تَجَلّى فَألهى القَلْبَ عَنْ كُلِّ مقصَدِ

تَجَلّى فَألهى القَلْبَ عَنْ كُلِّ مقصَدِ

وَلاحَ فَألوى الطّرفَ عَنْ كُلِّ مَشْهَدِ

وَلاحَ فَألوى الطّرفَ عَنْ كُلِّ مَشْهَدِ

He revealed himself and drew the heart away from every aim.

He appeared, so my heart was diverted from every goal

And he shone forth, turning the gaze away from every sight.

And he shone, so my gaze turned from all sights

خَفِيٌّ لأفِراطِ الظُّهورِ وَكَم نَبَتْ

خَفِيٌّ لأفِراطِ الظُّهورِ وَكَم نَبَتْ

عَنِ الشَمْسِ للاشراقِ مُقلَةُ أرْمَدِ

عَنِ الشَمْسِ للاشراقِ مُقلَةُ أرْمَدِ

Hidden by excess of manifestation—how often has it recoiled,

Hidden to the excess of manifestation, and how much hatred

the inflamed eye, from the sun because of its radiance!

Stems from the sun for the dawning of blear-eyed jealousy

أَرَاني بهِ في وَصْفِ مَعناهُ حائراً

أَرَاني بهِ في وَصْفِ مَعناهُ حائراً

على أنّني في حَيْرةِ الْقَصْدِ مُهْتَدي

على أنّني في حَيْرةِ الْقَصْدِ مُهْتَدي

I find myself, through him, bewildered in describing his meaning,

He showed me in describing his essence perplexed

though amid the bewilderment of seeking I am rightly guided.

Though in the perplexity of purpose I am guided

وَمَن كانَ ذا حُسْنٍ بغيْرِ نهايةٍ

وَمَن كانَ ذا حُسْنٍ بغيْرِ نهايةٍ

فَكلُّ هَوَىً في حُبِّهِ لَمْ يُجَدَّدِ

فَكلُّ هَوَىً في حُبِّهِ لَمْ يُجَدَّدِ

And whoever possesses beauty without end,

And whoever has beauty without end

then no passion in loving him has been renewed.

Every passion for his love is made new

بَدَا بِيَ إحساناً لأَكرَمِ غايةٍ

بَدَا بِيَ إحساناً لأَكرَمِ غايةٍ

وَغايَتُها أَنّي أُشاهِدُ مُوجدي

وَغايَتُها أَنّي أُشاهِدُ مُوجدي

He appeared through me in kindness, for the noblest end,

He favored me with kindness to the noblest purpose

and its end is that I behold my Creator.

And its purpose is that I witness my Creator

وَلاحَظَني مِنّي بِعَينِ مُخَيِّرٍ

وَلاحَظَني مِنّي بِعَينِ مُخَيِّرٍ

إلى أَمرِهِ أَمرُ الهُدى والتّهوُّدِ

إلى أَمرِهِ أَمرُ الهُدى والتّهوُّدِ

And he regarded me from within me, with the eye of one granting choice;

And he regarded me with a choosing eye

the matter of guidance and embracing Judaism rests with his command.

To His command, the command of guidance and devoutness

فإنَ لَمْ أشاهدْهُ بِكُلِّ مُشاهدٍ

فإنَ لَمْ أشاهدْهُ بِكُلِّ مُشاهدٍ

لآياتهِ أَنكَرْتُ مَعْنى التّشَهُّدِ

لآياتهِ أَنكَرْتُ مَعْنى التّشَهُّدِ

For if I do not behold him through every witness

So if I do not witness Him in every witnessing

to his signs, I have denied the meaning of the profession of faith.

I reject the meaning of professing God's unity

أَهيمُ بهِ في كُل وادٍ وإنّني

أَهيمُ بهِ في كُل وادٍ وإنّني

لآنَسُ مِنْهُ بابتهاجِ التَوَدُّدِ

لآنَسُ مِنْهُ بابتهاجِ التَوَدُّدِ

I wander, lovesick for him, in every valley, and indeed I

I rave about Him in every valley, and yet

surely find solace from him in the joy of showing affection.

I feel intimacy with Him in growing affection

وَلولا عَلاقاتُ الصّبابةِ والهَوَى

وَلولا عَلاقاتُ الصّبابةِ والهَوَى

لما طالَ في تلك الرُّسومِ تَرَدُّدي

لما طالَ في تلك الرُّسومِ تَرَدُّدي

And were it not for the bonds of longing and passion,

And if not for the bonds of youth and passion

my coming and going among those traces would not have lasted so long.

My wandering in those tracers would not have prolonged

وَمَا عاقَني في الْبُعْدِ والْقُربِ عائقٌ

وَمَا عاقَني في الْبُعْدِ والْقُربِ عائقٌ

سِوَى طَمَعي في بُلْغَةِ الْمُتَزَوِّدِ

سِوَى طَمَعي في بُلْغَةِ الْمُتَزَوِّدِ

And no hindrance held me back, in distance or nearness,

And nothing held me back in distance and nearness

save my craving for the bare sustenance of one provisioning himself.

Save my greed for attaining the supplies