1. فؤاد بأوصاب الجوى يتضرم

    وقلب وإن أودى به الوجد

    A heart burns with the afflictions of love's anguish,

    And a heart, though ecstasy has brought it to ruin.

  2. تصيب قلوبَ العاشقين رماتها

    ولكن بحب الراشقين تتيم

    The lovers' hearts are struck by their archers,

    Yet love for the archers enthralls them.

  3. ولم أرى كالعشاق تفنى نفوسهم

    وعندهم في الحب ذلك مغنم

    And I have seen none like lovers: their souls perish,

    While to them, in love, that is a gain.

  4. فكم حكم الشوق المبرح فيهم

    ولا حكمَ إلا ما به الشوق يحكم

    And how often has tormenting longing ruled over them!

    And there is no judgment but what longing decrees.

  5. ضمانٌ لهذا الصب أن حياته

    بصارم أوصاب الهوى تنصرم

    It is assured to this lovesick one that his life

    Is cut short by the keen sword of love's afflictions.

  6. ولم يبق منه الحب إلا بقية

    ولكنه يخفى السقام ويكتم

    And love has left nothing of him but a remnant,

    Yet he hides his sickness and keeps it secret.

  7. تسربل سربال الغرام وفوقه

    رداء من الأحزان بالشوق معلم

    He donned the robe of passion, and over it

    A cloak of sorrows, patterned with longing.

  8. إذا ما دجا جنحٌ من الليل مظلمٌ

    فبالدمع يجلو جنحه حين يظلم

    When a dark stretch of night grows black,

    Then with tears he clears its gloom when it darkens.

  9. تقلّدَ سيف الجد والصبر درعه

    وللشوق في الأحشاء جيش عرمرم

    He girded on the sword of resolve, and patience is his armor,

    And longing has a vast army in his entrails.

  10. أقام له الشوق المبرح مأنما

    فظل خطيب الوجد عنه يترجم

    Tormenting longing set up for him [perhaps a mourning gathering],

    So the orator of ecstasy kept speaking on his behalf.

  11. وبلبَلهُ حادي الوجود بشدوه

    فصاح وللأشواق نار تضرم

    And existence's camel-driver bewildered him with his song,

    So he cried out, while longing's fire flared.

  12. تعارضت الأحكام في الخطب عنده

    فسلّم أن لا في الشدائد يسلَمُ

    The judgments on the ordeal conflicted in his eyes,

    So he conceded that he would not emerge unscathed from hardships.

  13. تفكر في معنى وجود وجوده

    فخاطبه عنه فصيحٌ وأعجم

    He pondered the meaning of his being's existence,

    Then the eloquent and the speechless addressed him about it.

  14. وأبصر سر الكون بالحق فانجلت

    بدور بأفق الكشف عنه وأنجم

    And he saw the universe's secret through the Truth; there appeared

    Full moons and stars on the horizon of its unveiling.

  15. ومن فكّ من رمز المقادر أحرفاً

    يبينُ له رسمٌ على الكون يرسم

    And whoever deciphers letters from the cipher of destinies,

    A pattern drawn upon the universe becomes clear to him.

  16. فدونك فافهم فالأمور جليلةٌ

    لمن كان عن أهل التصوف يفهم

    So take this, then understand, for these matters are momentous

    For whoever draws understanding from the people of Sufism.

  17. ولا بد من أوراد وقتٍ معمّر

    وإلا فمن لذات ذلك تحرم

    And regular devotions must keep one's time full;

    Otherwise, you are deprived of the delights of that.