مُطَلسَمُ القومِ لا تُهمِلْ مَكانَتَهُ

فرُبَّ كنزٍ كَثيرِ الدُّرِّ مخْتومُ

The silent one of God's servants, though ignored, has esteem

Many a treasured pearl lies hidden in its shell

كم ساكِتٍ من عِبادِ اللهِ مهجَتُهُ

حَرَّاءَ والقلبُ بالأَشواقِ مَهْمومُ

How many a silent soul is anguished in its heart

Yet outwardly is barren, while its heart is full of longing

يريدُ ينطِقُ لم تحسُنْ عِبارَتُهُ

لكنْ بأَحوالِهِ المقْصودُ منْظومُ

It wants to speak but cannot find the words

Yet its state reveals the meaning it has formed

ما كلُّ ربُّ سُكوتٍ فيه معرفَةٌ

أو كلُّ صاحِبِ نُطْقٍ فيه تَرْنيمُ

Not every silent one has wisdom or every speaker, rhythm

Gifts are destined in the unseen though their forms

مواهِبٌ نُقِشتْ في الغيبِ مظهَرُها

لدى أَساطينِ علمِ الحالِ مَعْلومُ

Are known to the learned masters of spiritual states

One in spiritual bliss cannot hide it from all

مُطَمْطَمُ الحالِ لا يخفَى بصاحِبِهِ

كأنَّما وجهُهُ للنَّاسِ تَعْليمُ

As if his face reveals to all what’s meant

When the knower sees the ardent lover, he discerns

إذا رأى العارِفَ المُشتاقَ ميَّزَهُ

عن غيرِهِ وأَخو الأَشْواقِ مَوْسومُ

Him from the rest, for lovers bear a mark

As if his longing were inscribed upon his cheek

كأنَّما شوقُهُ في طيِّ مهجَتِهِ

سطرٌ على وجهِهِ يا صاحِ مَرْقومُ

O beloved companion, like lines etched in stone

Whoever meets the Master of States from afar

من صادَفَ الشَّيخَ ربَّ الحالِ وهو على

بعدٍ فذاكَ بعلمِ الغيبِ مُحْرومُ

Is deprived of the knowledge of the unseen

The state diffuses its fragrance through its bearer

الحالُ يعبُقُ مِسكاً ضمنَ حامِلِهِ

وكيف ينشَقُ ريحَ المِسكِ مَزْكومُ

How can the scent of musk be concealed in its pod?

Thanks be to God whose skirt is perfumed with passion

الحمد للهِ ذَيْلي بالغَرامِ طَمَى

شُمُّوهُ فهو لأهلِ الحالِ مَشْمومُ

Let those of spiritual states inhale this fragrance

The cure for the poison of vain desires is its scent

تِرياقُ سمِّ الأَماني شَمُّ نفحَتِهِ

كم منه نالَ الشِّفاءَ المَحْضَ مَسْمومُ

How many have found through it perfect remedy for poison

When I am mentioned, tremble, for I know you, my people

إذا ذُكِرْتُ اطْرَبوا إِنِّي لأَعرَفُكُمْ

باللهِ قلباً وإن شارَفْتُكُمْ قوموا

In spirit, though you have drawn close to me in body

Yearning for God has effaced all else from my heart

الشَّوقُ للهِ فَني من مُطارَحَتي

به القُلُوبُ لها في السَّيرِ تَقْويمُ

Through it hearts find rectitude in conduct

Take my system as means to elevate your resolve

خُذوا نِظامي مِعراجاً لهِمَّتِكُم

إِنْ راحَ يُتلى وفي مضمونِهِ هِيموا

When recited its content makes sense

Rise, my companions in spiritual state, and follow my trace

قوموا أُصيْحابَ حالي واتْبعوا أثري

فإنَّما صاحِبُ المَرْحومِ مَرْحومُ

For the companion of the Beloved is also beloved

Veil your secrets, courtesy demands, O wise ones

واسْتكْتِموا سِرَّكم أَلبابَكُمْ أَدَباً

فسِرُّ أهلِ الغرامِ الحَقِّ مَكْتومُ

The secret of the passionates is a guarded trust

And of the Eternal, forever take refuge in piety

وللقديمِ فَطيروا بالتُّقى أبَداً

غيرُ القَديمِ ألا يا قومُ مَعْدومُ

Other than the Eternal, know, my people, is doomed

A truth confronted by falsehood, a guiding light

حقٌّ يُقابِلُهُ زورٌ وعينُ هُدًى

تجاهَها خَبَرٌ بالرَّأْيِ مَهْمومُ

Facing an opinion steeped in gloomy cares

Resist misfortunes from your path, flow past them

فاطْووا الحَوادِثَ طَيًّا عن مناهِجِكَمْ

وسَلِّموا فنَجاحُ العبدِ تَسْليمُ

And surrender, for the servant's success is in submission

These are the ranks of the lovers that I have pronounced

تلكَ المَراتِبُ للأَحبابِ قد ذُكِرَتْ

وسيرَةُ الأَمرِ منْطوقٌ ومَفْهومُ

My discourse being clear, explicitly and implicitly

Take the meanings, walk in our truths

خُذوا المَعاني وسِيروا في حَقائقِنا

واسْتكشِفوا سِرَّ ما تَطوي الحَواميمُ

And discover what the doves conceal in their cooing