بنا المولى هو الأحرى

بنا المولى هو الأحرى

ونحن النزلة الأخرى

ونحن النزلة الأخرى

The Lord is the one most worthy of us,

Our Master, He is more deserving

and we are the other descent.

While we are the other abode

رأيناه بنا لمّا

رأيناه بنا لمّا

تجلى الجهة اليسرى

تجلى الجهة اليسرى

We saw Him through ourselves when

We saw Him through us when

He manifested on the left-hand side.

He manifested on the left side

وكنا عنه معناه

وكنا عنه معناه

فلم نقدر له قدرا

فلم نقدر له قدرا

And we were His meaning, proceeding from Him,

And we were His meaning

so we did not accord Him His due worth.

So we could not assess Him

ومعنانا أتى خلقاً

ومعنانا أتى خلقاً

ومعناه أتى أمرا

ومعناه أتى أمرا

And our meaning came as creation,

And our meaning came into being

and His meaning came as command.

While His meaning came as a command

خفينا فيه لما أن

خفينا فيه لما أن

تجلى عندنا جهرا

تجلى عندنا جهرا

We were hidden within Him when

We were hidden in Him when

He manifested openly among us.

He openly manifested before us

فكنا عنده كشفاً

فكنا عنده كشفاً

وكنا عندنا سترا

وكنا عندنا سترا

So before Him we were an unveiling,

So we were unveiling near Him

and to ourselves we were a veil.

And veiling near ourselves

وقفنا دونه براً

وقفنا دونه براً

وقد خضنا به بحرا

وقد خضنا به بحرا

We stood short of Him on dry land,

We stood before Him with righteousness

and through Him we have waded into a sea.

And we traversed the sea through Him

ولم ندرك سوانا في

ولم ندرك سوانا في

تجليه بنا قهرا

تجليه بنا قهرا

And we perceived none but ourselves in

And we did not realize our equality in

His overpowering manifestation through us.

His manifestation overpowering us

وغيب الغيب مكشوف

وغيب الغيب مكشوف

ومولانا به أدرى

ومولانا به أدرى

And the unseen of the unseen is unveiled,

The unseen of the unseen is unveiled

and our Lord knows it best.

And our Master knows best about it

ومستور بنا عنا

ومستور بنا عنا

كما قد جاءت الذكرى

كما قد جاءت الذكرى

And it is veiled from us by ourselves,

And veiled from us about us

as the reminder has already come.

As the reminiscence came

وهذا الحال لا يمضي

وهذا الحال لا يمضي

وهذا الداء لا يبرى

وهذا الداء لا يبرى

And this state does not pass,

And this state does not pass

and this ailment does not heal.

And this disease does not get cured

فقولوا للذي يهوى

فقولوا للذي يهوى

دع المحجوبة البكرا

دع المحجوبة البكرا

So tell the one who loves:

So say to the one who yearns

Leave the veiled virgin alone.

Leave the untouched maiden

فماذا أنت حتى تر

فماذا أنت حتى تر

تجي أن تطرق الخدرا

تجي أن تطرق الخدرا

What are you, then, that you should

For what are you that you wish

hope to knock at the secluded chamber?

To peek and disturb the slumber

ولكن أنت مفتون

ولكن أنت مفتون

بإحساناتها التترى

بإحساناتها التترى

And yet you are enthralled

But you are infatuated

by her favors, one after another.

With her unseen beauty

جمال ظاهر هذا

جمال ظاهر هذا

به كل الورى أسرى

به كل الورى أسرى

This is manifest beauty;

The manifest beauty which

through it, all creatures are captives.

All creation is captive to

وأعلى الكل مجذوب

وأعلى الكل مجذوب

إليه جاذب أسرى

إليه جاذب أسرى

And the highest of all is one drawn

And the Most High is enraptured

toward it, drawing captives,

By its captivating charm

بلا ذات ولا وصف

بلا ذات ولا وصف

ولا دنيا ولا أخرى

ولا دنيا ولا أخرى

without self or attribute,

Without essence or attribute

and without this world or the next.

Or this world or the next

هو السالي لها المغري

هو السالي لها المغري

ولا سال ولا مغرى

ولا سال ولا مغرى

He is the one who forgets her, the enticer,

He is the one affecting it, enticing

and there is neither one who forgets nor one enticed.

Without being affected or enticed