خير النفوس العارفات ذواتها

خير النفوس العارفات ذواتها

وحقيق كمّيات ماهياتها

وحقيق كمّيات ماهياتها

The best souls are those that know their own selves,

The best souls are those who know themselves,

and the true nature of the quantities of their essences,

And the essence of their quantities and beings.

وبما الذي كانت ومم تكونت

وبما الذي كانت ومم تكونت

أعضاء بنيتها على هيئاتها

أعضاء بنيتها على هيئاتها

and by what they came to be, and from what were formed

And with what they were, and from what they're made,

the organs of their structure in their forms.

Limbs built upon their forms.

نفس النبات ونفس حس ركّبا

نفس النبات ونفس حس ركّبا

هذا كذاك سماته كسماتها

هذا كذاك سماته كسماتها

The vegetative soul and the sensory soul were compounded:

The soul of plants and the soul of composite senses,

this is like that; its traits are like the other's.

This is like that in its attributes as in its attributes.

ما العلّة السبب الذي من أجله

ما العلّة السبب الذي من أجله

صارت مسلطة على اخواتها

صارت مسلطة على اخواتها

What is the cause—the reason for which

What is the cause, the reason for which

it came to hold sway over its sisters?

It has power over its sisters?

هل من فتى فطن أريه دلائل

هل من فتى فطن أريه دلائل

يجلو بها عن شَكّنا شبهاتها

يجلو بها عن شَكّنا شبهاتها

Is there a discerning youth to whom I may show proofs,

Is there a perceptive youth who can show me evidence

with which he may dispel its ambiguities from our uncertainty?

To dispel our doubts and its ambiguities?

يا للرجال لعظم رزء لم تزل

يا للرجال لعظم رزء لم تزل

منه النفوس تخبّ في ظلماتها

منه النفوس تخبّ في ظلماتها

O men, help against so great a calamity! Still,

Oh men! How great the calamity that souls

because of it, souls trot through their darkness.

Have been confused in its darkness!