أرى المطلوب يكبر أنْ يصابا

أرى المطلوب يكبر أنْ يصابا

ويعظم أنْ يقاوم أو يُدانى

ويعظم أنْ يقاوم أو يُدانى

I see that the one sought is too great to be attained,

I see the desired grows that it suffers

And too mighty to be matched or approached.

And it increases that it resists or it is blamed

عجبتُ لقربه الأدنى بذات

عجبتُ لقربه الأدنى بذات

منزهة تعالتْ أنْ تُهانا

منزهة تعالتْ أنْ تُهانا

I marveled at his utmost nearness, with an essence

I wondered at its closeness, the lowest in itself

Transcendent, too exalted to be dishonored.

Exalted, it refused to be humiliated

تجلَّتْ والضياءُ لها حجابٌ

تجلَّتْ والضياءُ لها حجابٌ

وجلَّت أنْ نراها كما ترانا

وجلَّت أنْ نراها كما ترانا

She manifested herself, with radiance as her veil,

It appeared and its light is a veil for it

And was too exalted for us to see her as she sees us.

And it refused that we see it as it sees us

فلا يحظى بها إلا حريص

فلا يحظى بها إلا حريص

وأما من تكاسلَ أو توانى

وأما من تكاسلَ أو توانى

So none attains her but the ardent;

So none attains it except the eager

And as for whoever grows lazy or slack,

As for him who was lazy or hesitated

فينساها وتنساه وهذا

فينساها وتنساه وهذا

جزاء قد تلوناه قرانا

جزاء قد تلوناه قرانا

Then he forgets her, and she forgets him—and this

It forgets him and he forgets it, and this

Is a recompense we have recited in the Qur'an.

Is a recompense we have colored ourselves

فمن يقربه لم يطعم سواها

فمن يقربه لم يطعم سواها

وقد حاز المكانةَ والمكانا

وقد حاز المكانةَ والمكانا

So whoever draws near him has tasted nothing but her,

So whoever draws near it has not tasted other than it

And has gained both rank and place,

And has attained the rank and the place

كما أنَّ العليلَ إذا أتاها

كما أنَّ العليلَ إذا أتاها

يخصُّ به الزمانةَ والزمانا

يخصُّ به الزمانةَ والزمانا

Just as the ailing one, when he comes to her,

Just as the sick person when he comes to it

Reserves chronic infirmity and time for him.

It privileges him with the time and the moment

ظلامٌ كيف يحجبُه ونورٌ

ظلامٌ كيف يحجبُه ونورٌ

ونحن نراه دونهما عِيانا

ونحن نراه دونهما عِيانا

How can darkness and light veil him,

Darkness, how can it veil it, and light

When we see him directly, apart from both?

While we see it without them clearly

فما أرجو سواه لكلِّ أمرٍ

فما أرجو سواه لكلِّ أمرٍ

مهمٍّ ليس يعرفه سوانا

مهمٍّ ليس يعرفه سوانا

So I look to none but him for every matter

So I do not hope for it in any matter

Of importance, which none knows but us.

Important that none knows but us