قلمa pen يجريit runs لهfor it النورُthe light يدُa hand
قلم يجري له النورُ يدُ
فوقover لوحa tablet معهwith it يتحدُit becomes one
فوق لوح معه يتحدُ
A pen runs; light is its hand,
over a tablet with which it becomes one.
يكتبit writes الظاهرthe outward والباطنand the inward منof
يكتب الظاهر والباطن من
كلevery شيءthing كانhas come to be فهوfor it is المددthe sustaining power
كل شيء كان فهو المدد
It writes the outward and the inward of
everything that has come to be, for it is the sustaining power.
وهوand it is عينthe very essence الكلof all والكلand all لهto it
وهو عين الكل والكل له
راجعreturning إذsince هوit is فيهمamong them رصدa watcher
راجع إذ هو فيهم رصد
And it is the very essence of all, and all to it
returns, for it keeps watch among them.
وهوand it is لاno شكdoubt كثيرmanifold بالورىthrough created beings
وهو لا شك كثير بالورى
وهوand it is فيin تحقيقهits true reality منفردone alone
وهو في تحقيقه منفرد
And it is, without doubt, manifold through created beings,
yet in its true reality it is one alone.
مثلlike ما(emphatic particle) أنكthat you are ذوpossessed of عقلan intellect بهthrough it
مثل ما أنك ذو عقل به
تعقلyou comprehend الأشياthings كماas يعتمدis accepted
تعقل الأشيا كما يعتمد
Just as you possess an intellect through which
you comprehend things, as is accepted.
بحرa sea ماءof water موجهits waves أرواحهits spirits
بحر ماء موجه أرواحه
راقis clear والأجسامand the bodies فيهwithin it الزبدthe foam
راق والأجسام فيه الزبد
A sea of water, whose waves are its spirits,
is clear, and bodies within it are the foam.
وإذاand if شئتyou wish فقلthen say عقلintellect وقلand say
وإذا شئت فقل عقل وقل
هيit is نفسa soul كلevery شيءthing تلدgives birth to
هي نفس كل شيء تلد
And if you wish, say 'intellect,' and say:
'It is a soul that gives birth to everything.'