تَلأْلأَ في الأَكوانِ نورُ مُحَيَّانا

تَلأْلأَ في الأَكوانِ نورُ مُحَيَّانا

وداعي الرِّضا من جانِبِ الحيِّ حَيَّانا

وداعي الرِّضا من جانِبِ الحيِّ حَيَّانا

The light of our countenance sparkled throughout the worlds.

Our beloved's light shines in the universe

And the herald of favor greeted us from the quarter of the Living One.

Proclaiming happiness from the Abode of the Living

ولاحَ بأَكْنافِ الوُجوداتِ بدرُنا

ولاحَ بأَكْنافِ الوُجوداتِ بدرُنا

وسامَتْ يَوافيخَ الكواكِبِ عَليَانَا

وسامَتْ يَوافيخَ الكواكِبِ عَليَانَا

And our full moon shone across the reaches of existence.

Our full moon has risen over the horizons of existence

And our heights towered above the crowns of the stars.

Adorning the orbits of the stars, most sublime

ونحن أُسودُ الغيبِ في غابَةِ الهُدى

ونحن أُسودُ الغيبِ في غابَةِ الهُدى

أَبو القاسِمِ الطُّهْرُ رَبَّانَا

أَبو القاسِمِ الطُّهْرُ رَبَّانَا

And we are lions of the unseen in the forest of guidance.

While we are the darkest of secrets in the forest of guidance

Abu al-Qasim, the pure one, nurtured us.

Abu Al-Qasim, the Purest, is our Lord

برزْنا لدَى غيمِ العَجاجِ جَحاجِحاً

برزْنا لدَى غيمِ العَجاجِ جَحاجِحاً

مَلأْنا الوَرَى عِلماً وذَوقاً وعِرْفَانَا

مَلأْنا الوَرَى عِلماً وذَوقاً وعِرْفَانَا

We emerged as mighty chiefs amid the cloud of swirling dust.

We emerged at the surging clouds clamoring

We filled creation with knowledge, spiritual savor, and gnosis.

And filled the earth with knowledge, refinement, and gnosis

على الوجدِ مِتْنا وانْطَوى نشرُ كونِنا

على الوجدِ مِتْنا وانْطَوى نشرُ كونِنا

وحاضَرَنا حالُ الرَّسولِ فأَحْيَانَا

وحاضَرَنا حالُ الرَّسولِ فأَحْيَانَا

We died in ecstasy, and our being's expanse was folded away.

In ecstasy we dissolved, and our being unfolded

And the Messenger's spiritual state attended us and revived us.

The state of the Messenger made us alive

نظمْنا يَواقيتَ المَعاني قَلائِداً

نظمْنا يَواقيتَ المَعاني قَلائِداً

وقد حَملتْ بالسِّلْكِ دُرًّا ومَرْجَانَا

وقد حَملتْ بالسِّلْكِ دُرًّا ومَرْجَانَا

We strung the rubies of meanings into necklaces,

We strung the pearls of meaning into necklaces

And they bore pearls and coral upon the thread.

That bore pearls and coral on the thread

تقلَّدَها قومٌ أَضاءتْ قُلوبُهُمْ

تقلَّدَها قومٌ أَضاءتْ قُلوبُهُمْ

وقد أُتْرِعتْ في الغيبِ نوراً وإيمَانَا

وقد أُتْرِعتْ في الغيبِ نوراً وإيمَانَا

A people whose hearts shone wore them about their necks,

A people wore them, their hearts illuminated

And their hearts were filled in the unseen with light and faith.

As we brought forth privately light and faith

فإنْ طُفْتَ أَكنافَ البِلادِ جميعِها

فإنْ طُفْتَ أَكنافَ البِلادِ جميعِها

لمَا شِمْتَ فيها ما يُماثِلُ مَعْنَانَا

لمَا شِمْتَ فيها ما يُماثِلُ مَعْنَانَا

For if you were to roam every region of all the lands,

If you were to travel all the lands

You would discern nothing there to equal our inward meaning.

You would not find a parallel to our meaning

وما ثَمَّ بابٌ للرَّسولِ وآلِهِ

وما ثَمَّ بابٌ للرَّسولِ وآلِهِ

بكلِّ مَفازاتِ الوُجوداتِ إِلاَّنا

بكلِّ مَفازاتِ الوُجوداتِ إِلاَّنا

And there is no gate to the Messenger and his family

None but us hold the door to the Messenger and his kin

In all the wildernesses of existence, save us.

In all the expanses of existence

تمسَّكْ بِنا واحْفَظْ وَثيقَ عُهودِنا

تمسَّكْ بِنا واحْفَظْ وَثيقَ عُهودِنا

فإنَّ مُثيبَ الخيرِ في الغيبِ أَعْلانا

فإنَّ مُثيبَ الخيرِ في الغيبِ أَعْلانا

Hold fast to us, and preserve the firm bond of our covenants.

Hold fast to us and keep the pact of our covenant

For the Rewarder of goodness has exalted us in the unseen.

For the rewarder of good in secret is most manifest

أَقامَ لنا عَرْشاً رَفيعاً ونوبَةً

أَقامَ لنا عَرْشاً رَفيعاً ونوبَةً

ولِلْبابِ فضْلاً بالعِنايَةِ أَدْنَانَا

ولِلْبابِ فضْلاً بالعِنايَةِ أَدْنَانَا

He established for us a lofty throne and a ceremonial drumbeat,

He established for us a lofty throne and station

And, as a favor, through providential care He drew us near the gate.

Granting proximity through providence to the door

وَضَحْنا شُموساً فوقَ رَفْرافَةِ العُلى

وَضَحْنا شُموساً فوقَ رَفْرافَةِ العُلى

كَشَفْنا من السِّرِّ الإِلهيِّ أَلْوَانَا

كَشَفْنا من السِّرِّ الإِلهيِّ أَلْوَانَا

We shone as suns above the fluttering canopy of the heights.

We shone as suns atop the Highest Horizon

We unveiled hues from the divine mystery.

Revealing of the divine mysteries all hues

وساعَدَتِ الأَقدارُ ثابِتَ حظِّنا

وساعَدَتِ الأَقدارُ ثابِتَ حظِّنا

فشِدْنا بفَيْفاءِ الخَوارِقِ ديوَانَا

فشِدْنا بفَيْفاءِ الخَوارِقِ ديوَانَا

And fate favored our enduring fortune,

The decrees aided our enduring fortune

So we built a court in the trackless plain of miracles.

Compiling with sublime marvels our register

فهل تُتْرَعُ الكاساتُ إِلاَّ بحالِنا

فهل تُتْرَعُ الكاساتُ إِلاَّ بحالِنا

وهل يبرُزُ الطَّوْرُ الرِّفاعِيُّ لوْلانَا

وهل يبرُزُ الطَّوْرُ الرِّفاعِيُّ لوْلانَا

So can the cups be filled to the brim except through our spiritual state?

Else, how could the cups circulate but through our state?

And would the Rifa'i way emerge were it not for us?

How could the Exalted Mountain emerge but by us?

تدلَّى لمَحْيَانَا الفَخارُ مُرَوْنَقاً

تدلَّى لمَحْيَانَا الفَخارُ مُرَوْنَقاً

ورُفَّتْ لأصحابِ القُلُوبِ حُمَيَّانَا

ورُفَّتْ لأصحابِ القُلُوبِ حُمَيَّانَا

Resplendent glory descended toward our countenance,

For our Bahá, earthenware descended delicate

And our heady wine was sipped by the people of hearts.

And hearts opened for the companions of the heart

وتخطَفُ طوراً عرشَ بِلقيسَ طَرفَةٌ

وتخطَفُ طوراً عرشَ بِلقيسَ طَرفَةٌ

رَمَشْنا بها عن غيرِ أَمرِ سُلَيْمَانَا

رَمَشْنا بها عن غيرِ أَمرِ سُلَيْمَانَا

And sometimes a blink snatches Bilqis's throne—

A gaze snatches a mount from Bilqis in a blink

A blink we made without a command from Solomon.

With it we hint, without the affair of Solomon

هُدانا نِظامٌ صادِرٌ عن محمَّدٍ

هُدانا نِظامٌ صادِرٌ عن محمَّدٍ

تنزَّلَ وحْياً لم يُشَبْ قطُّ بُهْتَانَا

تنزَّلَ وحْياً لم يُشَبْ قطُّ بُهْتَانَا

Our guidance is a system issuing from Muhammad,

Our order, descended from Muhammad, guided us

It descended as revelation, never once tainted with falsehood.

Revelation unlike any imposture or confusion

فصُفَّ صُفوفَ العاشقينَ ببابِنا

فصُفَّ صُفوفَ العاشقينَ ببابِنا

وخذْ لك في تلك المَحاضِرِ ميدَانَا

وخذْ لك في تلك المَحاضِرِ ميدَانَا

So arrange the lovers' ranks at our gate,

So line up the ranks of lovers by our door

And claim an arena for yourself in those assemblies.

And take in those presences your stance

فإنَّ الَّذي معنًى يكونُ نَتيجَةً

فإنَّ الَّذي معنًى يكونُ نَتيجَةً

يدُلُّ على الأَصلِ الَّذي قبلَهُ كَانَا

يدُلُّ على الأَصلِ الَّذي قبلَهُ كَانَا

For a meaning that comes into being as a result

For that which is consequent implies something precedent

Points to the source that existed before it.

Being effect, it points to a cause before it

ولا تكترِثْ بالحاسِدينَ وخلِّهِمْ

ولا تكترِثْ بالحاسِدينَ وخلِّهِمْ

ولو أَفرَطوا بالغَيِّ ظُلماً وعُدوَانَا

ولو أَفرَطوا بالغَيِّ ظُلماً وعُدوَانَا

And pay no heed to the envious, and leave them be,

And pay no heed to the envious, leave them be

Even if they go to extremes in error, injustice, and aggression.

Though they exceed in wrong and enmity

فقد سَبَقَتْهُمْ بالنَّبيِّ عِصابةً

فقد سَبَقَتْهُمْ بالنَّبيِّ عِصابةً

فهدَّمَ منهم صادِمُ الأَمرِ بُنيَانَا

فهدَّمَ منهم صادِمُ الأَمرِ بُنيَانَا

For a band had already preceded them in such conduct toward the Prophet,

A band preceded them to the Prophet

So the blow of the decree demolished an edifice of theirs.

Razing their structure, the Subduer of affairs

فسِرْ سيرَنا وافْهَمْ رَقائِقَ قولِنا

فسِرْ سيرَنا وافْهَمْ رَقائِقَ قولِنا

ولاحِظْ بياناً قد نَقَشْنا وتِبْيَانَا

ولاحِظْ بياناً قد نَقَشْنا وتِبْيَانَا

So follow our course, and understand the subtleties of our words.

Walk our path, comprehend the subtleties we say

And behold the exposition and elucidation we have inscribed.

Observe the lucid allusions we have traced

ومُدَّ لنا عَيناً بصالِحِ نظرَةٍ

ومُدَّ لنا عَيناً بصالِحِ نظرَةٍ

لتشْهَدَ في كلِّ الجَوانِبِ مَرْآنا

لتشْهَدَ في كلِّ الجَوانِبِ مَرْآنا

And turn an eye toward us with a goodly gaze,

Stretch out to us an eye in wholesome seeing

That you may behold our image on every side.

To witness in all aspects a clear vision

وغِبْ عن سِوانا حاضِراً بشُهودِنا

وغِبْ عن سِوانا حاضِراً بشُهودِنا

لنَلْقاكَ في كلِّ الشُّؤُنِ وتَلْقَانَا

لنَلْقاكَ في كلِّ الشُّؤُنِ وتَلْقَانَا

And be absent from all but us, present through witnessing us,

Turn from our rivals, present with our presence

So that we may meet you in every affair, and you meet us.

That we may meet in every matter, every time

فلا تَلْوِ عنَّا للحوادِثِ جانِباً

فلا تَلْوِ عنَّا للحوادِثِ جانِباً

فنحنُ عُيونٌ عن عِنايَةِ مولانَا

فنحنُ عُيونٌ عن عِنايَةِ مولانَا

So do not turn your side away from us because of vicissitudes,

So incline not from us for events any side

For we are eyes issuing from our Lord's care.

For we are founts of the care of our Lord