ولولا وجودُ الربِّ لم تكن عيننا

ولولا وجودُ الربِّ لم تكن عيننا

ولولا وجودُ العبدِ ما عُرف الرب

ولولا وجودُ العبدِ ما عُرف الرب

And were it not for the Lord's existence, our very being would not exist.

Without the existence of the Lord, our eyes would not have been

And were it not for the servant's existence, the Lord would not be known.

And without the existence of the servant, the Lord would not have been known

فوقتا يكون الجسم والقلبُ انتم

فوقتا يكون الجسم والقلبُ انتم

ووقتا يكون الجسمُ والسيِّد القلبُ

ووقتا يكون الجسمُ والسيِّد القلبُ

So at one time, the body and the heart are you;

At times the body and heart are together

And at another time, the body is [you], and the master is the heart.

And at times the body and the Lord are the heart

فمجموعنا شخصٌ لذاك أتى به

فمجموعنا شخصٌ لذاك أتى به

وسمَّاه شخصاً مرسَلا من له القرب

وسمَّاه شخصاً مرسَلا من له القرب

So our combined being is a person; for that reason he brought him forth,

Our sum is a person, for that purpose He brought him

And named him a person sent forth—he who has nearness.

And named him a person sent from the Most Near

أنا صورةٌ من صورةٍ لم تقم بنا

أنا صورةٌ من صورةٍ لم تقم بنا

ولو أنها قامتْ لأدركني العجبُ

ولو أنها قامتْ لأدركني العجبُ

I am a form from a form that did not subsist in us;

I am an image from an image that did not create me

And had it subsisted, self-admiration would have overtaken me.

And had it created me, wonder would have seized me

أنا سرُّه الفاني وسرُّ بقائه

أنا سرُّه الفاني وسرُّ بقائه

كما هو لي تاجٌ وفي ساعدي قلبُ

كما هو لي تاجٌ وفي ساعدي قلبُ

I am his perishing secret and the secret of his abiding,

I am the secret of His transience and the secret of His permanence

Just as he is a crown for me and a bracelet on my forearm.

As He is to me a crown, and in my forearm a heart

كلفتُ بمن يدريه إذ كان عاشقي

كلفتُ بمن يدريه إذ كان عاشقي

وأظهر عشقي شهرةَ الحبِّ لا الحب

وأظهر عشقي شهرةَ الحبِّ لا الحب

I was enamored of the one who knows him, since he was my lover;

I was tasked with one who knows Him, for He was my lover

And my passion revealed love's renown, not love itself.

And revealed my love, the fame of love, not love

كذا قال شيخي لي شفاها وزادني

كذا قال شيخي لي شفاها وزادني

بأني بها المقتولُ والواله الصَّبُّ

بأني بها المقتولُ والواله الصَّبُّ

Thus my shaykh told me by word of mouth, and added

Thus my master said to me in whispered words and increased me

That I am slain by it, bewildered and lovesick.

That through it I am the slain and through it the enamored endures