في فؤادِ العارفين بصر

في فؤادِ العارفين بصر

ما له في المؤمنين خَبَرْ

ما له في المؤمنين خَبَرْ

In the gnostics' heart there is sight,

The enlightened have insight

Of which the believers have no knowledge.

Of which the faithful are unaware

حظه علمٌ ومعرفة

حظه علمٌ ومعرفة

ليس يدري ما يقول حير

ليس يدري ما يقول حير

His share is knowledge and gnosis;

Their portion is knowledge and wisdom

The bewildered do not know what he says.

Confusion has no grasp or share

يعرف الأشياء الموجده

يعرف الأشياء الموجده

أدباً وما رأى من أثر

أدباً وما رأى من أثر

He knows things brought into being,

They know all created things

Out of reverence, and whatever trace he has seen,

And every impress that is there

كالذي جاءتْ مسطرة

كالذي جاءتْ مسطرة

وهي سرٌّ في قَضا وقَدَر

وهي سرٌّ في قَضا وقَدَر

Like what has come inscribed,

As if it came inscribed

And it is a secret in decree and destiny.

On tablets of fate and affair

عالم بكلِّ ما نسبوا

عالم بكلِّ ما نسبوا

فعله لله أو لبشر

فعله لله أو لبشر

He knows all that they have ascribed—

Knowing all that's ascribed

Its doing to God or to a mortal.

To God or man without compare

شاهَدَ خلافَ ما شهدوا

شاهَدَ خلافَ ما شهدوا

عالم إن الإله ستر

عالم إن الإله ستر

He witnessed the opposite of what they witnessed,

Witnessing beyond their witnessing

Knowing that God has drawn a veil.

Knowing God hides all that He bears

واقتدى فيه بموجده

واقتدى فيه بموجده

وعفا عما جرى وصَبَر

وعفا عما جرى وصَبَر

And in this he emulated his Creator,

And following the Maker's guidance

And pardoned what occurred, and endured.

Overlooking all worldly snares

وادّعاه الحقُّ فيه كما

وادّعاه الحقُّ فيه كما

جاء في نص الهدى وغفر

جاء في نص الهدى وغفر

And the Real claimed it in him, as

Truth claimed them as it came

It appears in the text of guidance, and He forgave.

In holy writ that lights and clears

فهو ذو علم على حدة

فهو ذو علم على حدة

قابل بما الوجود ظهر

قابل بما الوجود ظهر

So he possesses knowledge of a distinct kind,

Unique in knowledge are they

Receptive to that through which existence has appeared.

Meeting all that existence bares

ما نرى فيه منازعة

ما نرى فيه منازعة

مثبت ما قد بقى وغبر

مثبت ما قد بقى وغبر

We see no contention in him;

No conflict do we find in them

He affirms what has remained and passed away.

Affirming all that perseveres

أخرسُ أعمى معلقةٌ

أخرسُ أعمى معلقةٌ

يدُه فلا يزالُ بشر

يدُه فلا يزالُ بشر

Mute, blind; suspended

Mute, blind, suspended beings

Is his hand—yet he remains a mortal.

With hands that cannot interfere

إنه في كونِه عدم

إنه في كونِه عدم

مثلُ نورٍ قد بدا بقمر

مثلُ نورٍ قد بدا بقمر

Indeed, in his existence he is nonexistence,

In their being they are but nothingness

Like a light that has appeared in a moon.

Like moonbeams that from nothing flare

فتفولُ العينُ ذاك له

فتفولُ العينُ ذاك له

ويقولُ البدرُ لا وعبر

ويقولُ البدرُ لا وعبر

Then the eye says, 'That belongs to it,'

So the eye is distraught at their essence

And the full moon says, 'No,' and passes on.

And the moon cries "I am not there!"

هكذا أمر الوجودِ فكن

هكذا أمر الوجودِ فكن

لا تكن واسكت وقل بقدر

لا تكن واسكت وقل بقدر

Such is the nature of existence: so be;

Such is the matter of existence, "Be!"

Do not be, and be silent, and speak in due measure.

And be not, hush, by divine care.