إني أفدت من استفدت علوماً

إني أفدت من استفدت علوماً

منه ولم أكُ بالأمور عليما

منه ولم أكُ بالأمور عليما

Indeed, I imparted knowledge to the one I had learned

I have benefited from one from whom I acquired knowledge,

from, though I had not been versed in affairs.

Yet I was not knowledgeable about matters.

فعلمت أن العلمًَ عين تعلق

فعلمت أن العلمًَ عين تعلق

إنَّ التعلقَ لا يكون قديما

إنَّ التعلقَ لا يكون قديما

So I learned that knowledge is relation itself;

So I learned that knowledge is an attribute that attaches

indeed, relation is not eternal.

And attachment cannot be eternal.

بالذاتِ يعلم لا بأمرٍ زائد

بالذاتِ يعلم لا بأمرٍ زائد

إن كنتَ علاَّماً وكنتَ حليما

إن كنتَ علاَّماً وكنتَ حليما

He knows by His essence, not by something added,

With his essence He knows, not with an additional matter.

if you are deeply learned and forbearing.

If you were knowledgeable and wise,

لا تنظرنَّ العلم أمراً زائداً

لا تنظرنَّ العلم أمراً زائداً

فتكن جهولاً بالأمور ظَلُوما

فتكن جهولاً بالأمور ظَلُوما

Do not regard knowledge as something additional,

Do not consider knowledge an additional matter,

lest you become deeply ignorant of affairs and gravely unjust.

Lest you be ignorant of matters, obscured.

لايحجبنك ما ترى من فائتٍ

لايحجبنك ما ترى من فائتٍ

فالحقُّ كلمَ عبدَّه تكليما

فالحقُّ كلمَ عبدَّه تكليما

Let not what you see of things past veil you;

Let not what has passed that you see bar you.

for the Real truly spoke to His servant.

For truth spoke to His servant conversationally.

يأتي بأمرٍ ثم ينسخُ حكمه

يأتي بأمرٍ ثم ينسخُ حكمه

إتيانُ أمر محدثٍ تعليما

إتيانُ أمر محدثٍ تعليما

He brings a command, then abrogates its ruling,

He brings a command, then abrogates its ruling—

bringing a newly instituted command for instruction,

The coming of a new command is instructive.

بلسانِ شخصٍ صادقٍ من رسْله

بلسانِ شخصٍ صادقٍ من رسْله

صلُّوا عليه وسلِّموا تسليما

صلُّوا عليه وسلِّموا تسليما

through the tongue of a truthful person among His messengers.

In the tongue of a truthful messenger of His messengers—

Send blessings upon him, and salute him with peace.

Pray over him and greet him with peace.

قد قال في القرآنِ في مزبوره

قد قال في القرآنِ في مزبوره

إنَّ البلاء يولد المعلوما

إنَّ البلاء يولد المعلوما

He has said in the Qur'an, in His inscribed scripture,

He said in the Quran, in his psalter:

that trial gives rise to what is known.

“Trials give birth to knowledge.”

والعلمُ يحدث من حدوثِ بلائه

والعلمُ يحدث من حدوثِ بلائه

وهو التعلق فافهموا التحكيما

وهو التعلق فافهموا التحكيما

And knowledge arises from the occurrence of His trial;

And knowledge occurs from the occurrence of his trial.

and it is the relation—so understand the adjudication.

It is the attachment, so understand the arbitration.

انظر إلى الضدّين تماثلا

انظر إلى الضدّين تماثلا

حتى يقال من اللديغ سليما

حتى يقال من اللديغ سليما

Look at the two opposites: they have become alike,

Look to the two opposites’ congruity,

until the bitten one is called 'sound.'

Until it is said of the venomous “unharmed.”