1. We are the eyelids protecting the eyes
And we are the people of remembrance, so ask us
١. نحن الجفون نحفظ العيونا
ونحن أهل الذكر فاسألونا
2. And we are an essence whose attributes
Reveal our various arts from our dye
٢. ونحن ذات من بدت صفاته
تكشف من صبغتنا فنونا
3. Our madness for your love is reason that's seen
And our reason in our religion is madness
٣. جنوننا في حبكم عقلاً يُرى
وعقلنا في ديننا جنونا
4. Our existence is the Truth and we are false
We taste in His life that which passes away
٤. وجودنا الحق ونحن باطل
نذوق في حياته المنونا
5. And He is the one who has all attributes
Yet the heedless of Him claim us
٥. وهو الذي له الصفات كلها
والغافلون عنه يدَّعونا
6. God alone, He exists, there is no
Other than Him, and all are doomed
٦. الله وحده هو الموجود لا
سواه والجميع معدومونا
7. For they are the determinations which
He determined for us that they be
٧. لإنهم هم التقادير التي
قدَّرها لنا بأن تكونا
8. And existence appears from Him in that
Which appears from Him clearly concealed
٨. ويظهر الوجود منه في الذي
يظهر عنه واضحاً مكنونا
9. And the light is the light of the essence in our darkness
And we have not ceased being His affairs
٩. والنور نور الذات في ظلامنا
ولم نزل نحنُ له الشئونا
10. We flare like lightning for Him and disappear
Thus we know appearance and concealment
١٠. نلوح كالبرق له ونختفي
فنعرف الظهور والبطونا
11. And we in His speech are His letters
Bearing His meaning protected for us
١١. ونحن في كلامه حروفه
نحمل معناه لنا المصونا
12. And His one command manifests for us
Thus scripting the kaf through us and the nun
١٢. وأمره الواحد ينجلي لنا
فيرسم الكاف بنا والنونا
13. Kaf - Sufficiency, Nun - Blessing
Spirit and body, fluent, rhythmic
١٣. كاف كفاية ونون نعمة
روحاً وجسماً سَلِساً موزونا
14. And His action - we, as He desires
Thus requiring movement and stillness
١٤. وفعله نحن على مراده
فنقتضي التحريك والسكونا
15. Glorious and Exalted above likeness to Him
Has confounded thoughts and guesses
١٥. عز وجل عن مشابه له
قد أعجز الأفكار والظنونا
16. And He is The Rich and all creation
Hope for the downpour of His overflowing generosity
١٦. وهو الغنيُّ والورى جميعهم
يرجون غيث فضله الهتونا
17. He led Adam astray from his ascent
Through his enemy, accursed Iblis
١٧. أضلَّ في آدمَ عن طلعته
عدوَّه إبليساً الملعونا
18. And He guided in him a community
By His command which came they work
١٨. وقد هدى فيه إليه أمةً
بأمره قد جاء يعملونا
19. Blessed is Allah by whose face
In everything passions are stirred
١٩. تبارك الله الذي بوجهه
في كل شيء هيج الشجونا
20. And the lover weary of Him
And the crazed confounded
٢٠. وأتعب العاشق المسبي به
وحيَّر المتيم المفتونا
21. And if He wills by distance He burns the one
Who wanted another or loved besides
٢١. وإن يشأ بالبعد يحرق الذي
أراد غيراً أو أحب دونا
22. And if He wills He unveils the face to the one
Who loves Him and releases the captive
٢٢. وإن يشأ يكشف عن الوجه لمن
يحبه ويخرج المسجونا
23. Expelled for another, infatuated
And he has not ceased to be His protected beloved
٢٣. مطروده بغيره مفتتن
ولم يزل مقبوله المحصونا
24. And His rule has no cause
So if it appears, means do not prevent
٢٤. وحكمه ليس له من علة
فإن بدا لا تمنع الماعونا
25. And be to Him for Him secretly manifest
And be not duped in your ignorance of Him
٢٥. وكن به له خفياً ظاهراً
ولا تكن بجهله مغبونا