فاءthe letter fāʾ الفقيرthe faqīr (spiritually poor one) فكاكهhis release منfrom أسرهhis captivity
فاء الفقير فكاكه من أسره
والقافand the letter qāf قوّةstrength جدهhis earnest striving فيin سيرهhis journey
والقاف قوّة جده في سيره
The fāʾ in faqīr is his release from captivity;
The fa granted the poor man freedom from his bonds,
And the qāf, the strength of his striving on his journey;
The qaf the strength of his grandfather in his journey,
والياءand the letter yāʾ يظفرhe attains بالفناءto annihilation of self فيin ربهhis Lord
والياء يظفر بالفناء في ربه
إذfor لايزالnever ceases to be مولهاenraptured فيin سرهhis secret heart
إذ لايزال مولها في سره
And the yāʾ: he attains annihilation in his Lord,
The ya finds annihilation in his Lord,
For he remains enraptured in his secret heart.
As his Master never leaves his innermost being,
والراءand the letter rāʾ راحةrepose روحهhis soul فيin قربهاits nearness
والراء راحة روحه في قربها
عندat الوصالunion وماand what رأتit has seen منof برهHis kindness
عند الوصال وما رأت من بره
And the rāʾ: his soul’s repose in its nearness,
The ra the repose of his soul in His nearness,
At union, and in what it has seen of His kindness.
In union, though never seeing any of His works,
فتذوقso it tastes طعمthe savor معالمthe signs of الأسرارthe mysteries فيwithin
فتذوق طعم معالم الأسرار في
قفصthe cage of الكثائفdense forms معلناmade manifest فيin ديرهhis cloister
قفص الكثائف معلنا في ديره
So it tastes the savor of the signs of the mysteries within
So he savors the taste of the mysteries' traits in,
The cage of dense forms, made manifest in his cloister.
The cage of forms, while secluded in his monastery,
وهناكand there يلمحhe glimpses طعمthe savor of إحسانbeneficence بهwithin it
وهناك يلمح طعم إحسان به
كشفاthrough unveiling ويفتقand he lays open كنزهhis treasure عنrevealing خيرهits goodness
كشفا ويفتق كنزه عن خيره
And there he glimpses the savor of beneficence within it,
There he glimpses the taste of beneficence with,
Through unveiling, and lays open his treasure, revealing its goodness.
Unveiling, and extracts its treasure of goodness,
وهناكand there يرضعhe suckles ثديthe breast of أخلاقvirtues بهاthrough which
وهناك يرضع ثدي أخلاق بها
شرقshone الزمانtime وماand whatever طوىit enfolded فيwithin زرّهits clasp
شرق الزمان وما طوى في زرّه
And there he suckles at the breast of virtues through which
There he suckles the breast of morals with which,
Time and whatever it enfolded within its clasp have shone.
The ages have been imbued, and what lay in its folds,
هذاthis فقيرthe faqīr of القومthe community وهوand he مناهمtheir heart’s desire
هذا فقير القوم وهو مناهم
إنif أبصروهthey behold him فلاthen do not تملturn aside عنfrom جسرهhis bridge
إن أبصروه فلا تمل عن جسره
This is the community’s faqīr, and he is their heart’s desire.
This is the poor man of the people, though he is of them,
If they behold him, do not turn aside from his bridge.
If they see him, do not turn away from his bridge,
فهمfor they همthey themselves أهلthe people of المكارمnoble virtues والصفاand purity
فهم هم أهل المكارم والصفا
والعاكفونand those who abide علىat موائدthe tables of شكرهthanksgiving to Him
والعاكفون على موائد شكره
For they themselves are the people of noble virtues and purity,
For they are the people of generosity and sincerity,
And those who abide at the tables of thanksgiving to Him.
Prostrating at the tables of His gratitude.