لقد لاح من هند هدى راح لائحاً

لقد لاح من هند هدى راح لائحاً

وظلت طيورٌ في الهواء سوانحا

وظلت طيورٌ في الهواء سوانحا

Indeed, guidance from Hind appeared, then passed on gleaming.

Indeed, guidance shone from Hind and went on gleaming.

My birds remained aloft, passing rightward through the air as auspicious omens.

And birds remained in the air, passing auspiciously.

وأمست دموعي في الرداء كأنها

وأمست دموعي في الرداء كأنها

لآلٍ كثغرٍ منهَ يلمع رائحا

لآلٍ كثغرٍ منهَ يلمع رائحا

By evening, my tears upon my robe seemed

And my tears upon the cloak became as though they were

like pearls—like a smiling mouth from which a fleeting gleam flashes.

Pearls, like a mouth from which a gleam shines at evening.

لآلٍ على هند الفطين يرى لها

لآلٍ على هند الفطين يرى لها

بدور الليالي البيض للشمس واضحا

بدور الليالي البيض للشمس واضحا

Pearls upon Hind: the discerning beholds in her

Pearls upon Hind; the discerning one sees in her

the full moons of radiant nights, visible even to the sun.

Full moons of the bright nights, clear before the sun.

وكنت إذا ما جئت بُرقِعَ وجهها

وكنت إذا ما جئت بُرقِعَ وجهها

وصارت لنأي للبراقع لائحا

وصارت لنأي للبراقع لائحا

Whenever I approached the veil upon her face,

And whenever I came, her face would be veiled,

distance made it gleam among the veils.

And through distance she became a gleam to the veils.

وقد كنت حولاً والعواذل تشهدُ

وقد كنت حولاً والعواذل تشهدُ

أروح وأغدو من هواها مسامحا

أروح وأغدو من هواها مسامحا

For a year I remained—the reproachers bear witness—

And for a year I had been—as the reproaching women bear witness—

going out at evening and returning at dawn, indulgent through love of her.

Going forth at evening and at dawn, indulgent through my love for her.

ولكنّني للحب حباً رأيته

ولكنّني للحب حباً رأيته

إذا آض للأحباب يصبح ناصحا

إذا آض للأحباب يصبح ناصحا

Yet within love I beheld a love

Yet, for love's sake, I saw a love

that, when it bites lovers, becomes a sincere counselor.

That, when it returns to the beloved, becomes sincere.

نصعت لأحبابي بخالص ودهم

نصعت لأحبابي بخالص ودهم

ففاح جناب المسك أصبح فائحا

ففاح جناب المسك أصبح فائحا

I grew radiant for my beloved ones through the purity of their affection,

I was sincere toward my beloved ones through their pure affection,

and musk’s precinct breathed fragrance, fragrant at dawn.

So musk's precinct breathed fragrance and became fragrant.

بذكرٍ لبعض الصرف ناصع طبعهم

بذكرٍ لبعض الصرف ناصع طبعهم

خليقتهم صرف به العدل صالحا

خليقتهم صرف به العدل صالحا

At my mention of some pure souls whose nature shines,

With mention of some of the pure, whose nature is unsullied;

their character is unalloyed; through it justice is made sound.

Their character is pure; through it justice is sound.

بدور الدياجي والشموس إلى الضحى

بدور الدياجي والشموس إلى الضحى

سيوف المعادي للطواغ كوالحا

سيوف المعادي للطواغ كوالحا

Full moons amid deepest darkness, and suns at daybreak;

Full moons of dark nights, and suns toward the forenoon,

swords against enemies, grim-faced before tyrants.

Swords against the adversary, scowling at tyrants.

نواصي المعالي يمينهم قد تقودها

نواصي المعالي يمينهم قد تقودها

تخطُّ بأقلام بجود مكافحا

تخطُّ بأقلام بجود مكافحا

Their right hands already lead the forelocks of lofty deeds,

Their right hand indeed leads the forelocks of lofty honors,

inscribing with pens and striving through generosity.

Writing with pens, contending through generosity.

يقود لكل أصل كل بذا العلا

يقود لكل أصل كل بذا العلا

أصيل العوالي للمعالي مصافحا

أصيل العوالي للمعالي مصافحا

He leads every person of noble root, each endowed with loftiness,

Through this loftiness he leads all to every root,

high-born among lofty lineages, clasping hands with noble deeds.

Deep-rooted in the heights, clasping hands with lofty honors.

يقود الجميع الفرد في القطبنيةِ

يقود الجميع الفرد في القطبنيةِ

وقطب لأفراد الأوادم سامحا

وقطب لأفراد الأوادم سامحا

The Peerless One leads everyone in spiritual polehood,

The peerless one leads everyone in spiritual polehood,

a Pole generous to the elect of humankind.

And a Pole, generous to the exceptional among humankind.

جواهر علم من زواجر لفظه

جواهر علم من زواجر لفظه

كدمع على خَدِّهْ ليالِهْ وصائحا

كدمع على خَدِّهْ ليالِهْ وصائحا

Jewels of knowledge spring from the admonitions of his words,

Jewels of knowledge from the admonitions of his speech,

like tears upon his cheeks, their pearls crying aloud.

Like tears upon his cheek through his nights, and crying aloud.

محمد فاضلٍ لذا الخلق فائق

محمد فاضلٍ لذا الخلق فائق

به فاقت الأرواح راحت مصابحا

به فاقت الأرواح راحت مصابحا

Muhammad Fadil, surpassing all this creation;

Muhammad Fadil, preeminent among this creation;

through him spirits excelled and went forth clasping hands.

Through him the spirits excelled and became lamps.

قناديل خلق من مصابيح قلبه

قناديل خلق من مصابيح قلبه

حياة لروح الروح حقاً وواضحا

حياة لروح الروح حقاً وواضحا

Lamps of character shine from the lanterns of his heart—

Lamps of creation, from the lamps of his heart,

life for the spirit of the spirit, truly and manifestly.

Life for the spirit of the spirit, truly and plainly.

هو الشمس والبدر النجوم تضاههْ

هو الشمس والبدر النجوم تضاههْ

هدايته تحيي لكونِهَ راجحا

هدايته تحيي لكونِهَ راجحا

He is the sun and the full moon; the stars emulate him.

He is the sun and the full moon; the stars resemble him.

His guidance gives life, for his being is preeminent.

His guidance revives, for he is preeminent.

هو البحر والحبر الذي سر سره

هو البحر والحبر الذي سر سره

به الري يبدي للسرائر بائحا

به الري يبدي للسرائر بائحا

He is the sea and the learned sage whose mystery gladdens his secret;

He is the sea and the sage, whose secret holds a secret;

through him full refreshment reveals the innermost secrets openly.

Through him thirst is quenched; he reveals the secrets, speaking openly.

هو البر والفجار تُسْقَى بِبِرِّهِ

هو البر والفجار تُسْقَى بِبِرِّهِ

به طابت الأيام بارح سانحا

به طابت الأيام بارح سانحا

He is goodness; sinners are given drink from his beneficence.

He is the righteous one, and the wicked are given drink through his goodness.

Through him the days grew sweet: a left-passing omen, then a right-passing one.

Through him the days grew sweet, the ill-omened becoming auspicious.

هو الغيث في النجوى وفي الأخفى شاهدٌ

هو الغيث في النجوى وفي الأخفى شاهدٌ

به الحق لا يخفى وبالحق جامحا

به الحق لا يخفى وبالحق جامحا

He is life-giving rain in secret converse and deepest concealment—my witness.

He is the rain, a witness in secret converse and in what is most hidden.

Through him truth is not hidden, and with truth he surges unbridled.

Through him truth is not hidden, and with truth he surges unbridled.

هو العين عين العين إنسانها بدا

هو العين عين العين إنسانها بدا

وإنسان إنس الإنس يبصر سامحا

وإنسان إنس الإنس يبصر سامحا

He is the eye—the very eye of the eye; its pupil has appeared,

He is the eye, the eye of the eye; its pupil has appeared.

and Man, the intimate companion of humankind, sees graciously.

And the human of humankind's humanity sees, generous.

هو الفرع والأصل الأصيل وفرعه

هو الفرع والأصل الأصيل وفرعه

وثمرٌ لأصل الطيب بالطيب طامحا

وثمرٌ لأصل الطيب بالطيب طامحا

He is the branch and the root—the authentic root and its branch—

He is the branch and the deep-rooted root, and its offshoot,

and the fruit of a good root, aspiring through goodness.

And fruit of the root of goodness, aspiring through goodness.

وسهم الفؤاد اللوذعي مطلسما

وسهم الفؤاد اللوذعي مطلسما

مهذب أخلاق ويبسط ساطحا

مهذب أخلاق ويبسط ساطحا

He is the talismanic arrow of the keen-witted heart,

And the arrow of the keen-witted heart, inscribed as a talisman,

refined in character, spreading out and laying wide.

A refiner of character, spreading out and laying flat.

تبيت نيار الضيف في الصيف مضرما

تبيت نيار الضيف في الصيف مضرما

وأنوار غيب غيب قلبٍ للافحا

وأنوار غيب غيب قلبٍ للافحا

Guest-fires burn through the night, blazing even in summer;

The guest's blaze stays kindled through the summer night,

and the lights of the unseen within my heart’s unseen surely gleam.

And lights of the unseen within a heart's unseen depths, surely scorching.

له إرث نور النور وهو محمد

له إرث نور النور وهو محمد

له الحمد محمود وللحمد ناصحا

له الحمد محمود وللحمد ناصحا

His is the legacy of the Light of Light, and he is Muhammad;

His is the inheritance of the light of the Light, and he is Muhammad.

his is praise: praised, and sincerely devoted to praise.

His is praise: he is praised, and sincere in praise.

مكلَّلةٌ منه المعارف لؤلؤاً

مكلَّلةٌ منه المعارف لؤلؤاً

مؤلَّلة منه الجواهر لامحا

مؤلَّلة منه الجواهر لامحا

Through him the forms of knowledge are crowned with pearls;

The branches of knowledge are crowned with pearls from him,

through him the jewels are pearl-adorned, gleaming.

The jewels are sharpened by him, glinting.

هو المصطفى الأصفى صفي ومصطفى

هو المصطفى الأصفى صفي ومصطفى

له المعالي قصداً بالمعالي منافحا

له المعالي قصداً بالمعالي منافحا

He is the Chosen, the purest—my chosen intimate, himself chosen;

He is the chosen one, the purest, an intimate friend and a chosen one.

his are the lofty ranks, deliberately defending lofty attainments.

Lofty honors are his aim; with lofty honors he contends.

هو الذات عين الذات سرٌّ لعينها

هو الذات عين الذات سرٌّ لعينها

وسرٌّ لسرِّ السرِّ سرك لامحا

وسرٌّ لسرِّ السرِّ سرك لامحا

He is the Essence, the very essence of Essence—my secret belongs to its inmost core;

He is the Essence, the Essence's very essence, a secret for its essence,

and my secret belongs to the secret of the Secret—Your secret gleaming forth.

And a secret for the secret of the Secret, glimpsing Your secret.

وليس سواك الذات الله ربنا

وليس سواك الذات الله ربنا

لك النعت في الإخلاص في النعت فاسحا

لك النعت في الإخلاص في النعت فاسحا

The Essence is none other than You—God, our Lord.

And none but You is the Essence—Allah, our Lord.

Yours is praise in pure devotion, vast in praise.

Yours is the description in al-Ikhlas, expansive in description.

فأنت أنا وهو الأنية سابقا

فأنت أنا وهو الأنية سابقا

ولا لك غير في الهوية فاتحا

ولا لك غير في الهوية فاتحا

For You are I and He, preceding all in selfhood;

So You are I and he, preceding selfhood;

and none but You discloses the divine Identity.

And You have no other in identity, opening the way.

لك الحمد والمدح القديم وأهله

لك الحمد والمدح القديم وأهله

لك المجد ثان في الأواخر مادحا

لك المجد ثان في الأواخر مادحا

To You belong praise and eternal laud, and all who are worthy of them.

Yours are praise and ancient laudation, and those who offer it;

Yours is glory, echoed among later times, praising.

Yours is glory; I repeat my praise at the end.

وليس سواك الله بالأواخر عالم

وليس سواك الله بالأواخر عالم

طلبت لفضلٍ منك للصدر شارحا

طلبت لفضلٍ منك للصدر شارحا

None but You, O God, knows the final things.

And none but You, Allah, knows the endings.

I sought from You, as a favor to me, one who would expand my breast,

I sought a bounty from You that opens the breast,

يكمّل ما أرجو ويكمل قصدنا

يكمّل ما أرجو ويكمل قصدنا

ويختم بالحسنى ويحسن فاصحا

ويختم بالحسنى ويحسن فاصحا

complete what I hope for, and fulfill our purpose,

Perfects what I hope for and fulfills our purpose,

bring matters to a beautiful close, and speak well and eloquently.

And ends with the best, doing good and speaking eloquently.

وصلِّ صلاةً لا لها الحدُّ ناهياً

وصلِّ صلاةً لا لها الحدُّ ناهياً

على من نهى حد الكمال ومانحا

على من نهى حد الكمال ومانحا

And bless him with a blessing whose bound has no end—

And send a blessing that no limit can end

him in whom perfection’s utmost bound culminated—and keep bestowing it.

Upon him who attained perfection's limit and is a giver.