جئنا إلى الحَسَنِ المعروف بالراعي

جئنا إلى الحَسَنِ المعروف بالراعي

نزور في قَطَنا منه الفتى الراعي

نزور في قَطَنا منه الفتى الراعي

We came to al-Hasan, known as al-Ra‘i, the Shepherd.

We came to Al-Hasan, known as the shepherd

In Qatana we visit him, the young shepherd.

To visit, in our group, this young shepherd

يرعى بهمته من زاره وبما

يرعى بهمته من زاره وبما

يريد منه يوافيه بإسراع

يريد منه يوافيه بإسراع

Through his spiritual resolve he tends whoever visits him, and whatever

With his ambition, he shepherds those who visit him

the visitor seeks from him, he promptly brings to him.

And provides whatever they want with haste

وجه تبدى كبدر بل كشمسِ ضحىً

وجه تبدى كبدر بل كشمسِ ضحىً

إلى محبته قلب الشجي داعي

إلى محبته قلب الشجي داعي

A face appeared like a full moon—rather, like the midmorning sun—

His face appears like a full moon, nay like the morning sun

calling the sorrowful one's heart to love him.

To his love, the hearts of the timid call

يميط سترَ تراب الكون عن قمر

يميط سترَ تراب الكون عن قمر

تحت البراقع عند الناظر الواعي

تحت البراقع عند الناظر الواعي

He lifts the veil of creation's dust from a moon

He removes the veil of dust from the universe over the moon

beneath the face-veils, in the discerning beholder's sight.

To the observant beholder beneath the veils

إليك يا كوكب القدس الذي سطعت

إليك يا كوكب القدس الذي سطعت

أنواره غيب أمر منه لماع

أنواره غيب أمر منه لماع

To you, O star of holiness, whose

To you, O star of holiness whose lights

lights have shone; a hidden matter from him gleams.

Shone from the unseen at his command

قوم أتيناك نبغي من علاك قرى

قوم أتيناك نبغي من علاك قرى

نمد فيه بأجناس وأنواع

نمد فيه بأجناس وأنواع

We, a company, have come to you, seeking hospitality from your lofty station,

A people we came to you, desiring from your heights, dwellings

within which we are supplied with kinds and varieties.

Where we extend with different kinds and sorts

نمحو عن القلب ما تنجي خواطره

نمحو عن القلب ما تنجي خواطره

من العلائق عن ذل وأطماع

من العلائق عن ذل وأطماع

We efface from the heart what its thoughts whisper

We erase from the heart what thoughts deliver it

of attachments born of abasement and covetous desires.

From attachments, humiliation and greed

وصاحب الحال لا تختفي الحوائج عن

وصاحب الحال لا تختفي الحوائج عن

إدراكه وهو فيها القائم الساعي

إدراكه وهو فيها القائم الساعي

And the possessor of the spiritual state—no needs are hidden from

And the owner of the state, needs do not escape

his awareness; he attends to them and strives to meet them,

His perception, for them he is ever ready and active

بأمر رب قديم لا حدوث له

بأمر رب قديم لا حدوث له

إني مددت إليه في الهوى باعي

إني مددت إليه في الهوى باعي

by the command of an eternal Lord who has no beginning.

By command of an Ancient Lord, without beginning

Indeed, in love I have stretched out my arms toward him.

To Him in love I extended a hand

أخصه في رجال الغيب أقصد لا

أخصه في رجال الغيب أقصد لا

أعمه في سواهم وهو إجماعي

أعمه في سواهم وهو إجماعي

I mean to single him out among the men of the unseen, not

I singled him out among the men of the unseen

to include him generally among others; this is my settled resolve.

Not making him equal to others, and he is inclusive