من ظن أنّ طريق أربابِ العلى

من ظن أنّ طريق أربابِ العلى

قولٌ فجهلٌ حائلٌ وتعذَّرُ

قولٌ فجهلٌ حائلٌ وتعذَّرُ

Whoever thinks that the path of the masters of the heights

He who believes the path to the Exalted is through words, is ignorant, lost, and confused.

is mere talk—ignorance is a barrier, and attainment is thwarted.

The way to God is through His care for those He has chosen and aided.

إن السبيل إلى الإله عناية

إن السبيل إلى الإله عناية

منه بمن قد شاءَه وتعزّر

منه بمن قد شاءَه وتعزّر

Indeed, the way to God is providential care

He accepts no truth or dignity except when the grains are reaped in the threshing floor.

from Him for one He has chosen, who gains strength.

Seeking the state demands the condition of one's station. If one claims it, their state exposes them.

لا يرتضي لحقيقة وعزّة

لا يرتضي لحقيقة وعزّة

إلا إذا ضمَّ السنابلَ بيدرُ

إلا إذا ضمَّ السنابلَ بيدرُ

He accepts no one for truth and honor

The poor soul imagines the sciences are between lines written in books.

unless a threshing floor has gathered the ears of grain.

Far from it! What they put in their books was but little of difficult matters.

الحالُ يطلبه بشرطِ مقامه

الحالُ يطلبه بشرطِ مقامه

فإذا ادَّعاه فحاله لكَ يشهرُ

فإذا ادَّعاه فحاله لكَ يشهرُ

The state he seeks depends upon his station;

The people read nothing but their own souls with their Lord. Can this be confined?

and if he claims it, his state reveals him to you.

So you see the stranger judge them by his opinion to be told "This is from them" and he grows arrogant.

يتخيلُ المسكينُ أنّ علومها

يتخيلُ المسكينُ أنّ علومها

ما بين أوراقِ الكتابِ تُسَطر

ما بين أوراقِ الكتابِ تُسَطر

The poor fellow imagines that its sciences

His words diminish if he does not speak from his state in what preceded to inform.

are what is inscribed between the pages of the book.

The knowledge of the Way is not attained in comfort and measures, so strive that you may attain success.

هيهاتِ بل ما أودعوا في كتبهم

هيهاتِ بل ما أودعوا في كتبهم

إلا يسيراً من أمورٍ تعسُر

إلا يسيراً من أمورٍ تعسُر

Far from it! Rather, they put nothing in their books

The sciences of the people deluded those not tried by youthfulness and confusion.

but a little of matters difficult to grasp.

Breathe from what hurts, intimacy, and familiar talk that increases and constant discipline that does not cease.

لا يقرأ الأقوامُ غيرَ نفوسِهم

لا يقرأ الأقوامُ غيرَ نفوسِهم

في حالهم مع ربِّهم هل يحصر

في حالهم مع ربِّهم هل يحصر

These people read nothing but their own souls,

Be humble and absorbed in an unseen refuge and delight in unveiled witnessings.

in their state with their Lord—can that be encompassed?

Withdraw at the time of witnessing and zeal if anyone jokingly practices the Sacred Law.

فترى الدخيلَ يقيس فيه برأيه

فترى الدخيلَ يقيس فيه برأيه

ليقال هذا منهم فيكبر

ليقال هذا منهم فيكبر

So you see the outsider judging it by his own opinion,

Be reverent, tearful, and cling to the Sacred Law unchangingly clinging to God.

so people say, 'He is one of them,' and he gains stature.

This is the people's state in their conditions, not like those who say the Sacred Law forbids then claim the reality opposes what the Sacred Law brought, but they conceal it.

وتناقصت أقواله إن لم يكن

وتناقصت أقواله إن لم يكن

عن حاله فيما تقدّم يخبر

عن حاله فيما تقدّم يخبر

And his sayings dwindled if he was not

Destruction to them for an unbelieving saying! Woe to them on the day Hell blazes!

reporting his own state in what came before.

Or those who witness in contemplations bowing so it is said "This is a worshipper reflecting deeply."

علمُ الطريقةِ لا يُنالُ براحةٍ

علمُ الطريقةِ لا يُنالُ براحةٍ

ومقايس فاجهد لعلك تظفر

ومقايس فاجهد لعلك تظفر

Knowledge of the path is not attained through ease

These are ostentatious, finding no comfort in themselves except for a little moment fluttering about.

or analogies; strive, then, that you may succeed.

But happier than them is the ignorant when they break their fast.

غرَّت علومُ القومِ عن إدراك من

غرَّت علومُ القومِ عن إدراك من

لا يعتريه صبابةٌ وتحيُّر

لا يعتريه صبابةٌ وتحيُّر

The people's sciences have beguiled one whose grasp they escape,

whom longing and bewilderment never overtake,

وتنَّفس مما يَجنُّ وأنة

وتنَّفس مما يَجنُّ وأنة

وجوى يزيد وعَبرة لا تفتر

وجوى يزيد وعَبرة لا تفتر

nor sighing from what he conceals, nor groaning,

nor growing heartache, nor tears that never cease.

وتذلَّل وتولَّه في غَيبةٍ

وتذلَّل وتولَّه في غَيبةٍ

وتلذَّذْ بمشاهد لا تظهر

وتلذَّذْ بمشاهد لا تظهر

And humble yourself; be love-distraught in absence;

and delight in visions that remain unseen;

وتقبض عند الشهود وغيرة

وتقبض عند الشهود وغيرة

إن قام شخصٌ بالشريعةِ يسخر

إن قام شخصٌ بالشريعةِ يسخر

and draw inward at witnessing, and feel jealous zeal

if someone rises to mock the Law.

وتخشع وتفجَّعْ وتشرَّع

وتخشع وتفجَّعْ وتشرَّع

بتشرُّع لله لا يتغير

بتشرُّع لله لا يتغير

And be reverent, grieve, and observe the Law,

with an observance for God that does not change.

هذا مقام القومِ في أحوالهم

هذا مقام القومِ في أحوالهم

ليسوا كمن قال الشريعةُ مزجر

ليسوا كمن قال الشريعةُ مزجر

This is the people's station in their states.

They are not like one who said, 'The Law is a restraint,'

ثم ادّعى أن الحقيقة خالفتْ

ثم ادّعى أن الحقيقة خالفتْ

ما الشرعُ جاء به ولكن تستّر

ما الشرعُ جاء به ولكن تستّر

then claimed that the Truth contradicted

what the Law brought, yet concealed himself.

تباً لها من قالة مِن جاحد

تباً لها من قالة مِن جاحد

ويلٌ له يومَ الجحيم يسعر

ويلٌ له يومَ الجحيم يسعر

Ruin upon such an utterance from a denier!

Woe to him on the day Hell is set ablaze!

أو من يشاهد في المشاهد مُطرقاً

أو من يشاهد في المشاهد مُطرقاً

ليقال هذا عابدٌ متفكِّر

ليقال هذا عابدٌ متفكِّر

Or one seen at gatherings with his head bowed,

so people say, 'This is a worshipper, deep in thought.'

هذا مرائي لا يلذ براحةٍ

هذا مرائي لا يلذ براحةٍ

في نفسه إلا سويعة يتطيّر

في نفسه إلا سويعة يتطيّر

This is one who worships for show; he enjoys no repose

within himself, save a brief hour; he fears ill omens.

لكنه من ذاك أسعد حالة

لكنه من ذاك أسعد حالة

ول النعيم إذا الجهولُ يفطر

ول النعيم إذا الجهولُ يفطر

Yet he is more fortunate in his condition than that one,

and [unclear opening] bliss, when the ignorant one breaks his fast.