ياO إماماًimam لهhe has مقامstation سنيّexalted
يا إماماً له مقام سنيّ
وثناءand praise فيin الخافقينthe two horizons (East and West) وفيّample
وثناء في الخافقين وفيّ
O imam whose station is exalted,
O Imam who has a sublime station
And whose praise is ample in East and West,
And praise among the horizons and in me
ماwhat اسمname شيءa thing فيهin it لقومfor some people طعامfood
ما اسم شيء فيه لقوم طعام
ولكلِّand for all الورَىhumankind بخمسيهِwith its two fifths ريّthirst-quenching
ولكلِّ الورَى بخمسيهِ ريّ
What is the name of a thing containing food for some people,
No food's name in it for a people
And whose two fifths quench the thirst of all humankind?
And for all existence through it flows goodness
وهوand it is مستضعفdeemed weak العيانvisible appearance ولكنand yet
وهو مستضعف العيان ولكن
فيهin it للسامعينfor those who hear بأسmight قويّstrong
فيه للسامعين بأس قويّ
And it seems feeble to the eye, yet
He is weak in appearance but
Within it lies mighty force for those who hear.
In him for listeners is strong might
لاdo not تقلsay ليto me فيabout اللّغزthe riddle بالفتحwith a fatḥa (a vowel) ريبdoubt
لا تقل لي في اللّغز بالفتح ريب
فهوfor it is لغزٌa riddle إذاwhen نظرتyou look جليّclear
فهو لغزٌ إذا نظرت جليّ
Do not tell me there is doubt about 'laghz'—'riddle' pronounced with an a;
Say not to me the answer with voweling, doubt
For it is a riddle, clear when you consider it.
It's a riddle, if you look, clear
سائرwidespread الذكرrenown إنif عكستyou reverse وإنand if أسfirst fragment of 'you remove'
سائر الذكر إن عكست وإن أس
قطتremaining fragment of 'you remove' حرفاًa letter كذاكlikewise منهfrom it السريّthe noble one
قطت حرفاً كذاك منه السريّ
It is widely known if you reverse it; and if you re-
The rest of the mention if reversed or if
move a letter, likewise from it comes the noble one.
You omit a letter, thus from it the mysterious