ولي في النَّفْسِ مُثْقَلَةٌ

    فكم لها قلتُ يا لوَّامَتي تُوبي

    I fly in ecstasy, though in my soul there is a heavy burden.

    How often I told it: O my reproaching soul, repent!

  15. وراقِصاتٍ على الضِّلعَيْنِ قُلْنَ أَفِقْ

    ما شأْنُ مُنْتَدِبٍ يسعَى كمَنْدوبِ

    And dancers upon my two ribs said: Awake!

    What is the matter with a volunteer who strives like one mourned?

  16. هذي السَّعادَةُ قد جاءتْكَ رافِلَةً

    ببُرْدِها ضمنَ خِدْرِ الوهبِ مَضْروبِ

    This happiness has come to you, sweeping along

    in her mantle, within the pitched pavilion of bounty.

  17. وخاطَبَتْكَ به العَلياءُ قائلَةً

    قمْ أنتَ يا ابنَ رسولِ اللهِ مَخْطوبي

    And the heights addressed you through it, saying:

    Rise! You, O son of God's Messenger, are the one I seek.

  18. فاجْمَعْ شَتاتَ شُؤُنٍ أَنتَ صاحِبُها

    وجُلْ بِبيدِ التَّدلِّي خيرَ مَصْحوبي

    So gather the scattered affairs whose master you are,

    and roam the deserts of descent, best of my companions.

  19. دنوتُ إذْ ذاكَ من طَوْرِ الخِطابِ وقد

    أَجريتُ ضمنَ جوابي حُسْنُ أُسْلوبِ

    Then I drew near the stage of address, having

    woven a graceful style into my reply.

  20. ولاحَ لي جمعُ شَطْحٍ كِدْتُ أَشهَدُهُ

    مَقامَ مرتَبَتي أَوهامَ مَغْلوبِ

    And a gathering of ecstatic utterances appeared to me; I almost took it

    for the station of my rank—delusions of one overcome.

  21. وقُمتُ من حضرَتي والأُنْسُ يجمَعُني

    وقد تولَّى رسولُ اللهِ تأْديبي

    I rose from my state of presence, with intimacy gathering me together,

    God's Messenger having undertaken my discipline.

  22. حكَّمْتُ فِقْهي بإِشْراقاتِ وارِدَتي

    بالنَّصِّ ل بِمعاني فَهْمِ مَوْهوبِ

    I made my jurisprudence judge the illuminations of my inward visitation,

    by the scriptural text, not by the meanings of gifted understanding.

  23. وكلُّ طارقِ إِلْهامٍ يُنازِلُني

    قيَّدْتُهُ بقياسٍ غيرَ مَكْذوبِ

    And every visitor of inspiration that came upon me,

    I bound by an analogy that was not false.

  24. وقلتُ يا نَخْوَتي بالذَّلَّةِ انْقَطِعي

    ويا عَلائقَ نفسي مرَّةً ذُوبي

    I said: O my pride, be cut off through humility,

    and O attachments of my soul, melt away this once.

  25. فساقَني مِنْ أَبي الزَّهراءِ سوقُ هُدًى

    إِلى العِراقِ وفاحَتُ نفحَةُ الطِّيبِ

    Then guidance from al-Zahra's father led me

    to Iraq, and a breath of perfume wafted forth.

  26. وقيلَ لي خذْ لشيخِ المُتَّقينَ يداً

    فتلك أَشرَفُ مَكْسوبٍ ومَوْهوبِ

    I was told: Take the hand of the shaykh of the God-fearing;

    that is the noblest thing earned and bestowed.

  27. فجُلْتُ واللَّمعَةُ البيضاءُ تسبِقُني

    أَنَّى ذهبْتُ وهذا بُرْءُ أَيُّوبي

    So I journeyed, the white gleam going before me

    wherever I went—and this is my Job's recovery.

  28. وجُبْتُ بيضَ دمشقٍ واتَّصلْتُ بها

    وقد وقفْتُ بهاتيكَ المَحاريبِ

    I traversed Damascus's white expanses and joined myself to it,

    having stood in those prayer niches.

  29. وبعدُ أَنْجَدْتُ حتَّى البَصْرَةَ اتَّضحتْ

    بعدَ الغُموضِ ونارُ الوجدِ تَعْلو بِي

    Then I traveled the uplands until Basra became clear

    after obscurity, while the fire of ecstasy rose within me.

  30. زرتُ المقامَ وإبراهيمَ واتَّخَذَتْ

    ذاتي مُصلًّى به من بعدِ تَغْريبي

    I visited the Station and Ibrahim, and

    my own self chose a place of prayer there, after my exile.

  31. وضعتُ كفًّا بكفٍّ بالإِشارَةِ عن

    أَمرٍ على بَيْعةِ الرِّضوانِ تَهذيبي

    I placed palm against palm, by a sign arising from

    a command; my refinement rested on the pledge of divine good pleasure.

  32. وكانَ شَيْخي من الأَوتادِ منزلَةً

    وفي أُولي العلمِ فذًّا مثلَ يُعْسوبِ

    My shaykh was one of the Pegs in rank,

    and among those of knowledge, peerless as a hive's chief.

  33. أَلقى عليَّ إِشاراتٍ بدَمْدَمَةٍ

    رَشيقَةٍ ذات تشريقٍ وتَغْريبِ

    He cast indications upon me in a low murmur

    that was graceful, bearing eastward and westward turns.

  34. بنَى عليها سُلوكي كلُّها حكَمٌ

    كلؤلؤٍ ببديعِ السِّلْكِ مَثْقوبِ

    He built my spiritual way upon them; all were wise teachings,

    like pearls pierced on a wondrous thread.

  35. طرقْتُ بعدَ الهُجوعِ الحَيَّ مُمْتثِلاً

    أَمرَ السَّمواتِ أَبغى قربَ مَرْقوبي

    After slumber I visited the encampment, obeying

    the command of the heavens, seeking nearness to the one I awaited.

  36. وصَلْتُ أُمَّ عِبَادٍ الصَّباحُ له

    غَلاغِلٌ فيه أَصْنافُ الأَساليبِ

    I reached Umm Ibad; the morning had

    clamorous stirrings, with manifold modes within it.

  37. فجَّتْ لناظِرِ سِرِّي أَيُّ بارِقَةٍ

    من ذلكَ القبْرُ أَحيَتْ مَيْتَ مَنْسوبي

    What a flash burst before the eye of my inmost secret

    from that grave, reviving the dead of my kin!

  38. فقلتُ يا نظرَتي بالحضرَةِ ابْتَهِجي

    ويا زُلَيْخاءَ نفسي باللِّقا طِيبي

    I said: O my vision, rejoice in the Presence,

    and O my soul's Zulaykha, be glad in the meeting.

  39. الحمدُ للهِ هذا بابُ سيِّدِنا

    شيخِ العَواجِزِ حامِي كلِّ مَحْسوبِ

    Praise be to God! This is the gate of our master,

    the shaykh of the helpless, protector of everyone counted as his.

  40. فتًى يُريعُ اللَّيالي بأْسُ صَوْلَتِهِ

    ويستَريحُ لديهِ كلُّ مَتْعوبِ

    A youth whose assault's might terrifies the nights,

    and with whom every weary one finds rest.

  41. من الحُسَيْنِ انتَقَى عقْدٌ يتيمَتُهُ

    عَصْماءُ عاقبَةَ الزُّهرِ الشَّآبيبِ

    From al-Husayn a necklace selected its peerless pearl—

    inviolate, at the close of the radiant showers.

  42. ذو ساحةٍ من رِياضِ الخُلْدِ طافَ بها

    من العُلى كلُّ روحِيٍّ وكُرُّبي

    Possessor of a courtyard among eternity's gardens, encircled

    from the heights by every spirit-being and cherub.

  43. لُذْنا بديوانِ قدسٍ عند مرقَدِهِ

    مُرَفْرَفٍ بشفوفِ الوَهْبِ مَنْصوبِ

    We sought refuge in a holy court beside his resting place,

    erected and draped with the gauzy veils of bounty.

  44. وقد طرقْنا له الصَّحراءَ عافِيَةً

    نَخُبُّ وجداً بتمزيقِ الجَلابيبِ

    We had crossed the desert toward him, seeking bounty,

    hurrying in ecstasy, tearing our cloaks.

  45. جَلا لنا قَبَساً من طورِ قُبَّتِهِ

    حَيَّ بنورٍ على الأَكنافِ مَصْبوبِ

    He revealed to us a flame from the Mount of his dome,

    alive with light poured upon the surrounding flanks.

  46. وانشَقَّ عن فيضِ عِرفانٍ به جُمَلٌ

    مبسوطَةٌ مزَجَتْ حُسْنَ التَّراكيبِ

    And phrases unfolded in him from an outpouring of gnosis,

    expansive, blending the beauty of their compositions.

  47. أَحيتْ قُلوباً طَماها القبضُ فانبسَطَتْ

    بفهْمِها غيرَ مقْروءٍ ومَكْتوبِ

    They revived hearts that constriction had engulfed, and those hearts expanded

    through understanding them, without anything read or written.

  48. مِنْ رشَّةِ ابنِ الرِّفاعِيِّ الإِمامِ روَتْ

    حين ارتَوَتْ كلُّ أَنواعِ الأَعاجيبِ

    From a sprinkling by the imam Ibn al-Rifa'i, they recounted,

    once they had drunk their fill, every kind of marvel.

  49. هذا الذي هدَّ رُكْنَ الشَّطْحِ يومَ زَها

    بخلعَةِ الفتحِ لكنْ زَهْوَ مَطْلوبِ

    This is he who demolished the pillar of ecstatic utterance when he gloried

    in the robe of opening, yet with the glory of one sought.

  50. هذا الذي هزَّ سيفَ العزمِ مُنْتَدَباً

    لله واطْرَحْ إِذاً هزَّ الأَحاديبِ

    This is he who brandished the sword of resolve, commissioned

    for God; cast aside, then, the shaking of the humps.

  51. هذا الذي وصُدورُ القومِ شاهدَةٌ

    مدَّ اليمينَ له الهادِي لتَقْريبِ

    This is he for whom, with the people's leaders bearing witness,

    the Guide extended his right hand, to draw him near.

  52. هذا المُجَرَّبُ تِرياقُ القُلوبِ فخُذْ

    منه الأَماني ودعْ زعمَ التَّجاريبِ

    This tried-and-proven one is the antidote for hearts; take

    from him your hopes, and leave the pretensions of experimentation.

  53. هذا الكريمُ المُحَيَّا كم به فُرِجَتْ

    من كُربَةٍ صعبَةٍ عن قلبِ مَكْروبِ

    This noble-faced one—through him, how many

    grievous afflictions were lifted from a distressed heart!

  54. هذا ابنُ فاطِمَةَ الزَّهراءِ وهوَ لها

    بعد الأَئمَّةِ حقًّا خيرُ مَنْسوبِ

    This is the son of Fatima al-Zahra, and to her,

    after the imams, he truly is the finest descendant.

  55. هذا الذي قامَ سِرُّ النَّصرِ فيه فمن

    يلجَأْ به بعِراكٍ غيرُ مَغْلوبِ

    This is he in whom the secret of victory abides; whoever

    takes refuge in him in a struggle is not defeated.

  56. هذا المُحَجَّبُ في الأَقْطابِ سيِّدِهُمْ

    في كلِّ بابٍ بإِطراقٍ وتَأْويبِ

    This veiled one is their master among the Poles,

    in every sphere, with bowed head and repeated return.

  57. لم يجهَلِ العزَّ من عالي يحجُّبِهِ

    عن قادَةِ القومِ إِلاَّ كلُّ مَحْجوبِ

    None failed to know the glory of his lofty concealment

    from the people's leaders, except every veiled one.

  58. على أَرْسَلانَ والجِيلِيِّ قد ضربَتْ

    خِيامُهُ بعدَ عزَّازٍ ومَهْيوبِ

    Over Arslan and al-Jili were pitched

    his tents, after Azzaz and Mahyub.

  59. وكان سبعونَ فرداً تحتَ رايَتِهِ

    غيرَ المُحاذينَ من دانٍ ومَحْبوبِ

    There were seventy individuals beneath his banner,

    besides those alongside him, near and beloved.

  60. العرشُ والفَرْشُ والأَكوانُ تعرِفُهُ

    أَنْعِمْ بسطرٍ بلوحِ القُدْسِ مَكْتوبِ

    The Throne, the earthly expanse, and the worlds know him;

    how excellent a line inscribed on the Tablet of Holiness!

  61. تكبْكَبَتْ همَمُ الأَقطابِ وانْجَمَعَتْ

    به بتَمكينِ عزمٍ غيرِ مَسْلوبِ

    The aspirations of the Poles heaped together and gathered

    in him, through the firm establishment of resolve not stripped away.

  62. قفْ عندَ أَعتابِهِ القَعْساءِ مُتَّثِقاً

    وطِبْ فلستَ بمَتْعوبٍ ومَعْتوبِ

    Stand at his unyielding thresholds with trust,

    and be at ease, for you are neither weary nor reproached.

  63. وقلْ عليكَ سلامُ اللهِ خُذْ بيدي

    فالرَّكْبُ سارَ وحِمْلي عاقَ مَرْكوبي

    And say: God's peace be upon you; take my hand,

    for the caravan has departed, and my load has hindered my mount.