Sol 5.6

  1. Truly, forms of knowledge are snares for hearts,

    and the radiance of intellects, without a gift, is dim.

  2. Good fortune precedes acquisition in attaining them,

    and acquisition, in true realization, is an arriving gift.

  3. When truths are veiled from an intellect,

    dense passions lie stagnant within it.

  4. The purity of detachment brings serenity,

    and purity of souls is the clear-sighted, discerning judge.

  5. When hearts are purified of passion,

    the secrets of unseen realms become visible to them.

  6. The radiance of inner sight can be apprehended if it is sustained

    by a blazing light from the sea of God's light.

  7. Whenever the rays stream in succession and shine clear,

    then aim straight: within you, on your path, is a guide.

  8. Even at your perfection, acknowledge imperfection; do not

    let your delusion and corrupt imagination deceive you.

  9. At every watch-post, some trait of yours is a highwayman,

    and your passion bars you from the watering places;

  10. upon the stages amid the ascents, it repels you

    unless you have a helper in your rising.

  11. Have you not received knowledge of felicity,

    and a witness from the outpouring of knowledge,

  12. through the perfect printing of prophetic pages—

    wellsprings of sacred law for guiding souls?

  13. Captivating maidens adorn their margins—

    by God, what maidens lie behind the veil!

  14. From their light they inspire guidance in the heart,

    and the Prophet's guidance is the blazing radiance.

  15. Within them are lamps for one seeking knowledge,

    landmarks, stations, and aims;

  16. forms of knowledge and outpouring subtleties;

    holy manifestations and unveiled visions.

  17. Through them hearts live and yearn for right guidance,

    and everything hearts desire has its proofs.

  18. Radiant, its words scatter jewels

    and precious, peerless treasures of knowledge.

  19. Ibn Ibrahim stood amazed at its arrangement;

    in honor of it, the radiant stars bow in prostration.

  20. A text for which the sun would wish to fashion

    a crown, with the stars as necklaces.

  21. Beautiful: through it the beauties of Joseph shine,

    and before Joseph's beauty every beauty bows.

  22. Blessed is our truth-upholding community; indeed, he is

    an excellent imam—our imam and leader.

  23. It routed its opponents with guidance and breached their defenses;

    likewise, the upholder of truth goes beyond the truths.

  24. Truth rises, and the divinely aided is victorious;

    the champion overwhelms, while the fabricator is false.

  25. Or do you not see decisive discourse delivered with wisdom,

    where truth has both sources and watering places?

  26. Or do you not see a luminous precinct, whose great tree

    holds arenas for the knights of knowledge?

  27. Success sprouts upon the heights of its pages;

    one water waters both it and the Qur'an.

  28. The elusive rarities of every field of knowledge graze in its court—

    —yard; for whoever seeks them, they are snares.

  29. O Muhammad, you prepared the law of Muhammad—

    an excellent resting place for us, and excellent its preparer.

  30. You spread a marginal commentary and filled its copious flow

    with pearls—and those pearls are an enduring treasure.

  31. Felicity has indeed become complete, and pros—

    —perity has shone forth, while the envious foe shrank away.

  32. The radiant brows of glad tidings glittered when

    necklaces were strung for its precious jewel.

  33. Its perfection lies in its printing, while its full perfection

    contains points of attachment for perfection's highest reaches.

  34. And here comes my chronogram: “Study the Arrangement,” or

    “A moon appeared, wherein the sacred law has aims”;

  35. or, if you wish, “Manifest righteousness” is its chronogram;

    or say: “The marginalia of Hadith are peerless gems.”

Sol 5.6