تَأدبْ بِبَاب الدَّيْر واخْلَعْ بِهِ النَّعْلاَ

تَأدبْ بِبَاب الدَّيْر واخْلَعْ بِهِ النَّعْلاَ

وَسَلّمْ عَلَى الرُّهبَانِ واحْطُطْ بِهْمَ رَحْلا

وَسَلّمْ عَلَى الرُّهبَانِ واحْطُطْ بِهْمَ رَحْلا

Observe decorum at the monastery gate, and take off your sandal there.

Be polite at the monastery's door, take off your shoes there,

And greet the monks, and set down your pack among them.

Greet the monks, unload your burden,

وعَظَّمْ بِهِ القسيسَ إِنْ شئتَ خُطوةَ

وعَظَّمْ بِهِ القسيسَ إِنْ شئتَ خُطوةَ

وكَبِّر بِهِ الشَّمَاسَ إِنْ شِئتَ أَنْ تَعْلا

وكَبِّر بِهِ الشَّمَاسَ إِنْ شِئتَ أَنْ تَعْلا

And honor the priest there if you wish to advance a step.

Honor the priest if you want, by taking a step,

And exalt the deacon there if you wish to rise.

And glorify the deacon if you want to ascend.

ودُونَكَ أصْوات الشَّمَامِيس فاسْتَمعْ

ودُونَكَ أصْوات الشَّمَامِيس فاسْتَمعْ

لأْلحَانِهمْ واحْذَرْك أنْ يَسلبوا العَقْلا

لأْلحَانِهمْ واحْذَرْك أنْ يَسلبوا العَقْلا

And here are the deacons' voices for you—listen

Below you are the voices of monks, so listen

To their melodies, and beware lest they steal your reason.

To their melodies, but beware lest they take away your sanity.

بَدَتْ فِيهِ أقْمارٌ شُموسٌّ طَوَالعٌ

بَدَتْ فِيهِ أقْمارٌ شُموسٌّ طَوَالعٌ

يطُوفُونَ بالصلبان فاحْذَرك أنْ تُبْلى

يطُوفُونَ بالصلبان فاحْذَرك أنْ تُبْلى

In it appeared moons, rising suns.

Moons, suns, dawns have appeared in it,

They circle with crosses; beware lest you be afflicted.

Revolving around the crucifixes, so beware you don't get worn out.

فايَّاكَ أنْ تَسْمَعْ لَهُنَّ بِحكمَةِ

فايَّاكَ أنْ تَسْمَعْ لَهُنَّ بِحكمَةِ

وايَّاكَ أْن تَجمَعْ لهنَّ بِك الشَّملا

وايَّاكَ أْن تَجمَعْ لهنَّ بِك الشَّملا

So beware of listening to them with wisdom,

Beware of listening to them wisely,

And beware of uniting their company with yourself.

And beware of gathering them to you.

فان كان هذا الشرط وفَّيتَ حَقَّهُ

فان كان هذا الشرط وفَّيتَ حَقَّهُ

بصدْقٍ ولم تُنْقِض عُهُوداً ولا قَوْلا

بصدْقٍ ولم تُنْقِض عُهُوداً ولا قَوْلا

So if you have duly fulfilled this condition,

If you have fulfilled this condition sincerely,

With sincerity, breaking neither covenants nor a promise,

Without breaking pacts or words,

دَعُوكَ بِقِسّيسٍ وسَمُّوْك رَاهِبَا

دَعُوكَ بِقِسّيسٍ وسَمُّوْك رَاهِبَا

وابدوا لك الاْسرَارَ واستحسَنوا الفعلا

وابدوا لك الاْسرَارَ واستحسَنوا الفعلا

They will call you a priest and name you a monk,

They will call you father and name you a monk,

And reveal the secrets to you and approve the deed.

Reveal their secrets to you and approve of the deed.

وأعطوك مفتاح الكنيسة والتي

وأعطوك مفتاح الكنيسة والتي

بها صورت عيسى رهابينهم شكلا

بها صورت عيسى رهابينهم شكلا

And give you the key to the church—the one

And they will give you the church key and the one

In which their monks depicted Jesus in visible form.

In which the image of Jesus was shaped.

نعم كل ما قد قلت لي قد سَمِعتُهُ

نعم كل ما قد قلت لي قد سَمِعتُهُ

ولا أبتغي في ذَاكَ ودّا ولا مَيلا

ولا أبتغي في ذَاكَ ودّا ولا مَيلا

Yes, all that you have said to me I have heard,

Yes, everything you said to me I have heard,

And in that I seek neither affection nor attachment.

And I do not seek in that affection or inclination.

وَلمَّا أتيت الدير أمسَيتُ سيّدا

وَلمَّا أتيت الدير أمسَيتُ سيّدا

وأصبحتُ منْ زهوى أجر به الذيلا

وأصبحتُ منْ زهوى أجر به الذيلا

When I came to the monastery, by evening I was a master,

When I came to the monastery, I became a master

And by morning, in my pride, I was trailing my hem there.

And in the morning, I became, from vanity, dragging my tail.

سَألت عنْ الخمّارِ أين مَحلَّهُ

سَألت عنْ الخمّارِ أين مَحلَّهُ

وهلْ لي سبيل لِلوصُوُل به أمْ لا

وهلْ لي سبيل لِلوصُوُل به أمْ لا

I asked about the wine-seller: Where is his place?

I asked about the wine seller, where is his place?

And is there a way for me to reach him, or not?

And do I have a way to reach him or not?

فَقَالَ لي القسيَّسُ ماذا تُريدُهُ

فَقَالَ لي القسيَّسُ ماذا تُريدُهُ

فقُلْتُ أريدُ الخمر منْ عنده أملا

فقُلْتُ أريدُ الخمر منْ عنده أملا

The priest said to me: What do you want him for?

The priest said to me, what do you want from him?

I said: I want wine from him, in hope.

I said, I want wine from him hopefully.

فقَالَ ورأسي المسيحِ ومرْيمٍ

فقَالَ ورأسي المسيحِ ومرْيمٍ

وديني ولو بالدر تبذلْ بِهِ بدْلا

وديني ولو بالدر تبذلْ بِهِ بدْلا

He said: By the heads of Christ and Mary,

He said, by Christ's head and Mary's

And by my faith—even if you offered pearls in exchange for it!

And my religion, even if you offer a pearl for it instead.

فَقلتُ أزيدُ التَبرَ للدر قالَ لا

فَقلتُ أزيدُ التَبرَ للدر قالَ لا

ولو كَانَ ذَاك التَبرُ تكتاله كَيلا

ولو كَانَ ذَاك التَبرُ تكتاله كَيلا

I said: I will add gold dust to the pearls. He said: No,

I said, I will add musk to the pearl. He said no,

Even if you measured out that gold dust by the measure.

Even if that musk fills up a bushel.

فقلت له أعطيك خُفى ومُصحفي

فقلت له أعطيك خُفى ومُصحفي

وأعطيك عُكازَا قطعتُ به السبلا

وأعطيك عُكازَا قطعتُ به السبلا

I said to him: I will give you my leather boots and my copy of the Qur'an,

I said to him, I will give you slippers and my Quran

And I will give you a staff with which I traversed the roads.

And I will give you a cane that I used to clear the way.

وهَاكَ حَرمدَاتي وهَاكَ شميلتي

وهَاكَ حَرمدَاتي وهَاكَ شميلتي

وها دستماني والكُشيكل والنصلا

وها دستماني والكُشيكل والنصلا

And take my pouches, and take my small cloak;

And here is my secret, and Arak wood,

And here are my kerchief, the little begging bowl, and the blade;

And the lamp of my chambers, that kept me company at night.

وها سِرّ مَفهوُمي وعُودَ أراكتي

وها سِرّ مَفهوُمي وعُودَ أراكتي

وقنديلَ حضراتِي أنادمهُ ليلا

وقنديلَ حضراتِي أنادمهُ ليلا

And here are the secret of my understanding and the twig of my arak tree,

He said, my drink is too noble for what you described,

And the lamp of my devotional gatherings, whose company I keep at night.

And our wine is more precious than what you mentioned to us.

فقال شَرابي جلَ عما وصَفتهُ

فقال شَرابي جلَ عما وصَفتهُ

وخمَرتنَا ممّا ذَكَرْتَ لنَا أغلى

وخمَرتنَا ممّا ذَكَرْتَ لنَا أغلى

He said: My drink is far above what you described,

I said to him, stop glorifying its description,

And our wine is dearer than what you mentioned to us.

For your wine is more expensive, and our rags are higher.

فقلتُ لَهُ دَعْ عَنكَ تَعظِيمَ وصفها

فقلتُ لَهُ دَعْ عَنكَ تَعظِيمَ وصفها

فخمرتُكمْ أغلىَ وخرقتنا أعلى

فخمرتُكمْ أغلىَ وخرقتنا أعلى

I said to him: Stop describing it so grandly;

Because in it we saw our elders,

For your wine is dearer, and our patched robe is loftier.

And in it we took from our sheikhs worries.

على أننّا فيهَا رأينَا شُيُوخنَا

على أننّا فيهَا رأينَا شُيُوخنَا

وفيها أخْذنا عن مشائخنا شُغلا

وفيها أخْذنا عن مشائخنا شُغلا

For in it we have beheld our masters,

And in it we have a secret that brought us together,

And in it we received a spiritual practice from our masters.

And in it we have a secret beyond secrets that was revealed.

وفيها لنَا سِرّ ادرناه بَيْننا

وفيها لنَا سِرّ ادرناه بَيْننا

وفيها لنَا سِرّ عَنْ السرّ قد جلا

وفيها لنَا سِرّ عَنْ السرّ قد جلا

And in it we have a secret we passed around among us,

And in it we have excuses: we erred and exaggerated,

And in it a secret about the secret has become clear to us.

And our ears with wearing it left chastity.

وفيها لنَا العُذالُ لامُوا وأكثروا

وفيها لنَا العُذالُ لامُوا وأكثروا

وأذاننا في لبسها تَترك العذلا

وأذاننا في لبسها تَترك العذلا

And over it the reproachers blamed us, and did so often,

So when we wore it and fell in love with it,

And when we wear it, our ears disregard reproach.

We left homelands, money and family for it.

فلما لبسناها وهمنا بحبها

فلما لبسناها وهمنا بحبها

تركنا لها الأوطان والمال والأهلا

تركنا لها الأوطان والمال والأهلا

When we donned it and were lost in love for it,

He said, give me that robe,

We left for its sake our homelands, wealth, and family.

For my soul has proven its honesty and justice to it.

فَقَالَ عَسَى تلك العَبَاءةُ هَاتها

فَقَالَ عَسَى تلك العَبَاءةُ هَاتها

فقد اثبتت نفسيِ لها الصدقَ والعدلا

فقد اثبتت نفسيِ لها الصدقَ والعدلا

He said: That cloak, perhaps—bring it here;

I said to him, if you want to wear my robe,

For my soul has affirmed its truth and justice.

Purify yourself for it with pure ablution and make its people halal.

فقلتُ لَهْ إنْ شئتَ لبسَ عباءتيَ

فقلتُ لَهْ إنْ شئتَ لبسَ عباءتيَ

تَطَهر لَها بالطُّهر واضح لها أهلا

تَطَهر لَها بالطُّهر واضح لها أهلا

I said to him: If you wish to wear my cloak,

And replace all those clothes for it,

Purify yourself for it through purification, and become worthy of it.

And tear the girdle for it and abandon shape.

وبدلْ لهَا تِلكَ الملابسَ كُلَّها

وبدلْ لهَا تِلكَ الملابسَ كُلَّها

ومزّقْ لها الزنار واهجرْ لها الشكلا

ومزّقْ لها الزنار واهجرْ لها الشكلا

And for its sake change all those clothes,

He said: Yes, I am passionate about loving it,

And tear up the girdle for it, and for it abandon outward form.

I will make it a connection between me and you.

فقالَ نَعمْ إني شُغفتُ بِحُبها

فقالَ نَعمْ إني شُغفتُ بِحُبها

سَأجعلُها بيني وبينكُمُ وصلا

سَأجعلُها بيني وبينكُمُ وصلا

He said: Yes, I am smitten with love for it;

Give it to me, I have confessed its secret to you,

I shall make it a bond between me and all of you.

Give it to me in its jugs, it became clear.

فناولنيها قَدْ أبحتُكَ سِرّها

فناولنيها قَدْ أبحتُكَ سِرّها

وناولنيها فِي أبَاريقها تجلى

وناولنيها فِي أبَاريقها تجلى

So hand it to me; I have disclosed its secret to you,

I said to him, this smell is not my goal,

And hand it to me, revealed in its pitchers.

Nor do I seek to attain this smell of yours.

فقُلتُ لَهُ ما هذه الراحٌ مقصدي

فقُلتُ لَهُ ما هذه الراحٌ مقصدي

ولا أبتغي مِنْ راحَكم هذه نيلا

ولا أبتغي مِنْ راحَكم هذه نيلا

I said to him: This wine is not what I seek,

But it is an ancient smell, its era has passed,

Nor do I seek a share of this wine of yours.

It has not been described since, nor known before.

ولكنَّها رَاحٌ تقادمُ عَهدُها

ولكنَّها رَاحٌ تقادمُ عَهدُها

فما وُصفتْ بَعدٌ ولا عرفت قبلا

فما وُصفتْ بَعدٌ ولا عرفت قبلا

But it is a wine of ancient vintage,

Confess that God has no god but Him,

For it has not yet been described, nor was it known before.

And that the Messenger of God is the best of messengers.

اقر بأنّ اللهَ لا رَبَّ غَيرُهُ

اقر بأنّ اللهَ لا رَبَّ غَيرُهُ

وأنّ رسّول الله أفضلهم رُسلا

وأنّ رسّول الله أفضلهم رُسلا

Acknowledge that there is no Lord other than God,

Peace be upon him as long as the shining morning appears,

And that God's Messenger is the best of messengers.

And as long as the remembrance of God is recited among creation.

عليهِ سَلام اللهِ مَا لاح بَارِقٌ

عليهِ سَلام اللهِ مَا لاح بَارِقٌ

وما دَامَ ذكر اللهِ بينَ الورى يتلى

وما دَامَ ذكر اللهِ بينَ الورى يتلى

May God's peace be upon him whenever lightning flashes,

And as long as remembrance of God is recited among humankind.