تجلت لنا ذاتٌ وفعلٌ بدا واسمُ

تجلت لنا ذاتٌ وفعلٌ بدا واسمُ

فكانت وما كنا وليس لنا وسمُ

فكانت وما كنا وليس لنا وسمُ

An Essence unveiled herself to us; an act appeared, and a name.

An essence manifested itself to us, an act appeared, and a name,

So she was, and we were not, and no mark was ours.

So it was, and we were not, and it has no attribute.

هنالك قامت بالوجود قيامةٌ

هنالك قامت بالوجود قيامةٌ

بها حشرت أرواحنا واختفى الجسمُ

بها حشرت أرواحنا واختفى الجسمُ

There a resurrection arose in existence;

Thereupon an arising with existence arose,

Through her our spirits were gathered, and the body vanished.

In which our spirits were resurrected and the body disappeared.

مدام بها الأفراح دامت لأهلها

مدام بها الأفراح دامت لأهلها

ومن لم يذقها كل أوقاته غمُّ

ومن لم يذقها كل أوقاته غمُّ

Wine through which joys endured for her people;

As long as its joys lasted for its people,

Whoever has not tasted her has grief in all his hours.

Whoever did not taste it, all his times were sorrow.

وقام بها الساقي وحيى فساقنا

وقام بها الساقي وحيى فساقنا

إلى مورد منها لذيذ به الطعم

إلى مورد منها لذيذ به الطعم

And the cupbearer rose with her and offered greetings, then led us

And the cupbearer stood up with it, so he revived us

To a watering place of hers, delicious in taste.

To a source of it, delicious, fragrant in taste.

إذا ما تراءت في الكؤوس بدا لها

إذا ما تراءت في الكؤوس بدا لها

شعاع له في كل ناحية نجم

شعاع له في كل ناحية نجم

Whenever she appears in the cups, there shines from her

When it appeared in cups, a ray shone for it

A ray with a star in every quarter.

In every direction, a star.

هي السر للأشياء والجهر دائماً

هي السر للأشياء والجهر دائماً

على عدد الأنفاس والبدءُ والختم

على عدد الأنفاس والبدءُ والختم

She is the secret of things and their open disclosure, always,

It is the secret of things, and the evident always

With every breath, the beginning and the end.

According to the number of breaths, the beginning and the end.

بها يهتدي الأعمى إليها ويسمع ال

بها يهتدي الأعمى إليها ويسمع ال

أصمُّ وتأتي ناطقين بها البُكم

أصمُّ وتأتي ناطقين بها البُكم

Through her the blind are guided to her, and hearing comes to the

With it the blind are guided, the deaf hear with it,

Deaf; through her the mute come speaking.

And the mute come speaking with it.

ويأمنُ ذو خوفٍ ويفرح ذو أسىً

ويأمنُ ذو خوفٍ ويفرح ذو أسىً

ويعتزُّ ذو ذلٍّ ويبرا بها السقم

ويعتزُّ ذو ذلٍّ ويبرا بها السقم

The fearful find safety, and the sorrowful rejoice;

The frightened feels safe and the sorrowful rejoices,

The abased gain honor, and through her sickness is healed.

The humiliated is honored and the sick healed by it.

ولو أنهم صبوا على البحر قطرة

ولو أنهم صبوا على البحر قطرة

لعاد بها عذباً ولو أنه سم

لعاد بها عذباً ولو أنه سم

If they poured a drop upon the sea,

And if they poured a drop of it onto the sea,

It would turn sweet through her, even were it poison.

It would become freshwater even if it were brine.

ولو ذكروا حول الحطيم صفاتها

ولو ذكروا حول الحطيم صفاتها

لزال عن البيت العتيق بها الحطم

لزال عن البيت العتيق بها الحطم

If they recounted her attributes around the Hatim,

And if they mentioned its attributes around the ruins,

Through her, ruin would leave the Ancient House.

The debris would depart the dilapidated house.

ولو لم يكن أسماؤها قد تبينت

ولو لم يكن أسماؤها قد تبينت

لما بان في الأكوان كيفٌ ولا كم

لما بان في الأكوان كيفٌ ولا كم

Had her names not become manifest,

And if its names had not become clear,

No quality or quantity would have appeared in the worlds.

There would be no “how” or “how much” in the cosmos.

ولولا سنا كاساتها من ورا الورى

ولولا سنا كاساتها من ورا الورى

لما كان ذوق في الندامى ولا فهم

لما كان ذوق في الندامى ولا فهم

Were it not for her cups' radiance from behind creation,

And if its cups were not extracted from beyond the veil,

The drinking companions would have neither taste nor understanding.

There would be no taste for the repentant, no understanding.

ولو أن ميتاً لقَّنوه بلفظها

ولو أن ميتاً لقَّنوه بلفظها

لقام سريعاً نحوها شوقه ينمو

لقام سريعاً نحوها شوقه ينمو

If they prompted a dead man with her spoken name,

And if a dead person were made to drink it through its utterance,

He would rise swiftly toward her, his longing growing.

He would quickly rise towards it, his longing growing.

ولولا بدت لم يشعر الأشعريْ بها

ولولا بدت لم يشعر الأشعريْ بها

ولولا تخفت ما تجهمها جهم

ولولا تخفت ما تجهمها جهم

Had she not appeared, al-Ashʿari would not have perceived her;

And if it had not appeared, al-Ash’ari would not have sensed it,

Had she not concealed herself, Jahm would not have scowled at her.

And if it did not become hidden, it would not be veiled from Jahm.

ولولا معاني حسنها ظهرت على

ولولا معاني حسنها ظهرت على

ملاح الورى ما كان عشق ولا وهم

ملاح الورى ما كان عشق ولا وهم

Had the meanings of her beauty not appeared upon

And if the meanings of its beauty had not appeared

Creation's fair ones, there would have been neither love nor imagining.

On the horizons of the worlds, there would be no passion or illusion.

ولو بيتيم الوالدين قد اعتلت

ولو بيتيم الوالدين قد اعتلت

لعز وعنه زال من ذله اليتم

لعز وعنه زال من ذله اليتم

If she rose within an orphan bereft of both parents,

And if it came to one orphaned of parents,

He would gain honor, and orphanhood would no longer abase him.

Honor and strength would remove meekness from the orphan.

جمال تجلى في جلال وعكسه

جمال تجلى في جلال وعكسه

فقوم لهم مدح وقوم لهم ذم

فقوم لهم مدح وقوم لهم ذم

Beauty revealed itself in majesty, and the reverse;

Beauty manifested in majesty and reflected it,

So some receive praise, and others receive blame.

So some have praise for it, and some have blame.

وكل قلوب الناس لو لم تَهِم بها

وكل قلوب الناس لو لم تَهِم بها

لما طاب نثر في الكلام ولا نظم

لما طاب نثر في الكلام ولا نظم

And had all human hearts not been enthralled by her,

And if the hearts of all people were not smitten with it,

Neither prose nor verse in speech would have been pleasing.

Prose would not be good in speech, nor poetry.

ولكنهم هاموا ورقت طباعهم

ولكنهم هاموا ورقت طباعهم

ولم يعلموا في أي واد بها همّوا

ولم يعلموا في أي واد بها همّوا

But they were enthralled, and their natures softened,

But they were smitten, and their natures softened,

And did not know in which valley they had set their hearts on her.

And they did not know in which valley they became enamored of it.

لئام من الأشياء يحجب وجهها

لئام من الأشياء يحجب وجهها

حلا لعيون العاشقين به اللثم

حلا لعيون العاشقين به اللثم

Base things conceal her face;

The vile of things veil its face,

Through it, kissing grew sweet to lovers' eyes.

While it is permitted to the eyes of lovers, veiled.

ألا حيِّ يا صاحي على سكرةٍ بها

ألا حيِّ يا صاحي على سكرةٍ بها

ودع عنك من هُمْ دونَها عندهم وهم

ودع عنك من هُمْ دونَها عندهم وهم

Come, sober one, hasten to intoxication through her,

Awaken, O crazed with its intoxication,

And leave aside those apart from her: theirs is delusion.

And leave those who fall short of it, lost in their fancies.

وشقق بها الأثواب عنها وكن بها

وشقق بها الأثواب عنها وكن بها

مجرد عزم لا يقاس به عزم

مجرد عزم لا يقاس به عزم

Through her, tear the garments away from her, and through her become

And tear your garments away from it, and with it

Bare resolve, with which no resolve can compare.

Be bare will, not to be compared any will.

وبت في ثرى حاناتها متلففاً

وبت في ثرى حاناتها متلففاً

بأثواب ذلٍّ في هواها بها تسمو

بأثواب ذلٍّ في هواها بها تسمو

And spend the night in the dust of her taverns, wrapped

Spend the night in its taverns wrapped

In robes of abasement for love of her; through her you rise.

In the garments of meekness, elevated by its love.

وكن عاجزاً عنها تكن قادراً بها

وكن عاجزاً عنها تكن قادراً بها

فعدلك عنها منك نحو السوى ظلم

فعدلك عنها منك نحو السوى ظلم

Be powerless before her, and you will be powerful through her;

And be incapable of it that you may be empowered by it,

For your own turning from her toward otherness is injustice.

For your justice from it is oppression.

هي البيت بيت الله حجت قلوبنا

هي البيت بيت الله حجت قلوبنا

إليها فلا ذنب علينا ولا جرم

إليها فلا ذنب علينا ولا جرم

She is the House, God's House; our hearts made pilgrimage

It is the house, the house of God, the proof to our hearts,

To her, so no sin or crime lies upon us.

So there is no fault or crime upon us.

إذا نحن أحرمنا نلبي بذكرها

إذا نحن أحرمنا نلبي بذكرها

وفي عَلَمَيها عندنا يَكثرُ العلم

وفي عَلَمَيها عندنا يَكثرُ العلم

When we enter consecration, we chant the pilgrim's response in her remembrance;

When we enter ihram, we begin the talbiyah by remembering it,

And at her two landmarks, knowledge grows among us.

And through its symbols we have abundant knowledge.

وإن زمزم الحادي بها فهي زمزم

وإن زمزم الحادي بها فهي زمزم

وعن مصِّنا من ثديها ما لنا فطم

وعن مصِّنا من ثديها ما لنا فطم

And if the camel-driver hums of her, she is Zamzam;

And if the guide drinks from it, then it is Zamzam,

And there is no weaning us from suckling at her breast.

And we have not been weaned from its breast.

نعمنا بها في لذة العيش والصبى

نعمنا بها في لذة العيش والصبى

وما ذاك إلا أنها أنعمت نُعْم

وما ذاك إلا أنها أنعمت نُعْم

We lived in bliss through her, in life's pleasure and youth;

We were blessed by it with the pleasure of life and youth,

And that was only because she, Nuʿm, bestowed her favor.

And that is only because it bestowed blessings.

هي الدهر في تقليب أيامه على

هي الدهر في تقليب أيامه على

بنيه له حرب بهم وله سلم

بنيه له حرب بهم وله سلم

She is Time, turning its days upon

It is time, in the changes of its days over

Its sons: it has war with them, and it has peace.

Its children, at war with them, at peace.

إذا ما شربناها خفينا بنورها

إذا ما شربناها خفينا بنورها

وعند طلوع الشمس ما للدجى رسم

وعند طلوع الشمس ما للدجى رسم

Whenever we drink her, we are hidden by her light;

When we drink it, through its light we are hidden,

And at sunrise, no trace of darkness remains.

And at sunrise, the darkness has no mark.

بها للحواس الخمس منا تمتع

بها للحواس الخمس منا تمتع

فسمع ولمس ذوقنا بصر شم

فسمع ولمس ذوقنا بصر شم

Through her our five senses find delight:

Through it, our five senses have enjoyment:

Hearing and touch, our taste, sight, and smell.

Our hearing, touch, taste, sight, smell.

وللعقل أيضا لذةٌ في جمالها

وللعقل أيضا لذةٌ في جمالها

وسر بدا منها له وجب الكتم

وسر بدا منها له وجب الكتم

And the intellect too has delight in her beauty,

And for reason also there is pleasure in its beauty,

And a secret revealed from her to it must be kept hidden.

And a secret appeared from it to it, to be concealed.

وقد سكرت حاناتها وكؤوسها

وقد سكرت حاناتها وكؤوسها

بها في تجليها وقد سكر الكرم

بها في تجليها وقد سكر الكرم

And her taverns and her cups have grown drunk

Its taverns and cups intoxicated

Through her, in her self-revelation; the vine too has grown drunk.

With it in its manifestation, and the generous intoxicated.

ولو أن إنسانا صحا لرأى هنا

ولو أن إنسانا صحا لرأى هنا

من السكر قد هامت بها العرب والعجم

من السكر قد هامت بها العرب والعجم

If a person sobered up, he would see here

And if a sober man saw here

How Arabs and non-Arabs, in drunkenness, have been enthralled by her.

The intoxication it brought to Arabs and non-Arabs.

ومن سكرهم منها يقولون غيرها

ومن سكرهم منها يقولون غيرها

وهذا أبٌ قالوا كما هذه أم

وهذا أبٌ قالوا كما هذه أم

And, drunk on her, they speak of what is other than her;

And from their intoxication by it they speak of other than it,

And they say: this is a father, just as this is a mother.

This one claims it is his mother, and that one his father.

وقالوا عيون في وجوه وأرجل

وقالوا عيون في وجوه وأرجل

وأيد وقالوا أرؤس ودم لحم

وأيد وقالوا أرؤس ودم لحم

They speak of eyes in faces, and of legs,

They spoke of eyes in faces, feet and hands,

And hands; they speak of heads, blood, flesh:

Heads, flesh, blood.

معان تبدت في صفاء وجودها

معان تبدت في صفاء وجودها

فقوم لهم أجر وقوم لهم إثم

فقوم لهم أجر وقوم لهم إثم

Meanings revealed in the clarity of her being;

Meanings appeared in the purity of its existence,

So some have reward, and others have sin.

So some have reward for them, and some have sin.

وتلك نعوت قائمات بها لها

وتلك نعوت قائمات بها لها

على الفرض والتقدير لا أنه حتم

على الفرض والتقدير لا أنه حتم

And those are attributes subsisting through her, belonging to her,

And those are attributes subsisting through it for it,

By supposition and estimation, not because it is inevitable.

Based on supposition and estimation, not certainty.

أشاراتها اللاتي بوصف مشيئة

أشاراتها اللاتي بوصف مشيئة

تسمّى بأشيا وهي هالكةٌ عقم

تسمّى بأشيا وهي هالكةٌ عقم

Her indications, which, under the attribute of will,

Its indications, which are described as things by the will,

Are called things, though they are perishing and barren.

Are called this and that, and are barren.

وما ثم توليدٌ وليس مناسباً

وما ثم توليدٌ وليس مناسباً

لها ذاك بل وصفٌ إليها له ضم

لها ذاك بل وصفٌ إليها له ضم

And there is no begetting there, nor is it fitting

And there is no begetting, and that is not appropriate for it,

For her; rather, it is an attribute joined to her.

Rather, it is a description that joins it.

تحقق بما قلناه فيها مجانباً

تحقق بما قلناه فيها مجانباً

سواه فما قلناه فيها هو الغنم

سواه فما قلناه فيها هو الغنم

Realize the truth of what we have said of her, shunning

Realize with what we have said of it, shunning

All else, for what we have said of her is the gain.

Other than it, for what we have said of it is the profit.

وإياك والتوليد في جعلها السوى

وإياك والتوليد في جعلها السوى

فذلك قذف منك في حقها شتم

فذلك قذف منك في حقها شتم

And beware of begetting in making her into otherness;

And beware of attributing begetting to making it the same,

That is slander from you against her, an insult.

For that is a repulsive slander from you against it.

وإن جهل الأقوام ذلك واختفى

وإن جهل الأقوام ذلك واختفى

عليهم فللتوحيد توليدهم هدم

عليهم فللتوحيد توليدهم هدم

Even if the peoples do not know this, and it is hidden

And if the people are ignorant of that and it is hidden from them,

From them, their begetting demolishes divine unity.

Their ascribing begetting demolishes divine oneness.

نصحتك فامسح عن بصيرتك العمى

نصحتك فامسح عن بصيرتك العمى

بقولي وإلا فالنصوص لك الخصم

بقولي وإلا فالنصوص لك الخصم

I have counseled you; wipe blindness from your inner sight

I have advised you, so wipe the blindness from your insight

With my words; otherwise, the texts are your adversary.

With my words, or else the texts will argue against you.

وهذا هوالحق الذي هو ظاهر

وهذا هوالحق الذي هو ظاهر

وبالغيب فيها ما عداه هو الرجم

وبالغيب فيها ما عداه هو الرجم

And this is the truth that is manifest;

This is the truth which is evident,

And anything beyond this concerning her is conjecture about the unseen.

And in the unseen, anything other than it is to be rejected.

خذ الكاس مني يا ابن ودي فإنه

خذ الكاس مني يا ابن ودي فإنه

رويٌّ بهذا فليكن عندك الحزم

رويٌّ بهذا فليكن عندك الحزم

Take the cup from me, son of my affection, for it

Take the cup from me, O friendly son,

Is full of this; so let firm resolve be yours.

For it is refreshing. So be decisive with this.

ومل طرباً في النشأتين بشربِهِ

ومل طرباً في النشأتين بشربِهِ

فإن شرابي للضلال به هضم

فإن شرابي للضلال به هضم

And sway in ecstasy in both existences by drinking it;

And revel in the two abodes by drinking it,

For through my drink, error is worn away.

For my drink destroys misguidance.

شراب طهور في كؤوس نظيفة

شراب طهور في كؤوس نظيفة

كريم به الساقي ومنه العطا الجم

كريم به الساقي ومنه العطا الجم

A purifying drink in clean cups,

A drink of purity in clean cups,

With it the cupbearer is generous, and from him comes abundant giving.

Noble, from a generous cupbearer, his gifts bountiful.

على رنة الأسماء دام مدامنا

على رنة الأسماء دام مدامنا

وإن نمق الزور الوشاة وإن نموا

وإن نمق الزور الوشاة وإن نموا

To the resonance of the Names, our wine endured,

Our banquet lasted to the chant of the names,

Though the slanderers embellish falsehood, though they spread gossip.

Even if the falsehood of slanderers grows.

وفي مقعد الصدق العزيز مناله

وفي مقعد الصدق العزيز مناله

تجلت لنا ذات وفعل بدا واسم

تجلت لنا ذات وفعل بدا واسم

And in the seat of truth, so hard to attain,

And in the seat of the dear truthful one is his retreat.

An Essence unveiled herself to us; an act appeared, and a name.

An essence manifested itself to us, an act appeared, and a name.