صفا شهد ذوقي من ممازجة الهوى

علا شان قدري بالغنا عن العلى

My joy experienced the taste of passion through love's communion

My status was exalted by singing of the Sublime

رفعت هموم النايبات بسلوة

حسبت حلول الآتيات كما مضى

I relieved the griefs of the wailers with tranquility

I anticipated the coming joys as past ones went

تمسك ذيل الصبر عظم كربتي

فما هو أردى من معاشرة الردى

I held onto the tail of patience - so great is my affliction

For nothing is more calamitous than associating with the wicked

قبول رضاء الخلق غير خلقتي

فويلٌ لمن يمضي له العمر في الريا

To accept people's approval unlike my nature

Woe to him who spends his life in vanity

لكل من الجُساد نبل مفوقٍ

من اللوم في الأفعال يرمون من يرى

Each physique has a sublime innate disposition

From blame of deeds they cast aspersions on the observer

كنفت جوار الاختفا مخافةً

لعلي ينجيني مظاهرة الخفى

I concealed my companionship fearing

Perhaps my Lord will save me from exposing the hidden

خفيت عن العذال في كهف عزلتي

هديت إلى الحصن الحصين من العدى

I hid from the blamers in the cave of my isolation

I was guided to the mighty fortress from harm

إهانة عذل العاذلين مصيبةً

بشرط وجود الاعتبار على الفتى

Blaming the chaste is a misfortune

Given the presence of discretion in the youth

خلعت لباس الاعتبار لأنه

مهتك أستار السلامة في الملى

I discarded the dress of propriety for it

Violates the curtains of security in the abode

لذيذ على قلبي مرارة محنتي

كنشاة صهباء الصبابة في الصبا

Sweet to my heart is the bitterness of my affliction

Like a fair cup of wine in youth

سلوك طريق العقل زاد تخيري

بد العشق بدلت الضلاله بالهدى

Walking the path of reason augmented my discernment

Passion supplanted error with guidance

شربت رحيقاً من آناء محبةٍ

ولا عدت أدرى ما للانا ومن أنا

I drank a draft from the vessel of a beloved's affection

And ceased knowing what is "I" and who "I" am

كسبت سرور الاحتمال لرفعه

ونلت بقاء ليس يدركه الفنى

I earned the joy of endurance to uplift

And attained an eternal existence the artist cannot grasp

هويت حبيبا قد سما الغصن قامة

ووجهاً يفوق البدر في أفق السما

I fell for a beloved whose branch stature has risen

And a face surpassing the full moon in the sky's horizon

حبيبٌ تولى في ولاية مهجتي

مودته عادا تودد ما عدى

A beloved who assumed authority in the realm of my passion

His friendship countered the affection of others

مفصل اجمال الكمال جماله

متره حسن عن سوية ما سوى

The exemplar of perfect beauty is his beauty

Its gauge is the goodness of all besides him

عوالم حالات المحبة صنعه ومنه

وجود الوجد والشوق في الحشا

He originated and possesses the worlds of love's conditions

And the existence of ecstasy and longing in the soul

ترى بعد إظهار المآثر نوره

على عرش قلبي قد تمكن واستوى

You see after revealing his lights upon

The throne of my heart he settled and presided

جبين كسلطان تملك خده

له حاجب منه الردود لمن أبى

Like a sultan ruling, his cheek possesses

For him eyebrows that ward off dissidents

حواجبه المحراب فيه حضيرة

لجمع المصلى والإجابة للدعا

His eyebrows are the prayer niche in which is the precinct

For gathering worshippers and answering supplications

يا أم صفوف الجفن فتره لحظه

ينادي بلال الحلال حي على المصلا

O mother of eyelid rows give him a glance for a moment

Bilal of the lawful calls "Come to the ritual prayer"

من الصفو عكسٌ عن سواد قد يدتي

على خده حين التشهد قد بدا

From his radiance an image opposite his cheek's blackness

During the testification has appeared

راوه بديعاً في الجمال تنازعوا

لتحقيقة أهل الفراسة والذكا

They disputed his wondrous beauty

To verify him, the discerning and wise

لقدر عموه البعض خال عدوه

على أعين العشاق غم به اليها

Some denied the existence of his mole

Causing distress to the eyes of lovers thereby

بنقطة لفظ الخد شبه بعضهم

لصحة حسن الخط من قلم القضا

With the phrase "cheek mole" some likened

To verify the goodness of the writing, the pen of destiny

قضيبٌ نشا فى دوحة الروح قده

ومن ماء دمع العاشقين رأى النما

A twig sprouted in the soul's parchment, his mole

And from lovers' teardrops it came into existence

سعيت بطول العمر حول حريمه

فما زاد من سعي سوى ثمر الجفا

I strived throughout my life around his precinct

But from effort came no fruit save denial

تفاضل قلبي في محبة قدِّه

هو الشجر المنهى مايله عصا

My heart surpassed in its love of his cheek

It is the forbidden tree, none can approach it

ومن ظن أن الروح يشبه جسمه

تبين في الرأي الصواب له الخطا

He who thinks the spirit resembles his body

Will realize the correctness of opinion thereby

أزاد صفاءُ الجسم فكرة قلبه

بعيني لولا أن يحَجِّبه القبا

The purity of his body clarified the idea of his heart

With my eyes unless his shirt concealed it

ولو نظر الإدراك من قد لطفه

لفرق في الجسم الحواس من من القوا

And if perception looked from his refined essence

It would distinguish in the body the senses from the soul

نظرت بعين الوهم تحت ثيابه

تحققت فيها من لطافته الخلا

I looked with imagination's eye beneath his clothes

And verified in them his subtlety and beauty

لشدة حمل الثوب غيرُ مناسبٍ

رشا من كمال اللطف يحجبه العرا

Because the clothes are too heavy to be suitable

Sprinkled from the perfection of his subtlety he veils with dress

هو المقصد الأقصى وطالب وصله

معذب أعضاء يقارنه الأذى

He is the utmost goal and seeker of joining him

A tortured limb aligned with affliction

أساراه أصحاب الوفاء بأسرهم

ولكن من كل الأسارا له الغنى

His loyal companions are shackled all around him

Yet from all shackles he is free

لكل بعيدٍ بالتمايل جاذب

وممن أراد الاتصال له الإبا

For every distant one he attracts with his swaying gait

And from those desiring closeness he abstains

تمنيت قتلي مات اجاب بلفظه

فرحت به أن السكوت من الرضا

I wished for my death but he responded with his words

I was delighted that silence is consent

تجرع قلبي من زلال هوايه

مع العلم باالحرمان من يشوقه ملا

My heart tasted from the pure wine of his love

Despite knowing deprivation of what makes one yearn

منعت فلم يرضى نصحت فلم يفد

نهيت فلم ينهى فمال الى النوى

He refused so I was not pleased, I advised so he did not benefit

I forbade yet he did not forbid, so he inclined to distance

بليت بقلبٍ لا تصاب نجاته

من السقم والبلو أو الحزن والضنا

I was afflicted with a heart whose salvation

From sickness, trials, grief or discontent is unattainable

من الضعف لم يدركه فكر مدققٍ

فواعجباً أين التمكن للعنا

From weakness that no pondering mind can attain

So remarkable - where is solidity of meaning?

يحيرني حين النصيحة عذره

يعذبني عند السكوت من البكا

When advising, his excuse perplexes me

When silent, his weeping torments me

هو القلب منه الاستقامة مبعد

هو البال والشتويش صيره البلا

He is the heart from which uprightness is distant

He is mind and caprice that brought affliction

إذا ما ابتلى يوم الفراق بمحنةٍ

أزالتها أمرٌ محالٌ إلى اللقا

If tested by separation's tribulation one day

Removing it is impossible until reunion

عرضت عليه البعد زاد ملالةٍ

جمعت له الأسباب للقرب ما سلا

I presented distance to him, increasing his weariness

I gathered reasons for closeness but he did not ask

عجزت ولا أدري تدارك أمره

أرى حالة في الحالتين على السوا

I failed and know not how to remedy his affair

I view a state in both states equally

سألت أطباء الزمان ودواءه

فقالوا لهذا الداء لم نجد الدوا

I asked the era's doctors and his cure

But for this illness we found no remedy

سوا للطف معبود لعصمة عبده

من الاثم لطفٍ من لطايفه كفا

Except kindness from a worshipped Lord to protect His servant

From sin, a subtle kindness from his subtleties sufficed

رحيمٌ محاوهم الا ساة عفوه

لاظهار عفو منه احسن من اسا

Merciful erasing the wrongs of the wicked, His pardon

To show a pardon from Him is best of all

كريمٌ على الاطلاق اوجب فضله

له الحمد منا بالصاح وبالمسا

Generous without exception, His bounty is greatest

To Him belongs praise from me loudly and in whispers

علمٌ حكيمٌ بان حد كما له

اتم بيان في الملاح وابخلا

Knowledgeable and Wise, He determined the limit to which

He fully explains in intimations and veiling

تضمن وهم الخوف تحت وصالهم

تضم في ادراك بعدهم الرجا

Containing the illusion of fear under their union

Contain in perceiving their distance - hope

أمال قلوب العاشقين بحسنهم

وما بينهم ربطاً معاملة الوفا

Making the hearts of lovers hopeful through their beauty

And the bond between them is loyalty's association

إلى البال والبلوي ميّل طبعهم

وروحٌ سوق الحسن بالبيع والشرا

Inclining their nature to mind and affliction

While the spirit markets goodness through sale and purchase

إلهى أعنى عند ميل لقايهم

إذا كنت ذا تقوى وإن لم أكن فلا

My God help me when inclined to meet them

If I am virtuous, even if I am not

مشاهدة الأحباب آلت مهجتي

لإظهار عرفاني ومعرفته جوا

Beholding the beloved has inclined my passions

To show my gratitude and knowledge - openly

ولكن حسادي لفرط عنادهم

يظنون ذاك الفعل نوعاً من الزنا

But my envious enemies in their excessive enmity

Suppose that deed a form of adultery

ظواهر حالي في الملام علامة

ولكن حالي في الضمير سوى الصفا

The appearance of my state in blame is a sign

But my state in conscience is nothing but sincerity

علو مقامي في الفصايل ظاهرٌ

مشيّع اسمي بالفضول لقد سها

My lofty position in spiritual ranks is evident

Circulating my name with pretentious claims he facilitated

إلهي بحق المصطفى وبآله

أعنى على أهل النفاق والافترا

My God by the right of the Chosen One and his household

Help me against the hypocrites and slanderers

حبودك أرباب الجمال وحسنهم

مناظر أصحاب النظافة والتقا

Loving your beautiful servants and their beauty

Are scenes of the well-mannered and devout

فكيف يقاساً بالفساد صلاحهم

فما لذوي هذا الفساد من الجزا

How then can their righteousness be compared to corruption?

What retribution awaits the people of corruption?

أحب أرى وجه المليح لأنّه

مصلي على خير البرية والورى

I love to see the beautiful face for it

Blesses the best of creation and mankind