ليس للاختيار ذرة فعل

كل فعل لخالق الاختيار

There is not an atom's weight of choice in my action;

Every action comes from the Creator of choice.

لو وكلنا إلى النفوس وما تخ

تار كان اختيارنا للبوار

If we were to entrust our souls and what they desire,

Our choice would be futility and loss.

خيرة اللّه بي أبر وأحفى

وإلى خيرتي انتساب خساري

God's choice for me is the most righteous and protective;

To claim my own choice is my ruin.

لو تلمحت حكمة اللّه فيما

تقتضيه الأقدار في الأطوار

If you could see the wisdom of God in what

Destiny ordains through the ages,

وتأملت لطفه في قضايا

برزت في قوالب الأضرار

And contemplate His kindness in decrees

That manifest in forms of harm,

شمت دون الحجاب أبهى جمال

يتجلى بأوجه الآثار

You would sense, without veil, a most radiant beauty

Revealed in aspects of effects.

ليس للعجز ذرة من محال

أين تدبير وصمة الافتقار

There is no atom of impossibility;

Where is managing the brand of need?

كيف يمشي تدبير فطرة ذل

إن يكن ضد مبرم الأقدار

How can the managing of innate disposition walk

If it opposes decided destiny?

أتراني أقضي وقد قضي الأم

ر كما شاءه خلاف اختياري

Do you see me decide when the matter is already

Decided as He willed, contrary to my choice?

أم ترى لي حولاً يقرر حكماً

وهو في علمه محال القرار

Or do you see me having power that establishes a judgment

While in His knowledge it is impossible to settle?

أم تراني مقدماً ما اقتضى تأ

خيره حكمه من الأوطار

Or do you see me putting forward what His delaying

Of His judgment from the times has required?

أم تراني إذا سخطت بلاء

شاءه لي صرفته باختياري

Or do you see me, if I dislike a tribulation

He has willed for me, diverting it by my choice?

أم ترى للوجود ذرة تأي

ر وهل للوجود من مقدار

Or do you see for existence an atom that stirs -

And does existence have a measure?

إن تحققته رسوماً وآثا

راً فما للرسوم والآثار

If you verify it has forms and effects,

Then what have forms and effects?

أو تيقنته فناء ومحوا

محيت عنك ظلمة الأغيار

Or if you ascertain it is perishing and vanishing,

I have erased from you the darkness of delusions.

أو تمثلته قوياً قويماً

فهباء في عاصفات الذواري

Or if you depict it as strong and upright,

It is mirage in the storms of deceits.

من رأى الليس لم يعاين سواه

في ضروب الايراد والأصدار

Whoever saw the nonexistent saw nothing but Him

In categories of bringing into being and originating.

دعه يرميك بالبلايا فما أق

رب رحماه من مقام اضطرار

Leave Him to pelt me with afflictions - for how nearby

Are His compassions from the position of distress!

دع حبيبي يسوق لي من بلايا

ه فما ضاق علمه بانكساري

Leave my Beloved to lead me with His afflictions -

For His knowledge is not straitened by my brokenness.

دع حبيبي يموه الحب بالص

د ويخفي الصفاء في الاكدار

Leave my Beloved to disguise love with harshness

And conceal sincerity in troubles.

علمه سابق واقداره تج

ري وألطافه بهن سواري

His knowledge precedes and His ordainments run their course,

His favors are my necklaces and bracelets.

فإلى أين نزوة لاعتراض

وإلى أين وجهة لفرار

To where, then, my inclination to object?

To where, then, my impulse to flee?