إذا الأمر لم يمكن فكنه فإنه

إذا الأمر لم يمكن فكنه فإنه

قصارى حديثي أن أكونَ كأنهُ

قصارى حديثي أن أكونَ كأنهُ

If the matter is impossible, then be it; for

If the matter cannot be done, then pretend it is done

the utmost of my discourse is to be as though I were it.

For the essence of my words is to be as if it were

بذا جاء نصُّ الشرع في غير موضعٍ

بذا جاء نصُّ الشرع في غير موضعٍ

فمن لم يصدقني فيعلم أنهُ

فمن لم يصدقني فيعلم أنهُ

Thus the text of sacred law has come in more than one place.

Thus came the text of the law in more than one place

So whoever does not believe me should know that he

So whoever does not believe me will know that he

عن الحقِّ مصروفٌ إلى غير وجهه

عن الحقِّ مصروفٌ إلى غير وجهه

وعن مشهد التحقيق ربي أكنه

وعن مشهد التحقيق ربي أكنه

is turned from the Real toward something other than His face.

Is turned away from the truth to other than its direction

And I veil my Lord from the vision of realization.

And from witnessing the verification, my Lord avert it

وأعلمُ ما المعنى الذي قام واستوى

وأعلمُ ما المعنى الذي قام واستوى

على عرشه العلويِّ حين اجنَّه

على عرشه العلويِّ حين اجنَّه

And I know what the meaning is that arose and settled

And I know the meaning that stood up straight

upon its lofty throne when I enfold it.

Upon its supreme throne when He arranged it

وما هو إلا قربه ليس غيره

وما هو إلا قربه ليس غيره

ولو كان ذا بعد لأسمعَ أذنه

ولو كان ذا بعد لأسمعَ أذنه

And it is nothing but nearness to Him, nothing else.

And it is nothing but His nearness, there is nothing else

And were he distant, his ear would be made to hear

And if it had distance, His ear would hear

خطاباً بليغاً يخرق السمعَ صوتُه

خطاباً بليغاً يخرق السمعَ صوتُه

ويودعُ فيه من تكلم أذنه

ويودعُ فيه من تكلم أذنه

an eloquent address whose sound pierces hearing;

Eloquent speech, its voice piercing the hearing

and the speaker would deposit his ear within it,

And it would deposit in the one speaking to His ear

وديعةَ حقٍّ لا وديعةَ حيلةٍ

وديعةَ حقٍّ لا وديعةَ حيلةٍ

فيضحى لما قد فات يقرعُ منه

فيضحى لما قد فات يقرعُ منه

a deposit of truth, not a deposit of guile.

A deposit of truth, not a deposit of trickery

So, over what has passed him by, he comes to strike at himself,

So he spends his morning chastising himself for what has passed

كما صنع الرامي الذي جاز سهمه

كما صنع الرامي الذي جاز سهمه

فريسته فاستلزم القلبَ حزنه

فريسته فاستلزم القلبَ حزنه

as did the archer whose arrow passed beyond

As did the archer who missed his arrow

his prey, so that his grief gripped his heart.

So his prey escaped and sorrow seized his heart

فوسع مكانَ الضيقِِ منك تخلقا

فوسع مكانَ الضيقِِ منك تخلقا

فمن وسعَ الرحمن سهل حزنه

فمن وسعَ الرحمن سهل حزنه

So widen the cramped place within you by cultivating character;

So expand the place of constraint within yourself with wisdom

for whoever encompasses the All-Merciful finds his rough ground smoothed.

For one whom the Merciful expands, his sorrow is eased

ولا شطر الأشياء الا بعينها

ولا شطر الأشياء الا بعينها

فقد يقلبُ الفرار وقتاً مجنه

فقد يقلبُ الفرار وقتاً مجنه

And no part of things is found except within their very selves;

And things are only set right by their own selves

for the fugitive may sometimes turn his shield.

For escape may be reversed into a time of gathering

إذا كنت ذا خبر لما أنت صانعٌ

إذا كنت ذا خبر لما أنت صانعٌ

له فعلمنا أنْ ستدرك حسنه

له فعلمنا أنْ ستدرك حسنه

If you are experienced in what you are doing

If you are one with knowledge of what you are doing

for it, then we know that you will perceive its beauty.

Then let us know so we may attain its excellence

تأمل إذا ما قرَّبَ الشخصُ بيضة

تأمل إذا ما قرَّبَ الشخصُ بيضة

هي الكل من شخص يقرّب بدنه

هي الكل من شخص يقرّب بدنه

Consider: when a person brings an egg near,

Consider when a person presents an egg

it is the entirety of a person who brings his body near,

Which is everything from a person presenting his body

ويفضل عنها مثلها وزيادة

ويفضل عنها مثلها وزيادة

وهذا دليلٌ إن تحققت عينه

وهذا دليلٌ إن تحققت عينه

and beyond it there remains as much again, and more.

And he prefers the like of it and more

And this is a proof, if you ascertain its very essence.

This is evidence if you verify with your eye

فخذ بالوجودِ الحقِّ ما دمت ههنا

فخذ بالوجودِ الحقِّ ما دمت ههنا

ولا تبق شيئاً خلفكم لتجنه

ولا تبق شيئاً خلفكم لتجنه

So cleave to true existence as long as you remain here,

So take with the existence of truth as long as you are here

and leave nothing behind you for you to conceal.

And leave nothing behind you to gather

فمن سنّ خيراً حاز من كل معتد

فمن سنّ خيراً حاز من كل معتد

به خيره بالفعلِ إذ كان سنه

به خيره بالفعلِ إذ كان سنه

For whoever institutes good gains, from everyone who takes heed

For whoever institutes good obtains from each aggressor

of it, his good in action, since he had instituted it.

His good in action when it was his tradition