للباء سِرٌّ عظيم لو أبوح به

للباء سِرٌّ عظيم لو أبوح به

لكنت أوّلَ من أفتى بسفك دمي

لكنت أوّلَ من أفتى بسفك دمي

The letter bāʾ has a mighty secret: were I to reveal it,

The baa has a great secret, if I divulge it

I would be the first to rule that my blood be shed.

I would be the first to sanction shedding my blood

بها الجود بدا وهي الحجاب لنا

بها الجود بدا وهي الحجاب لنا

فمن تجاوز ردَّته يدُ القِدَم

فمن تجاوز ردَّته يدُ القِدَم

Through it bounty appeared, and it is the veil for us.

Through it benevolence appeared, and it is the veil for us

So whoever passes beyond is turned back by the hand of beginningless eternity.

So whoever goes beyond it, the foot of eternity turns them back

وهي المرام لمن رام الوجود ومن

وهي المرام لمن رام الوجود ومن

يحلّ منها بساطَ البَسط لم يُضَم

يحلّ منها بساطَ البَسط لم يُضَم

And it is the goal for whoever seeks existence; and whoever

And it is the goal for whoever desires existence, and whoever

Settles upon its carpet of expansion is not wronged.

Unfurls from it the carpet of creation will not be blamed

إذا بدَّت ظلَّت الأشخاص شاخصة

إذا بدَّت ظلَّت الأشخاص شاخصة

لها وعنها يكلّ الطرف وهو عمي

لها وعنها يكلّ الطرف وهو عمي

When it manifests, people remain gazing fixedly

When it appears, personalities stand out prominent

At it; yet the eye falters before it, blind as it is.

For it, and the eye turns away from it, blind

تكثَّرت بحلاها وهي واحدةٌ

تكثَّرت بحلاها وهي واحدةٌ

من حيث أسماؤها الحسنى لمُفتَهم

من حيث أسماؤها الحسنى لمُفتَهم

It became manifold through its adornments, though it is one,

It multiplied through its beauty, while it is one

In respect of its most beautiful names, for one who understands.

From where its beautiful names are understood

كست بألوانها الأكوان قاطبة

كست بألوانها الأكوان قاطبة

ثوب الجود فزالت ظلمة العدم

ثوب الجود فزالت ظلمة العدم

With its colors it clothed all the worlds

It clothed the whole creation in its colors

In the robe of bounty, and the darkness of nonexistence vanished.

The garment of generosity, so the darkness of nonexistence vanished

فكان ما كان مما قد ترى ونرى

فكان ما كان مما قد ترى ونرى

من وحدةٍ حجبت بالحرف والكلم

من وحدةٍ حجبت بالحرف والكلم

Thus whatever came to be—of what you and we may see—arose

So what was happened from what you see and we see

From a unity veiled by the letter and words.

Of a oneness veiled by letters and words