1. بَيْ طُلُوع وَبيْ نُزول

    إِخْتَلَطَت لَكَ الْغُزول

    In me is ascent, and in me descent.

    The threads have become tangled for you.

  2. وفَنَى مَنْ لَمْ يَكُن

    وبَقَى مَنْ لَم يَزُل

    And he who never was is annihilated,

    And he who never ceased remains.

  3. أنا لَسْ نَشْكُر خَلِيع

    إِنْ ثَمِلْ وإِنْ صَحَا

    I do not praise a libertine,

    Whether he is drunk or sober,

  4. حَتى يَقْطَعْ في الْقَطِيع

    ويَدُورْ بِحَالْ رَحَا

    Until he cuts his way through the herd

    And turns like a millstone.

  5. إِنْ ثَبَتْ سَيْرُوا سَرِيع

    وشَرِبْ حَتَّى امْتَحَا

    If he stands firm, his progress is swift,

    And he drinks until he is effaced.

  6. فَلْتَجول إِنْ كان يَجُول

    أو تَمُورْ تَرْعَى العُجول

    Then roam, if he roams,

    Or sway about, tending the calves.

  7. وإِنْ أرَدتَّ كُنْ مَرَه

    وإِن أرَتَّ كُن رَجُل

    And if you wish, be a woman;

    And if you wish, be a man.

  8. فإذَا نَظَرْ إِليهْ

    ويَرَى ذَاتُو بِلاَ مِرَا

    Then, when he looks upon him,

    And sees his essence without dispute,

  9. كُلُّ شَيْ يَظْهَر لُو فيهْ

    ولاَ يَدرِي كِفْ طَرَا

    Everything appears to him in him,

    And he does not know how it arose.

  10. يَحْتاجْ يَشْدُدْ يَدَيْه

    عَدْ يَرجِع لِوَرَا

    He needs to strengthen his hands;

    Then he turns back.

  11. فَهْيَ أحْوال تَحُول

    يَعْرِفونَها الْفُحُول

    For these are states that change;

    The stalwarts recognize them.

  12. والْكُحُل مِنَ الْعُيُون

    قَلْ ما يَحْتاج كَحُول

    And the kohl comes from the eyes;

    Rarely does he need kohl.

  13. شمس مَعْ ظِلِّي اخْتَلَط

    واختفتْ عَنِّي الحُدود

    The sun mingled with my shadow,

    And the boundaries vanished from my sight.

  14. وبَدا بَدْرُ الغَلَط

    يُورِي تَجْريحَ الشْهُود

    And the full moon of error appeared,

    Revealing the discrediting of the witnesses.

  15. وَجَا يَلْعَبْ فَسَقَط

    وصَحِك مِنْهُ الوجودْ

    It came to play, then fell,

    And existence laughed at it,

  16. وقال أيْش ثَمْ يا طَلول

    لا اتِّحاَد ولا حلول

    And said: What is there, O ruins?

    Neither union nor indwelling.

  17. فلاَ تَخْرِبِ الْحُصُون

    ولاَ تَخْلِطِ التُّلُول

    So do not destroy the fortresses,

    And do not mix up the hillocks.

  18. مَن مَشَى ولَم يَصِل

    فقالُوا يَقْطَع الطَّرِيق

    Whoever walks but does not arrive—

    They say he is a highwayman.

  19. فإذَا شَعَرْ وَصَل

    وإِنْ غَفِل فَهْوُ غَرِيق

    Then, when he becomes aware, he arrives;

    And if he is heedless, he is drowned.

  20. مِنْهُ إِليه يَتَّصِل

    فإذَا جازَ الْمَضيق

    From him to him he is joined.

    Then, when he crosses the narrow passage,

  21. وَتَدرْ عَلَيْه سُيُول

    وَتَلَذُّ لُو عُسُول

    And torrents pour over him,

    And honeys taste sweet to him,

  22. يَسْتَوِي صَحْبُ الخِطابْ

    والْمُخاطَبْ والرَّسُولْ

    The sender of the message stands equal

    With the addressee and the messenger.

  23. ويَرَى الفَلَكْ يَدُور

    والطُّلُوع مَعَ الْهُبُوط

    And he sees the celestial sphere revolve,

    And ascent alongside descent.

  24. ويَرْكَبَ الأمُور

    ويُحَلِّلُ الرُّبُوط

    And he rides upon events,

    And he unties the bonds.

  25. ولاَ يَتْرُكُ الْحُضُور

    ولا يهملُ الشُّروط

    And he does not abandon presence,

    Nor does he neglect the conditions.

  26. ما بَقَي لِيَ ما نَقُولْ

    قدْ طَبَخَتَ لَكْ بُقُول

    I have nothing left to say;

    I have cooked greens for you.

  27. غَيْرَ أنَّ ذِي الأمُورْ

    لَسْ هُ مِنْ طُوْرِ العقول

    Except that these matters

    Are not within the realm of intellects.