في مهمه قطع السُّرى أنياطها

قطعاً وزادهم العِيان مضلالا

In the task of cutting the bonds of fate

Cutting them while sight led them astray

فإذا ظفرت به فلست بظافرٍ

وتقول فيما تدعيه محالا

If I triumph over it, I am no conqueror

And you say about what you claim is impossible

من يدَّعي علمَ الصفاتِ فإنه

لا يعرفُ الإدبار والإقبالا

He who claims knowledge of the divine attributes

Does not know recession and advance

من يدَّعي التصريف في أحكامه

قد ظنَّ ظَناً أنَّ فيه مُحالا

He who claims authority over its rulings

Has surely thought a thought that's impossible

هيهاتِ كيفَ ومن يكيف ذاته

فهو الذي يغتالُ اين اغتالا

Alas! How and who can define His essence?

He who in ambush lay, where did He lie in wait?

لما رأيتُ وجودَه من خلقه

نوراً وأنصبه الكيانُ ظِلالا

When I saw that His existence flowed from His creation

As light, and existence cast shadows

أيقنت أن الأمر فيه تحيُّر

عند اللبيبِ يهيج البَلبَالا

I was sure that the matter bewildered

The keen mind, stirring up turbulence

ويقول أهل الكشف فيه بأنه

تفصيله لا يقبلُ الإجمالا

The gnostics say about it that

Its details brook no summary

ولذاك أنزلهم وهم في ملكه

دون الملوك أئمة أقيالا

And so He has sent them, while they rule in His kingdom

Below the Kings, leaders of the unruly

يدعون في لحن الشريعةِ والهدى

بالوارثين الكل الرسالا

Calling in the melody of the Law and guidance

With heirs and envoys altogether

فهمُ بأرجاءِ الوجودِ مذانب

وجعافر قد أرسلوا إرسالا

They are, in the regions of existence, disputants

And victors, who have unleashed conquest

ولو أنهم في كلِّ علمٍ جامعٍ

قد جرروا عجباً به أذيالا

Had they comprehended every science

Trailing wonders, astounding wonders

الله كرَّمهم بعلمِ وجودِه

وسقاهمُ كاسَ العلومِ زُلالا

God honored them with knowledge of His existence

And gave them to drink from the cup of sciences pure