نسيمٌ روض السماع فاحا

نسيمٌ روض السماع فاحا

فاهتز مضنى النوى ارتياحا

فاهتز مضنى النوى ارتياحا

A breeze from the garden of music wafted its fragrance,

A gentle breeze blew through the garden of hearing,

and one worn down by separation stirred with delight.

So the branches of the saplings swayed with delight,

غنته ورقَ الوجود لحنا

غنته ورقَ الوجود لحنا

على فنون الفنا قباحا

على فنون الفنا قباحا

The doves of existence sang him a melody

Its song made the leaves of existence sing a melody,

upon annihilation’s boughs, in ugly strains.

About the arts of passing away, how ugly they are,

ورق سماع الوجود عجم

ورق سماع الوجود عجم

لكنها أصبحت فصاحا

لكنها أصبحت فصاحا

The doves of existence’s music are wordless,

The leaves hearing the song were foreign,

yet they became eloquent.

But they have become eloquent,

ألقت إليه مكنون سر

ألقت إليه مكنون سر

ففك إشكاله فصاحا

ففك إشكاله فصاحا

They imparted to him a hidden secret,

She confided her secret to it,

so he unraveled its mystery and cried out.

So it unraveled her riddle eloquently,

خطابها للعقول رمز

خطابها للعقول رمز

من فاق في فهمه استراحا

من فاق في فهمه استراحا

Their address to minds is a symbol;

Her speech to minds is symbolic,

whoever excelled in understanding it found rest.

Whoever exceeded in understanding it, rested,

دونك فانظر بعين جدّ

دونك فانظر بعين جدّ

هذا ضياء الصباح لاحا

هذا ضياء الصباح لاحا

Here before you—look with an earnest eye:

Lower your gaze and see with insight,

this is the light of morning, shining forth.

This is the light of dawn shining,

هلال دعواك إن عراه

هلال دعواك إن عراه

خسفٌ وخفت به افتضاحا

خسفٌ وخفت به افتضاحا

If the crescent of your claim is overtaken

If its crescent you bare,

by an eclipse, and you fear disgrace through it,

It will be eclipsed and extinguished in disgrace,

ففي ربوع الكرام خيّمُ

ففي ربوع الكرام خيّمُ

وعنهُم لا ترم براحا

وعنهُم لا ترم براحا

then pitch your tent among the dwellings of the noble,

So in the meadows of the generous, it pitched its tent,

and do not seek to depart from them.

And did not pelt them with heavy stones,

وخدّدِ الخدّ بانهمال

وخدّدِ الخدّ بانهمال

نَدمى المآقي به جراحا

نَدمى المآقي به جراحا

And furrow your cheek with streaming tears;

Smooth the cheek that fate made wrinkled,

we bleed at the eye-corners, wounded by them.

With my calamities its wounds I bandaged,

وقل إذا ما شجاك بينٌ

وقل إذا ما شجاك بينٌ

وأبعدتك النوى امتزاحا

وأبعدتك النوى امتزاحا

And say, whenever parting grieves you

And say, if enmity hurt you,

and separation drives you far away in jest:

And worries jested with you,

كسيرٌ بين بالباب يرجو

كسيرٌ بين بالباب يرجو

حنانكم فاجبروا الجناحا

حنانكم فاجبروا الجناحا

“One broken by parting stands at the door, hoping

There is a broken one at the door hoping,

for your compassion; so mend his wing.

For your kindness, so mend his wing,

فإن تجودوا له بعطف

فإن تجودوا له بعطف

فقد حوى النجح والفلاحا

فقد حوى النجح والفلاحا

For if you show him kindness,

If you are generous to him with sympathy,

he has indeed gained success and felicity.”

He will attain success and prosperity.