إذا كان عين الحب ما ينتج الحب

فما ثَم من يهوى ولا مَن له حُبُّ

If the spring of love does not produce love,

Then there is no one who loves, and no one has love.

فإن التباسَ الأمر في ذاك بين

وقد ينتج البغضاءَ ما ينتج الحبُّ

For confusion reigns in this matter between us,

And it may produce hatred just as it produces love.

ولكنه معنى لطيفٌ محققٌ

يقوم بسرِّ العبد يجهله القلبُ

Yet there is a subtle, profound meaning

That governs man's inner self, unknown to the heart.

لأنَّ له التقليب في كلِّ حالة

به فتراه حيثُ يحمله الركبُ

For it has power over every condition;

Through it you see love wherever company gathers.

وذو الحب لم يبرحْ مع الحب ثابتاً

على كلِّ حال يرتضيها له الحب

The lover never ceases to remain with love, steadfast

In every condition that love consents to.

فإنْ كان في وصل فذاك مرادُه

وإنْ كان في هجر فنارُ الهوى تخبو

If he is united, that is what he desires;

If separated, the fires of passion smoulder within.

شكورٌ لما يهواه منه حبيبُه

فليس له بُعدٌ وليس له قُربُ

Grateful for whatever his beloved wills for him,

He has no distance, no nearness.

ولكنه يهوى التقرُّبَ للذي

أتته به الآمالُ إذ تُسدل الحُجب

Rather, he yearns for the chance

To draw near the one veiled hopes have promised.

فيهوى شهودَ العين في كل نظرة

وما هو مستورٌ ويجهله الصَّب

So he loves to behold with his eyes in every glance,

Though the view remains hidden from the young man.

فلو ذاقه علماً به وعلامة

له فيه لم يبرح له الأكلُ والشُّرب

If he had tasted it in knowledge and token of him

He would never have ceased eating and drinking.

ولكنه بالجهلِ خابت ظنونُه

فليس له فيما أفوه به شرب

But in ignorance his hopes were dashed,

And he found no drink in what his words proclaimed.

فيطلبه من خارج وهو ذاته

وينتظر الإتيان إنْ جادتِ السُّحبُ

So he seeks it from without though it is his essence,

And awaits its coming if the clouds should rain.

فلا خارجٌ عني ولا فيّ داخل

كذاتي من ذاتي كذا حكمه فاصبوا

Yet there is no outside or inside apart from me,

Such is my ruling over my essence. So take

إليه فلا علم سوى ما ذكرته

ولكنَّ صغير القومِ في بيته يحبو

Your complaints only to God, for there is no knowledge

Beyond what I have uttered, though the little one loves his home.

فلو كان يمشي في الأمور منفذاً

لما كان يعميه عن إدراكه الذَّنب

If he walked the path of Mysteries penetrated,

He would not be blinded to apprehending his sin.