أَرى جُملَةً في صَفحَةِ الكَونِ لا تُقرا

أَرى جُملَةً في صَفحَةِ الكَونِ لا تُقرا

وَعاطِفَةً في النَفسِ تَدري وَلا تُدرى

وَعاطِفَةً في النَفسِ تَدري وَلا تُدرى

I see a sentence on the page of the universe that goes unread,

I see a sentence on the universe's page that cannot be read,

and a feeling within the soul that knows and does not know;

And a feeling in the soul that knows but is not known,

وَناراً بِأَحناءِ الأَضالِعِ كُلَّما

وَناراً بِأَحناءِ الأَضالِعِ كُلَّما

تَخَلَّلَها بَردُ اليَقينِ ذَكَت جَمرا

تَخَلَّلَها بَردُ اليَقينِ ذَكَت جَمرا

and a fire within the folds of the ribs: whenever

And a fire within the curves of the ribs, whenever

certainty’s cold penetrates it, it glows into embers.

The coolness of certainty permeates it, it blazes with embers.

هِيَ النارُ في الأَحشاءِ لَكِنَّها هُدى

هِيَ النارُ في الأَحشاءِ لَكِنَّها هُدى

لِمَن كانَ لا يَرضى بِإيمانِهِ الكُفرا

لِمَن كانَ لا يَرضى بِإيمانِهِ الكُفرا

It is the fire within the breast, yet it is guidance

It is fire in the innermost parts, yet it is guidance

for one who will not countenance unbelief in his faith.

For one who would not exchange his faith for unbelief.

عَلى ضَوئِها سارَ الأَئِمَةِ قَبلَنا

عَلى ضَوئِها سارَ الأَئِمَةِ قَبلَنا

وَهَزّوا عَلى الأَملاكِ أَلوِيَةً حَمرا

وَهَزّوا عَلى الأَملاكِ أَلوِيَةً حَمرا

By its light, the leaders before us journeyed,

By its light the imams walked before us,

and waved red banners over kingdoms.

And waved red banners over kings.

وَكَم شاهَدوها بِالحِجازِ وَنورُها

وَكَم شاهَدوها بِالحِجازِ وَنورُها

يَضيءُ بِأَعناقِ الأَيانِقِ مِن بُصرى

يَضيءُ بِأَعناقِ الأَيانِقِ مِن بُصرى

How often they beheld it in the Hijaz, while its light

And how often they saw it in the Hijaz, while its light

shone upon the necks of she-camels coming from Bosra.

Shines on the necks of she-camels from Bosra.

وَلَولا سَناها ما دَرى ذو بَصيرَةٍ

وَلَولا سَناها ما دَرى ذو بَصيرَةٍ

أَقلَبا حَوى بَينَ الجَوانِحِ أَم صَخرا

أَقلَبا حَوى بَينَ الجَوانِحِ أَم صَخرا

Were it not for its radiance, no discerning person would know

Were it not for its radiance, no discerning person would know

whether he bore a heart between his ribs—or a rock.

Whether he held a heart between his ribs or stone.

وَلَولاهُ لَم تَعرِف عَنِ الروحِ سيرَةً

وَلَولاهُ لَم تَعرِف عَنِ الروحِ سيرَةً

وَلا أَثَراً عَنها قَصَصنا وَلا إِثرا

وَلا أَثَراً عَنها قَصَصنا وَلا إِثرا

Without it, no account of the spirit would be known,

Without it, you would know no account of the spirit,

nor could we recount a trace of it, or follow in its wake.

Nor would we recount any sign of it, nor any trace.

لَقَد غابَ عَنها كَنهُها وَمَكانُها

لَقَد غابَ عَنها كَنهُها وَمَكانُها

وَلَكِن عَلى الأَكوانِ آثارُها تَترى

وَلَكِن عَلى الأَكوانِ آثارُها تَترى

Its own essence and dwelling are hidden from it,

Its own essence and its place are indeed hidden from it,

yet throughout the worlds its traces follow one another.

Yet across the worlds its traces come in succession.

لَها كُلُّ آنٍ في البَرِيَّةِ مَظهَرٌ

لَها كُلُّ آنٍ في البَرِيَّةِ مَظهَرٌ

يُخبِرُ أَنَّ اللَهَ أَودَعَها سَرا

يُخبِرُ أَنَّ اللَهَ أَودَعَها سَرا

At every moment it has a manifestation in creation,

At every moment it has a manifestation in creation,

revealing that God has lodged it there as a secret:

Declaring that God has placed a secret within it.

دُخانٌ بِلا عودٍ وَعُرفٌ بِلا كَبا

دُخانٌ بِلا عودٍ وَعُرفٌ بِلا كَبا

وَبَرقٌ بِلا سَلكٍ وَسَرى بِلا إِسرا

وَبَرقٌ بِلا سَلكٍ وَسَرى بِلا إِسرا

smoke without aloeswood, fragrance without incense,

Smoke without wood, and fragrance without incense,

lightning without a wire, and night travel without an Isrāʾ.

And lightning without a wire, and night-travel without a journey.

فَمَن يَتَأَمَّلُ في البَعيدِ يُجدِ لَدى

فَمَن يَتَأَمَّلُ في البَعيدِ يُجدِ لَدى

جَوانِبِهِ أَشياءَ لا تَقبَلُ الحَصرا

جَوانِبِهِ أَشياءَ لا تَقبَلُ الحَصرا

Whoever contemplates what lies far away will find there,

Thus whoever ponders the distant will find near

along its sides, things beyond all numbering.

His sides things beyond all counting.

وَمَن يَتَرَوّى في دُموعٍ يُسيلُها

وَمَن يَتَرَوّى في دُموعٍ يُسيلُها

يَخُض عِندَها مِن بَينِ أَعينِهِ البَحرا

يَخُض عِندَها مِن بَينِ أَعينِهِ البَحرا

And whoever reflects upon the tears he sheds

And whoever reflects on tears he sheds

wades through them into the sea flowing from between his eyes.

Will wade, amid them, a sea flowing from between his eyes.

رَأَيتُ عَلى طُرسِ الوُجودِ صَحائِفاً

رَأَيتُ عَلى طُرسِ الوُجودِ صَحائِفاً

يُداوِلُ فيها رَبَّها النَظمُ وَالنَثرا

يُداوِلُ فيها رَبَّها النَظمُ وَالنَثرا

Upon the parchment of existence I saw pages

I saw upon existence's parchment pages

on which their Lord alternates verse and prose:

In which their Lord alternates verse and prose:

مُنَظَّمَةٌ حَبا مُشَتَّتَةً قَلى

مُنَظَّمَةٌ حَبا مُشَتَّتَةً قَلى

مُؤَلَّفَةً عَرفا مُخلِفَةً نَكرا

مُؤَلَّفَةً عَرفا مُخلِفَةً نَكرا

ordered by love, scattered by loathing,

Ordered by love, scattered by hatred;

reconciled by the familiar, set at variance by the strange.

United by recognition, divided by estrangement.

جُنودُهُ مِنَ الأَرواحِ قَد أَصبَحَ الهَوى

جُنودُهُ مِنَ الأَرواحِ قَد أَصبَحَ الهَوى

لِأَشكالِها سَمطاً وَأَصبَحَتِ الدرا

لِأَشكالِها سَمطاً وَأَصبَحَتِ الدرا

Its hosts are spirits: passion has become

His hosts of spirits—love has become

a necklace-string for their forms, and they have become pearls;

A thread for their kindred, while they have become the pearls.

لَها في صَباباتِ القُلوبِ مَذاهِبٌ

لَها في صَباباتِ القُلوبِ مَذاهِبٌ

فَأَشرَفَها حَبا بِأَشرَفِها مُغرى

فَأَشرَفَها حَبا بِأَشرَفِها مُغرى

for them, amid the ardors of hearts, are many paths.

They have paths within the hearts' ardent longings,

The noblest of them in love is enamored of the noblest—

So the noblest of them in love is enamored of their noblest.

كَما هامَ قَلبي بِالخَليلِ بنِ مِردَمِ

كَما هامَ قَلبي بِالخَليلِ بنِ مِردَمِ

هُناكَ الهَوى العُذرِيُّ قَد صَحِبَ العُذرا

هُناكَ الهَوى العُذرِيُّ قَد صَحِبَ العُذرا

just as my heart was enamored of al-Khalil ibn Mardam.

As my heart became enamored of Khalil ibn Mardam;

There, chaste ʿUdhrī love truly accompanied the maiden.

There chaste love has indeed kept company with justification.

أَجَلَّ سَراةَ الشامِ بَيتاً وَإِنَّهُ

أَجَلَّ سَراةَ الشامِ بَيتاً وَإِنَّهُ

لِأَحدَثِهِم سَنا وَأَكبَرُهُم قَدرا

لِأَحدَثِهِم سَنا وَأَكبَرُهُم قَدرا

The noblest of Syria’s grandees in lineage—and indeed he is

His house is the most illustrious among Syria's grandees, and he is indeed

the youngest of them in years, yet the greatest in stature;

Their youngest in years, and their greatest in worth;

وَأَرحَبَهُم ذَرعاً وَأَطوَلُهُم يَداً

وَأَرحَبَهُم ذَرعاً وَأَطوَلُهُم يَداً

وَأَكرَمُهُم نَجراً وَأَصدَقُهُم فَجرا

وَأَكرَمُهُم نَجراً وَأَصدَقُهُم فَجرا

the broadest in forbearance and the most open-handed;

And the broadest of them in capacity, and the longest of hand;

the noblest in stock and the truest in dawning brilliance.

And the noblest of them in stock, and the truest in dawn.

وَأُقسِمُ أَنّي ما رَأَيتُ نَظيرَهُ

وَأُقسِمُ أَنّي ما رَأَيتُ نَظيرَهُ

فَتى سَبٌ الأَشياخَ في قَطرِهِ خَبَرا

فَتى سَبٌ الأَشياخَ في قَطرِهِ خَبَرا

I swear that I have never seen his equal:

And I swear that I have never seen his equal:

a youth who, through experience, captivated his country’s elders.

A youth, the peer of his land's elders in knowledge.

وَلَألَأَ نورُ المُصطَفى في نِجارِهِ

وَلَألَأَ نورُ المُصطَفى في نِجارِهِ

فَعَمَّ عَدياً مَجدَ نِسبَتِهِ الزَهرا

فَعَمَّ عَدياً مَجدَ نِسبَتِهِ الزَهرا

The Chosen One’s light made him gleam within his lineage,

And al-Mustafa's light sparkled in his lineage,

and the radiant glory of his ancestry spread throughout ʿAdiyy.

So the glory of his radiant lineage encompassed Adi.

أَتاني قَصيدَ مِنهُ يَبغي إِجازَتي

أَتاني قَصيدَ مِنهُ يَبغي إِجازَتي

وَهَل لِضَّيلِ النَجمِ أَن يُقبِسَ البَدرا

وَهَل لِضَّيلِ النَجمِ أَن يُقبِسَ البَدرا

An ode from him came to me, seeking my endorsement—

A poem from him reached me, seeking my poetic reply;

but can a feeble star impart light to the full moon?

And can a faint star give light to the full moon?

وَكَيفَ يُجيزُ المَرءَ مَن بانَ شَأوُهُ

وَكَيفَ يُجيزُ المَرءَ مَن بانَ شَأوُهُ

عَلَيهِ وَهَل لِلفَترِ أَن يَعدِلَ الشَبرا

عَلَيهِ وَهَل لِلفَترِ أَن يَعدِلَ الشَبرا

How can a man endorse one whose standing towers above

And how can one answer a man whose reach is plainly

his own? Can a finger-span equal a handspan?

Beyond his own? And can a thumb-to-index span equal a handspan?

وَجادَ بِشِعرٍ كِدتُ عِندَ نَشيدِهِ

وَجادَ بِشِعرٍ كِدتُ عِندَ نَشيدِهِ

أُشَكِّكُ هَل بِالشِعرِ جادَ أَمِ الشِعرى

أُشَكِّكُ هَل بِالشِعرِ جادَ أَمِ الشِعرى

He so enriched my verse that, when he recited it, I nearly

And he bestowed poetry; at its recitation I almost

doubted whether he had enriched the verse—or the poet.

Wondered whether he had bestowed poetry—or Sirius.

يُساجِلُني حَرُّ القَريضِ وَهَل تَرى

يُساجِلُني حَرُّ القَريضِ وَهَل تَرى

يُساجِلُ هَذا التُربِ ذِيالِكَ التِبرا

يُساجِلُ هَذا التُربِ ذِيالِكَ التِبرا

A master of poetry vies with me—can you imagine

The finest verse vies with me—do you think

this dust contending with that pure gold?

This dust can rival that gold?

إِجازَةٌ مِثلي مِثلُهُ خالِصَ الدَعا

إِجازَةٌ مِثلي مِثلُهُ خالِصَ الدَعا

بِتَوفيقِهِ وَاللَهِ يَربي لَهُ العُمرا

بِتَوفيقِهِ وَاللَهِ يَربي لَهُ العُمرا

An endorsement from one like me to one like him is only sincere prayer

The reply of one like me to one like him is sincere prayer

for his success—and may God prolong his life.

For his success—and may God prolong his life.

وَإِنّي أَرى فيهِ مُذِ اليَومَ مُفرَدا

وَإِنّي أَرى فيهِ مُذِ اليَومَ مُفرَدا

كَذاكَ يُرَجّى البَدرُ مِن شَهدِ الشَهرا

كَذاكَ يُرَجّى البَدرُ مِن شَهدِ الشَهرا

From this day forth, I see in him a peerless man:

And from today I see in him one without peer,

thus one who has sighted the crescent may hope for the full moon.

As one who witnesses the month hopes for the full moon.

شَهِدتُ بِهِ في الحُسنِ بَدراً وَفي التُقى

شَهِدتُ بِهِ في الحُسنِ بَدراً وَفي التُقى

شَهِدتُ بِهِ سيماءَ مَن شَهِدوا بَدرا

شَهِدتُ بِهِ سيماءَ مَن شَهِدوا بَدرا

I testify: in beauty he is a full moon, and in piety

I saw in him a full moon in beauty; and in piety,

I recognize in him the mien of those who witnessed Badr.

I saw in him the marks of those who witnessed Badr.