الكونthe universe يغيبvanishes منbecause of ضياradiance وجهface حبيبيmy beloved
الكون يغيب من ضيا وجه حبيبي
والقلبand the heart يهيمwanders in rapture فيهin him منfrom فرطintensity لهيبيmy blaze
والقلب يهيم فيه من فرط لهيبي
The universe vanishes before the radiance of my beloved's face.
The universe disappears without the face of my beloved
And the heart is lost in him from the intensity of my blaze.
And my heart raves with intense passion
ياO عاذلreproacher كمhow long إلىuntil كمwhen الشوقlonging مذيبيwhat melts me
يا عاذل كم إلى كم الشوق مذيبي
السلوةsolace منكfrom you وأناand I العشقpassionate love نصيبيmy lot
السلوة منك وأنا العشق نصيبي
O reproacher, how long—how long will longing go on melting me?
O criticizer, how much longing melts me
Solace comes from you; as for me, passionate love is my lot.
Comfort from you while love is my fate
ذاthis بدرfull moon سماheaven الجمالbeauty فيin القلبthe heart يلوحgleams
ذا بدر سما الجمال في القلب يلوح
ذاthis مسكmusk ختامseal خمرتيmy wine فيَّwithin me يفوحgives off fragrance
ذا مسك ختام خمرتي فيَّ يفوح
This is the full moon of beauty's heaven, gleaming in the heart.
The full moon of beauty shines in my heart
This is the musk sealing my wine; its fragrance spreads within me.
The seal of my wine exudes musk within me
إنيindeed I أبداًever بسرهof his secret لستI do not أبوحI speak openly
إني أبداً بسره لست أبوح
لاnot أقدرI can أنto أحولI turn aside عنfrom أمرcommand رقيبيmy watcher
لا أقدر أن أحول عن أمر رقيبي
Indeed, I never divulge his secret.
I will never reveal its secret
I cannot turn aside from my watcher's command.
I cannot turn away from the order of my watcher
ياO منyou who كشفlifted الحجابthe veil عنfrom عينeye عيانيmy direct vision
يا من كشف الحجاب عن عين عياني
الظاهرthe Manifest أنتyou والسوىand all else عنديto me فانيperishing
الظاهر أنت والسوى عندي فاني
O you who lifted the veil from the eye of my vision.
O you who lifted the veil from my seeing eye
You are the Manifest, and all else, to me, fades away.
You are evident while all else to me perishes
هاbehold أنتyou أناI وليسand there is no فيin الحضرةthe Presence ثانيa second
ها أنت أنا وليس في الحضرة ثاني
ويلاهwoe is me! منbecause of البعدdistance عنfrom وصلunion قريبnear
ويلاه من البعد عن وصل قريب
Behold, you are I, and in the Presence there is no second.
Woe to the distance from the union that is near
Alas for the distance from a union so near!
A mystery that made creation appear yet absent
سرa mystery ظهرتappeared بهthrough it الورىcreation حاضرpresent غائبabsent
سر ظهرت به الورى حاضر غائب
كمhow many ضلwent astray بهthrough it عدىًfoes وكمand how many أهدىguided حبائبloved ones
كم ضل به عدىً وكم أهدى حبائب
A mystery, present yet absent, through which creation appeared.
Many went astray by it, many loved ones were guided
How many foes went astray through it, and how many loved ones it guided!
Without it I would not have repented
لولاهwere it not for it لماthen not كنتI would have been منof التوبةrepentance تائبrepentant
لولاه لما كنت من التوبة تائب
لاno ذاتessence ولاand no وصفattribute ومولايand my Lord حبيبيmy beloved
لا ذات ولا وصف ومولاي حبيبي
Were it not for it, I would not have repented of repentance.
No essence, no attribute, my Master is my beloved
No essence, no attribute—and my Lord is my beloved.
My Master, blessings upon Your Prophet
مولايmy Lord علىupon نبيكyour Prophet الحقtrue صلاتيmy blessing
مولاي على نبيك الحق صلاتي
طهTa-Ha منhe who أزالdispelled نورهhis light ظلمةdarkness ذاتيmy being
طه من أزال نوره ظلمة ذاتي
My Lord, upon your true Prophet be my blessing.
Taha, who removed the darkness of my essence
Ta-Ha, whose light dispelled the darkness of my being.
And made me a devotee of the Rich One
وصارand became عبيدUbayd (little servant) الغنيal-Ghani (the Self-Sufficient) فيهin him مواتيcompliant
وصار عبيد الغني فيه مواتي
فيat كلevery شروقsunrise ذاthis وفىand at كلevery مغيبsunset
في كل شروق ذا وفى كل مغيب
And Ubayd al-Ghani became compliant in him.
In every dawn and sunset of His
This is so at every sunrise and at every sunset.
Partial English translation: 19 of 20 Arabic lines translated.