1. قَبْلَ كَوْنِ الزَّمانْ

    وَوُجُودِ السَّكْرِ

    Before time came into being,

    And before intoxication existed,

  2. أسْكَرَتْنِي بِدانْ

    الْهُوَى والْخَمْرِ

    I was intoxicated by [wine-jars?]

    Of passion and wine.

  3. قَمَرْ الرُّشْدِ لاَحْ

    وأنَارَ الْفِكْرَا

    The moon of right guidance shone forth

    And illuminated thought.

  4. ونَسِيمَ الصَّباحْ

    طابَ مِنْهُ نَشْرَا

    And the morning breeze

    Grew sweet in fragrance through it.

  5. وبِرَوْحٍ وراحْ

    عادَ شَفْعِي وِتْراً

    And with solace and wine,

    My duality became oneness.

  6. وأنَا في مهْرَجانْ

    طُولْ حياتي عُمْرِي

    And I am at a festival

    Throughout my life, my whole lifetime.

  7. عِزَّتِي في الْهَوَانْ

    وعِنَائِي فَقْرِي

    My honor lies in abasement,

    And my hardship is my poverty.

  8. للفقيرِ الوُصُولْ

    في ريَاضِ الأنْسِ

    Union belongs to the poor one

    In the gardens of intimacy.

  9. كاسُ خَمْرٍ تَجُولْ

    نُزِّهَتْ عُنْ جِنْسِ

    A cup of wine goes round,

    Exalted beyond all category.

  10. فَهْيَ فَهْمُ الْعُقُولْ

    وحَياةُ النَّفْسِ

    For it is the understanding of minds

    And the life of the soul.

  11. لَمْ يُعَبِّرْ لِسانْ

    وَصْفَهَا بِالحَصْرِ

    No tongue has expressed

    Its description in full.

  12. مَنْ شَرَبْهَا عِيانْ

    قَدْ حُبِي بالسِّرِّ

    Whoever drank it in direct vision

    Has been endowed with the secret.

  13. أشْرَقَتْ كالشُّمُوسْ

    في زُجاجِ الْقَلْبِ

    It shone like suns

    In the glass of the heart.

  14. مُزِجَتْ في الكُؤُوسْ

    مِن خُلُوصِ الْحُبِّ

    It was mixed in the cups

    From the purity of love.

  15. وهُدَتْ لِلنْفُوسْ

    مِنْ خِلالِ الْحُجْبِ

    And was bestowed upon souls

    Through the veils.

  16. فَهُدَاها اسْتَبانْ

    لِلْحَمِيدِ الصَّبْرِ

    So its guidance became clear

    To him whose patience is praiseworthy.

  17. وَرَآهَا عِيَانْ

    يُونُسُ في الْبَحْرِ

    And he saw it with his own eyes—

    Jonah, in the sea.

  18. فَهَواها دَلِيلْ

    وسَنَاها تَدْلَهْ

    So love of it is a guide,

    And its radiance brings bewilderment.

  19. قَد سُقِيَتْ للخليلْ

    ولنوحٍ قَبْلَهْ

    It was given to the Friend to drink,

    And to Noah before him.

  20. وهَدَتْ لِلْسَّبِيلْ

    وأنارَتْ سُبْلَهْ

    And it guided to the path

    And illuminated its ways.

  21. لاَ تَقُلْ كَيْفَ كانْ

    كَونُ ذاكَ الأمْرِ

    Do not ask how

    That matter came into being.

  22. لَيْسَ يَحْوِيهْ مَكانْ

    سِرُّ ذَاكَ السِّرِ

    No place contains

    The secret of that secret.

  23. ولِمُوسى الْكَلِيمْ

    حِين تَجَلَّى لِلْطُّورْ

    And to Moses, the one addressed,

    When He revealed Himself to the Mount,

  24. جَنْحَ لَيْلِ بَهِيمْ

    وَرَا سِرَّ النُّورْ

    In the dark of a pitch-black night,

    And he saw the secret of light.

  25. والنَّبِيُّ الكَرِيمْ

    باتَ منها مسرور

    And the noble Prophet

    Spent the night rejoicing through it,

  26. في رِضَا وامْتِنَان

    وسُمُوِّ الْقَدْرِ

    In contentment and gratitude

    And loftiness of rank.

  27. شَأْنُهُ خَيْرُ شَانْ

    باللِّوَا والفَخْرِ

    His station is the best of stations,

    With the banner and glory.

  28. للنبيِّ الرَّسولْ

    زَادَ شَوْقُ الْعَبْدِ

    For the Prophet, the Messenger,

    The servant's longing has grown.

  29. رَبِّ قَرِّب وُصُولْ

    مَن شَكَى بالْبُعْدِ

    My Lord, bring near the union

    Of one who laments separation.

  30. عل ريح القبول

    يدنيني من قصدي

    Perhaps the wind of acceptance

    Will draw me nearer to my goal.

  31. جَارَ عَلَيَّا الزَّمانْ

    في هَوَى مَنْ تَدرِي

    Time has dealt unjustly with me

    In love of the one you know.

  32. صُمْتُ عَنْهُ أوَانْ

    وجَعَلْتُهُ فِطْرِي

    I fasted from him for a time,

    And made him my breaking of the fast.