أصبحت لا بُدَّ لي أن أنفُثَ الصَّدرا

أصبحت لا بُدَّ لي أن أنفُثَ الصَّدرا

بنفثةٍ تبهج الأشعارَ للشُّعَرا

بنفثةٍ تبهج الأشعارَ للشُّعَرا

This morning I must unburden my breast

I have come to where I must sigh from my chest

with a breath that enlivens verse for poets.

A sigh that delights poetry for poets

أصبحتُ لا بُدَّ لي من نفثَة وبها

أصبحتُ لا بُدَّ لي من نفثَة وبها

أُحَصْحِصُ الحقَّ عن مكنون ما سُتِرا

أُحَصْحِصُ الحقَّ عن مكنون ما سُتِرا

This morning I must give an outpouring, and through it

I have come to where I must sigh, and with it

bring truth to light from the hidden contents of what was veiled.

I rattle out the truth from what was concealed

أصبحتُ لا بدَّ لي من نَفْثَتَينِ ولا

أصبحتُ لا بدَّ لي من نَفْثَتَينِ ولا

مني أرى لهما الإبهام منتظرا

مني أرى لهما الإبهام منتظرا

This morning I must give two outpourings, and I do not

I have come to where I must have two sighs, though

expect any obscurity in them to come from me.

I see no hesitation from them in wait

أصبحت لا أرض لي ولا سماءَ تُرى

أصبحت لا أرض لي ولا سماءَ تُرى

غير الذي من هوى ميمون مُنتَثِرا

غير الذي من هوى ميمون مُنتَثِرا

This morning I have no earth, nor any sky to be seen,

I have come where I see neither land nor sky

save what is scattered from love of Maymun.

Other than what from passionate love is scattered

وَقِلْتُ لا جِسم لي ولا فؤادَ سوى

وَقِلْتُ لا جِسم لي ولا فؤادَ سوى

ما من هواي لميمونَ الذي اشتهرا

ما من هواي لميمونَ الذي اشتهرا

At midday I have no body and no heart except

And I said, I have no body or heart but

what has become known of my love for Maymun.

What from my passion, memorable, spread

وَقِلْتُ قلبيَ فارغاً وليس له

وَقِلْتُ قلبيَ فارغاً وليس له

غيرٌ عدا ذِكْرِهِ ميمونَ منتشرا

غيرٌ عدا ذِكْرِهِ ميمونَ منتشرا

At midday my heart is empty, and it holds

And I said, my heart is empty and has

nothing besides its remembrance of Maymun, spreading abroad.

Nothing but the mention of memorable dispersed

ورُحتُ لا سرَّ لي والقلب لي خلا

ورُحتُ لا سرَّ لي والقلب لي خلا

خلا إذا ذُكِرَتْ ميمونَ يدّكِرا

خلا إذا ذُكِرَتْ ميمونَ يدّكِرا

At evening I have no secret, and my heart is empty,

And I went, I have no secret and my heart is empty

save that, whenever Maymun is mentioned, it remembers.

Empty but when memorable is remembered

ورُحتُ حيران لا أدري الأنام ولا

ورُحتُ حيران لا أدري الأنام ولا

شُغلاً لها غير ميمون الذي انتظرا

شُغلاً لها غير ميمون الذي انتظرا

At evening I am bewildered: I know not humankind, nor

And I went confused, not knowing people or

any concern for my soul but Maymun, whom it awaited.

Concern for them other than memorable I awaited

وبتُّ غير معَاهِدٍ لها حُصرت

وبتُّ غير معَاهِدٍ لها حُصرت

ذكر المَعَاهِدِ عندي حُسنُه حُصرا

ذكر المَعَاهِدِ عندي حُسنُه حُصرا

At night, no haunts but hers remain within my thoughts;

And I stayed not abiding by them, though confined

the beauty of remembering those haunts alone engrosses me.

Remembrance of the abided in me confined

وبتُّ غير الذي من حُسنها نَظَرَتْ

وبتُّ غير الذي من حُسنها نَظَرَتْ

نفسي فلا غيرَها نفسي له نَظَرا

نفسي فلا غيرَها نفسي له نَظَرا

At night, nothing but what of her beauty was beheld

And I stayed not looking at the beauty of any but her

by my soul; my soul cast no glance toward anyone else.

So none but her does my soul look to

وسائلي عنه لا تسمع سواي ولا

وسائلي عنه لا تسمع سواي ولا

فليس يُسمع قولٌ غير ما اختبرا

فليس يُسمع قولٌ غير ما اختبرا

And you who ask me about it, listen to none but me;

And I asked about him, none hear but I

no utterance should be heard but what has been proved.

So no words are heard but what I tested

هي الشفاء ولا مِثْلٌ لها بَصُرت

هي الشفاء ولا مِثْلٌ لها بَصُرت

عيني ولا دهرنا غيري له بصُرا

عيني ولا دهرنا غيري له بصُرا

She is the cure; no equal to her has been seen

She is the cure and none compare, I saw

by my eyes; none but me in our age has had such vision.

With my eyes, and none in our time saw but me

هي الشفاء ذكاءً والجمال بهِ

هي الشفاء ذكاءً والجمال بهِ

ضاهت شموس الضحى وفاقت القمرا

ضاهت شموس الضحى وفاقت القمرا

She is healing in her brilliance; in beauty

She is the cure, brilliant, and the beauty in her

she rivaled the suns of forenoon and surpassed the moon.

Equaled the dawn suns and surpassed the moon

هي التي أخذت قلبي حقيقتها

هي التي أخذت قلبي حقيقتها

غَزْلي بها ليس من مجازِ مَن شَعرَا

غَزْلي بها ليس من مجازِ مَن شَعرَا

She is the one whose reality has captured my heart;

She who took my heart in truth, she

my love verse about her is no poet's metaphor.

My passion for her is no metaphor by one who composed poetry

تلوحُ ليلاً على صبح تُقِلّهما

تلوحُ ليلاً على صبح تُقِلّهما

غصنا لها خاتمٌ تفترُّه دُررا

غصنا لها خاتمٌ تفترُّه دُررا

She gleams—a night above a dawn—both borne

She gleams at night over a dawn she eclipses

by two boughs of hers; a seal she parts reveals pearls.

A branch for her, a ring scattering pearls

لها مُحيّاً به جثمانها نُصرت

لها مُحيّاً به جثمانها نُصرت

وقيهلٌ جثَّةٌ لها بها نُصرا

وقيهلٌ جثَّةٌ لها بها نُصرا

She has a countenance by which her body is upheld,

With life for her, her body victorious

and a massive frame of hers by which it, too, is upheld.

And a sword, a dead body for her, with it victorious

خودٌ وممكورة وغادة مكرت

خودٌ وممكورة وغادة مكرت

قلبي بحبٍّ لها وغيرها مُكرا

قلبي بحبٍّ لها وغيرها مُكرا

A youthful maiden, shapely and tender, she beguiled

Alluring and curled, returning, schemed

my heart with love for her; all others were beguiled.

My heart with love for her, not for others schemed

هِرْكَوْلَةٌ ورداح طَفْلَةٌ صدرت

هِرْكَوْلَةٌ ورداح طَفْلَةٌ صدرت

جسمي وروداً بحبٍّ لا يُرى صَدَرَا

جسمي وروداً بحبٍّ لا يُرى صَدَرَا

Full-hipped, ample-bottomed, tender, she sent

Rebellious and playful, flirtatious

my body forth to drink of love, with no return in sight.

My body and flowers in love not obviously showed

رعبوبة وخبنداةٌ خدلّجةٌ

رعبوبة وخبنداةٌ خدلّجةٌ

هيفاء مقبلةٌ عجزاء مدَّبرا

هيفاء مقبلةٌ عجزاء مدَّبرا

Fair and tender, fully formed, with plump limbs,

Terrified and sly, charming

slim-waisted as she approaches, full-bottomed as she turns away.

Beautiful, passionate, incapable, shrewd

أُملودُ عطبولة رأدٌ بَرَهرَهَةٌ

أُملودُ عطبولة رأدٌ بَرَهرَهَةٌ

غيداء بهنانةٌ خريدة خفرا

غيداء بهنانةٌ خريدة خفرا

Supple, long-necked, tender, fair and soft-skinned,

Singing, coquettish, agreeable, exquisite

gracefully swaying, sweet-scented, a bashful, modest maiden.

Laughing, affectionate, guarding

نوارُ غانيةٌ عَرُوبة نثرتْ

نوارُ غانيةٌ عَرُوبة نثرتْ

وُدَّاً لقلبي به عن غيرها نُثرا

وُدَّاً لقلبي به عن غيرها نُثرا

Chaste, naturally beautiful, affectionate, she scattered

Light, melodious, she scattered

love upon my heart, by which all others were cast aside.

Passion in my heart for her not for others strewed

أصبحتُ لولا شهودِ من لها خَلَقا

أصبحتُ لولا شهودِ من لها خَلَقا

وصوَّر الخلقَ منها تاركاً صُورا

وصوَّر الخلقَ منها تاركاً صُورا

I would have remained thus this morning, but for beholding Him who created her

I would have, had I not seen the witness of her creation

and fashioned creation from her, leaving forms behind.

And pictured creation from her, leaving forms

ربِّي جليلٌ جميلٌ قدرُهُ عظُما

ربِّي جليلٌ جميلٌ قدرُهُ عظُما

عن أن يُقَدَّر وهو قدَّر القَدَرا

عن أن يُقَدَّر وهو قدَّر القَدَرا

My Lord is majestic and beautiful; His greatness is too vast

My Lord is majestic, beautiful, his decree great

to be measured, though He has decreed destiny.

Too great to decree when He decreed fate

الله جلَّ جلالاً في الجمال وفي

الله جلَّ جلالاً في الجمال وفي

جلاله من عظيم الوصف ما غَمَرَا

جلاله من عظيم الوصف ما غَمَرَا

God is supremely majestic in beauty, and in

God, majestic in beauty and in

His majesty lies an overwhelming grandeur of attributes.

His majesty from the greatest traits immersed

وانظر إلى وصفه ترى الصِّفات سوى

وانظر إلى وصفه ترى الصِّفات سوى

صفاته لَنْ تُرى نظْراً لمن نظرا

صفاته لَنْ تُرى نظْراً لمن نظرا

Look upon His attributes: you will see that qualities other than

And see His traits, you’ll see no traits but

His own will never be seen by any beholder.

His traits, in truth, if looked at, seen

وكيف يظهر وصفٌ غيره معه

وكيف يظهر وصفٌ غيره معه

والغيرُ مع وصفه في الحقِّ ما ظهرا

والغيرُ مع وصفه في الحقِّ ما ظهرا

How can a quality other than His appear with Him,

How can any trait appear but Him

when, in truth, no other has appeared beside His attributes?

When the other with his trait, in truth, unseen?

وكيف وهو الذي في كثرة أحدٌ

وكيف وهو الذي في كثرة أحدٌ

وظاهرٌ باطنٌ في كلِّ ما كثُرا

وظاهرٌ باطنٌ في كلِّ ما كثُرا

And how, when He is One amid multiplicity,

How, when He who in abundance is one

manifest and hidden in all that is manifold?

Apparent, esoteric in all things abundant?

وكيف وهو الذي في وَحْدَةٍ خَلَقا

وكيف وهو الذي في وَحْدَةٍ خَلَقا

مَنَّا ومن غيرنا الجَلِيْ وما استترا

مَنَّا ومن غيرنا الجَلِيْ وما استترا

And how, when He, in oneness, created

How, when He who in oneness created

among us and others, the manifest and the concealed?

Us and others, manifest or veiled?

فهو الذي يَعلَمُ الذي يكون وما

فهو الذي يَعلَمُ الذي يكون وما

قدْ كان في أَزَلٍ جمعاً وما انتثرا

قدْ كان في أَزَلٍ جمعاً وما انتثرا

For He is the One who knows what shall be and what

His existence was not with existence, nor

has been, from eternity, gathered together and scattered.

Will any deny that but disbelievers

وهو المريد الذي له إرادته

وهو المريد الذي له إرادته

وقادرٌ وعلى إرادة قَدَرا

وقادرٌ وعلى إرادة قَدَرا

And He is the One who wills, whose will is His own,

Whence Him, who alone disposes

and powerful, exercising power according to His will.

Acts, would He see an act, ordered it?

له الكلامُ له الحياة مستمعاً

له الكلامُ له الحياة مستمعاً

باقٍ قديماً بصيراً يبصر البَصَرا

باقٍ قديماً بصيراً يبصر البَصَرا

Speech is His, life is His; He hears,

So commanders and all ordered

everlasting, beginningless, all-seeing: He sees sight itself.

And prohibited, all by Him ordered

له الإنيَّة والهُويَّة القَدِمَا

له الإنيَّة والهُويَّة القَدِمَا

ولفظ أنت له عن كل ما ذُكرا

ولفظ أنت له عن كل ما ذُكرا

His are being and identity, both beginningless,

Gives abundantly with no favor or cause

and the word 'You' is His, beyond all that has been mentioned.

Thanking Him a harbinger of increase for the thankful

وُجُودُهُ لم يكن معه الوجود ولا

وُجُودُهُ لم يكن معه الوجود ولا

وليس ينكِرُ ذاك غيرُ مَن كَفَرا

وليس ينكِرُ ذاك غيرُ مَن كَفَرا

His existence had no other existence alongside it;

So the throne and carpet and the angel who carried

and none denies that except one who disbelieves.

Are His who made them secretly and openly

من أين وهو الذي التصرف لا

من أين وهو الذي التصرف لا

سواه يفعل أمراً لو يرى أَمَرا

سواه يفعل أمراً لو يرى أَمَرا

Whence could it come, when He governs, and no one

Encompassed knowledge and enumerated the number

besides Him performs an act, should one perceive an act?

Of all that was or will be or has passed

فالآمرون وكل من يُرَوا أمروا

فالآمرون وكل من يُرَوا أمروا

ومن نَهَوا كُلُّهُم أمرٌ له أُمَرَا

ومن نَهَوا كُلُّهُم أمرٌ له أُمَرَا

So those who command, and all seen issuing commands,

Waters hearts a drink from Him of gnosis

and those who forbid—all are His command, His commanders.

Healing their secrets though succinct

يُعطي الجَزيلَ بلا مَنٍّ ولا سَبَبٍ

يُعطي الجَزيلَ بلا مَنٍّ ولا سَبَبٍ

وشكرُهُ مُؤذنٌ زيداً لمن شَكرا

وشكرُهُ مُؤذنٌ زيداً لمن شَكرا

He gives abundance without reproach or cause;

Waters them from cups of love a drink

giving thanks to Him heralds increase for whoever gives thanks.

Bewitching reason with knowing, brewing

فالعَرشُ والفَرشُ والمَلَكُ الذي حملوا

فالعَرشُ والفَرشُ والمَلَكُ الذي حملوا

له الذي منهُمُ سرّاً وما جَهَرا

له الذي منهُمُ سرّاً وما جَهَرا

So the Throne, the earth below, and the angels who bear it—

If He unveils Himself to hearts, brewing in them

His is whatever among them is secret and whatever is manifest.

Love forgetting wine’s love, brewed

أحاط علماً وأحصى علمه عدداً

أحاط علماً وأحصى علمه عدداً

كُلَّ الذي كان شيئاً أو يكون جرى

كُلَّ الذي كان شيئاً أو يكون جرى

He encompasses all in knowledge; His knowledge has numbered

Sweeter and purer than musk and honey

everything that has existed or shall come to pass.

Forgetting singers, were they present

يسقي القلوبَ رحيقاً منه معرفةً

يسقي القلوبَ رحيقاً منه معرفةً

يشفي سرائرَهُم تكون مبتَصِرا

يشفي سرائرَهُم تكون مبتَصِرا

He gives hearts nectar from Himself to drink: knowledge.

Clearer and more manifest than the dawn sun with what

He heals their inmost selves, so that you become clear-sighted.

He unveiled without veils from your moonlike eye

يسقيهمُ من كؤوس الحب أشربةً

يسقيهمُ من كؤوس الحب أشربةً

تُخامر العقلَ بالعرفانِ تختمرا

تُخامر العقلَ بالعرفانِ تختمرا

He gives them draughts from cups of love

If beauty knew who saw beauty

that intoxicate the mind, fermenting through gnosis.

God’s making forgot what’s seen and known

إذا تجلَّى على القلوب خامرها

إذا تجلَّى على القلوب خامرها

وُدٌ ينَسِّي وداد الخمر ما اختمرا

وُدٌ ينَسِّي وداد الخمر ما اختمرا

When He manifests Himself to hearts, they are suffused

Or if the name of singers, if known

with love that makes them forget fondness for fermented wine.

Their names forgot what commemorated

أحلى وأطيبُ من مسكٍ ومن عَسَلٍ

أحلى وأطيبُ من مسكٍ ومن عَسَلٍ

يُنسي الغواني على الفتيان لو حضرا

يُنسي الغواني على الفتيان لو حضرا

Sweeter and more fragrant than musk and honey,

Glory to the Maker of glory

it makes young men forget fair women, were it present.

And what is seen melting, was and scattered

أجلى وأظهرُ من شمس الضُّحى وبما

أجلى وأظهرُ من شمس الضُّحى وبما

جَلَى بلا حُجُبٍ من عينك القمرا

جَلَى بلا حُجُبٍ من عينك القمرا

Clearer and more manifest than the forenoon sun; through it,

Glory to the Maker of what has life and what

the moon is swept from your sight without a veil.

Has death and what the Resurrection will gather

لوكان للحُسنِ يدري من رأى الحسنا

لوكان للحُسنِ يدري من رأى الحسنا

أنساه صنعُ الإله ما يرى ودرى

أنساه صنعُ الإله ما يرى ودرى

If one who saw beauty had knowledge of beauty,

Glory to Maker of this world and its

God's handiwork would make him forget what he sees and knows.

Affliction, grantor of good, repeller of harm

أو كان اسم الغواني من درى وسما

أو كان اسم الغواني من درى وسما

أسماءه لنسى منهنَّ ما ادَّكرا

أسماءه لنسى منهنَّ ما ادَّكرا

Or had one who knew the name of fair women uttered

Glory to Him, transcendent above likeness

His names, he would have forgotten whatever of them he remembered.

God transcended being compared to mortals

سبحان مبدع ما يكون من جمدٍ

سبحان مبدع ما يكون من جمدٍ

وما يُرى ذَوَباناً كان وانتشرا

وما يُرى ذَوَباناً كان وانتشرا

Glory to the Originator of all that is solid,

God transcended any traits of people and

and all that appears molten, existing and spreading.

Grasping by minds and what in hearts occurred

سبحان مبدع ما فيه الحياة وما

سبحان مبدع ما فيه الحياة وما

فيه المماتُ وما في الحشرِ محتشرا

فيه المماتُ وما في الحشرِ محتشرا

Glory to the Originator of all that holds life, and all

God transcended comprehension of the rational

that holds death, and all assembled at the Resurrection.

God greatest beyond comprehension of what's pondered

سبحان مبدعِ ذي الدنيا وضرَّتِها

سبحان مبدعِ ذي الدنيا وضرَّتِها

وواهبٍ خيرَهُ ودافعٍ ضَررا

وواهبٍ خيرَهُ ودافعٍ ضَررا

Glory to the Originator of this world and its co-wife,

God in secrets and openly transcended

and the Bestower of His goodness and the Repeller of harm.

Being matched to what's seen or awaited

سبحانه ومنَزَّهٌ عن المثل

سبحانه ومنَزَّهٌ عن المثل

تنَزَّهَ الله أن يماثل البَشرا

تنَزَّهَ الله أن يماثل البَشرا

Glory be to Him, and He is above all likeness.

I praise Him as revealed in scriptures

God is far above resembling humankind.

And beyond scriptures and angels stored

تنَزَّه الله عن شبه الأنامِ وعن

تنَزَّه الله عن شبه الأنامِ وعن

دَرْكِ العُقُولِ وما في القلب قد خطرا

دَرْكِ العُقُولِ وما في القلب قد خطرا

God is beyond resemblance to creatures and beyond

I praise Him by every name of His and what

the reach of minds and whatever has crossed the heart.

Described Him in endless praise

تنَزَّه الله عن إدراكِ مُعتَبِرٍ

تنَزَّه الله عن إدراكِ مُعتَبِرٍ

اللهُ أعظمُ من دَرْكٍ لما اعتبرا

اللهُ أعظمُ من دَرْكٍ لما اعتبرا

God transcends the understanding of anyone who reflects;

I praise Him, cannot quantify praise as

God is greater than anything reflection can comprehend.

By Himself praised, All Powerful

تنَزَّه الله في الأسرار والعَلَنِ

تنَزَّه الله في الأسرار والعَلَنِ

عن أن يضاهَى بما يُرى ويُنتَظرا

عن أن يضاهَى بما يُرى ويُنتَظرا

God is transcendent in secret and in the open,

And by traits and names seek only Him

beyond being matched by anything seen or awaited.

All my seeking to perfect if good

أُثني عليه بما قد جاء في الكُتُبِ

أُثني عليه بما قد جاء في الكُتُبِ

وما عن الكُتْب والأملاك مُدَّخرا

وما عن الكُتْب والأملاك مُدَّخرا

I praise Him with what has come in the Scriptures,

and with what is kept hidden from the books and the angels.

أُثني عليه بكل اسمٍ له وبما

أُثني عليه بكل اسمٍ له وبما

من وصفه بثناءٍ ليس منحَصِرا

من وصفه بثناءٍ ليس منحَصِرا

I praise Him with every name of His, and with what

is of His attributes, in praise without bounds.

أُثني عليه ولا أُحصي الثناء كما

أُثني عليه ولا أُحصي الثناء كما

بنفسه قد ثنى عليه مُقتَدِرا

بنفسه قد ثنى عليه مُقتَدِرا

I praise Him, but cannot recount praise as fully as

He Himself has praised Himself, all-powerful.

ومنه بالوصف والأسماء أطلبه

ومنه بالوصف والأسماء أطلبه

مطالبي كلها تكمل تكن خِيَرا

مطالبي كلها تكمل تكن خِيَرا

And from Him, through His attributes and names, I seek Him:

may all my requests be fulfilled and turn to good.