أردّدُ طرفي في الرسرم فلا أرى

أردّدُ طرفي في الرسرم فلا أرى

سوى من به كانت رسوما وآثارا

سوى من به كانت رسوما وآثارا

I turn my gaze among the traces, yet see nothing

I turn my eyes to the painting, yet I see

I turn my gaze repeatedly among the traces, yet I see nothing

but the one through whom they became markings and traces.

Nothing but traces of her who was depicted there

Except the One through whom they became traces and signs.

وأسألها عنه فكلّ أجابني

وأسألها عنه فكلّ أجابني

بأنه ما رآه يوما ولا أدرا

بأنه ما رآه يوما ولا أدرا

I ask them about him, and each answered me

And when I ask about him, each tells me

I ask them about Him, and every one of them answers

that he had never seen him, nor known him.

That he never saw him, nor knew who he was

That it never saw Him for a single day, nor ever knew Him.

فقلت لهم هذا عجيب فإنني

فقلت لهم هذا عجيب فإنني

ما أبصرته إلا بكم متظاهرا

ما أبصرته إلا بكم متظاهرا

So I told them, “This is strange, for I

So I say to them, how strange! For I

So I said to them: "This is wondrous, for truly I

have seen him only manifest through you.”

Only saw him through your likeness portrayed there

Have not perceived Him except manifesting within you."

عرفته منكم ثم زاد في عرفاننا

عرفته منكم ثم زاد في عرفاننا

بأنني إياه ولكن منكرا

بأنني إياه ولكن منكرا

I knew him through you; then he added to our understanding

I recognized him through you, and then grew

I recognized Him through you, then He increased my gnosis

that I am he, though unrecognized.

To know him more, though denying him I was

Revealing that I am He, though I appeared as a stranger.

عجبت له كيف اختفى بظهوره

عجبت له كيف اختفى بظهوره

فعيني حجابه الظهور ولا انفرا

فعيني حجابه الظهور ولا انفرا

I marveled at him: how he hid through his manifestation!

I marvel how he hid though revealing himself

I marveled at Him: how He concealed Himself through His own appearance,

So my eye is his veil—manifestation—and not [unclear final word].

My eye's veil to his revealing was its cover

For His manifestation was the veil upon my eye, not His withdrawal.

ألا فاعجبوا من ظاهرٍ في بطونه

ألا فاعجبوا من ظاهرٍ في بطونه

ومن باطن لا زال باد وظاهرا

ومن باطن لا زال باد وظاهرا

Behold, marvel at one manifest in his hiddenness,

Behold and marvel then, at one whose outward self

So marvel at a Manifest One within His hiddenness,

and at one hidden, who never ceases to be evident and manifest.

Conceals, whose inward self remains manifest

And at an Inward Truth that remains ever visible and apparent.