ضَئيلَةَ جِسمٍ إِن أَكُن فَلَقَد ثَوَت

ضَئيلَةَ جِسمٍ إِن أَكُن فَلَقَد ثَوَت

بِصَدري لِإِخوان الصَفاءِ رَسائِلُ

بِصَدري لِإِخوان الصَفاءِ رَسائِلُ

Though I may be slight of body, there have come to rest

Though I be slight of body, there have dwelt

within my breast the Epistles of the Brethren of Purity.

Within my breast epistles for the Brethren of Purity.

وَلا غرو أَن طلتُ المجرَّ فَإِنَّما

وَلا غرو أَن طلتُ المجرَّ فَإِنَّما

بِملكِ رقيّ الطالِوّيِّ أَطاوِلُ

بِملكِ رقيّ الطالِوّيِّ أَطاوِلُ

No wonder I have towered above the Milky Way: it is only

And no wonder that I surpassed the Milky Way, for it is only

by possessing the Talibid’s elevation that I vie in loftiness.

Through al-Talawi, master of my bondage, that I vie in stature.