أحبَّتنا ما البعد شيئاً نُطيقه

أحبَّتنا ما البعد شيئاً نُطيقه

ولكنه من جملة الحكم في الأَزَلْ

ولكنه من جملة الحكم في الأَزَلْ

Beloved, separation is no thing we can endure,

Our beloved ones, separation is not something we can bear,

Yet it is among the decrees ordained from eternity.

but it is among the decrees of eternity.

أحبتنا البابنا تستطيرها

أحبتنا البابنا تستطيرها

إليكم علاقات الصفاء ولا تسل

إليكم علاقات الصفاء ولا تسل

Beloved, our minds are swept away

Our beloved ones, our minds are swept away

Toward you by bonds of pure affection—ask no more.

toward you by bonds of pure affection—do not ask.

بنا ظمأ اللقيا ونار من الأسى

بنا ظمأ اللقيا ونار من الأسى

ولولا التأسي ذابَ من حرها الجبل

ولولا التأسي ذابَ من حرها الجبل

We thirst for meeting, and a fire of sorrow burns in us;

Within us are thirst for reunion and a fire of sorrow;

But for solace, even the mountain would melt in its heat.

were it not for consolation, its heat would melt a mountain.

مواردكم منا وموردكم ثوى

مواردكم منا وموردكم ثوى

لديكم وليس الظامئين على أمل

لديكم وليس الظامئين على أمل

Your watering places are from us, while your own watering place lies

Your springs are from us, and your spring remains

With you, and the thirsty have no hope.

with you, and the thirsty have no hope.

فنزوي من الذكرى ولا ينفع الصدا

فنزوي من الذكرى ولا ينفع الصدا

إلا هي أذكى في القلوب من الشُعَل

إلا هي أذكى في القلوب من الشُعَل

So we withdraw into remembrance, though it cannot cure our thirst;

So we shrink from remembrance; it brings thirst no relief,

Rather, it burns hotter in the heart than flames.

but only burns in our hearts more fiercely than flames.

تثير تباريح الجوى غصص النَوى

تثير تباريح الجوى غصص النَوى

وتُنكئها الذكرى إذا جرحها اندمل

وتُنكئها الذكرى إذا جرحها اندمل

It stirs the agonies of passion and the choking griefs of separation,

The choking pangs of separation stir the torments of longing,

And remembrance reopens them whenever their wound has healed.

and memory reopens them whenever their wound has healed.

عسى نسمات الروَح من لطف رَبّنا

عسى نسمات الروَح من لطف رَبّنا

تهب بجمع الشمل من بعدها انفصل

تهب بجمع الشمل من بعدها انفصل

Perhaps breaths of relief, by our Lord’s grace,

May breezes of relief, through our Lord's kindness,

Will blow, reuniting what was sundered after union.

blow, bringing reunion after separation.

وَعَلّ رياض الأنس يخضر سيمها

وَعَلّ رياض الأنس يخضر سيمها

بماطرة من رحمة الله تنهمل

بماطرة من رحمة الله تنهمل

And perhaps the meadows of fellowship will see their pastures green

And may the face of fellowship's gardens grow green

With a downpour of God’s mercy streaming forth,

beneath a shower of God's mercy pouring down,

فتروي العطاش الهيم بعد هيامها

فتروي العطاش الهيم بعد هيامها

ويدنو إليها الماء للنهل والعَلل

ويدنو إليها الماء للنهل والعَلل

Quenching those maddened by thirst after their lovesick wandering,

quenching those crazed with thirst after their frenzy,

As water draws near for their first and second draughts.

and water draw near them for a first draught and a second.

أحبتنا لا يملك المرء أمره

أحبتنا لا يملك المرء أمره

ولا يدفع المقدار ضرب من الحِيَل

ولا يدفع المقدار ضرب من الحِيَل

Beloved, no mortal commands his own affair,

Our beloved ones, no one controls his own affairs,

Nor can any manner of stratagem repel destiny.

nor can any stratagem ward off fate.

نريد قراراً واغتباطاً وألفةً

نريد قراراً واغتباطاً وألفةً

وذلك شان لا يضاف إلى العِلل

وذلك شان لا يضاف إلى العِلل

We desire a settled life, delight, and fellowship,

We desire repose, joy, and fellowship,

But that is a matter not attributable to causes.

and that is a matter not attributable to causes.

لقد دبر الرحمن أمر عباده

لقد دبر الرحمن أمر عباده

فدع عنك حتى أو متى أو عسى وَهَل

فدع عنك حتى أو متى أو عسى وَهَل

The All-Merciful has indeed ordered His servants’ affairs;

The Most Merciful has indeed ordered His servants' affairs,

So put aside “until,” “when,” “perhaps,” and “will it ever be?”

so set aside 'until,' or 'when,' or 'perhaps,' and 'whether.'

يدبر ما يختار وهي سياسةٌ

يدبر ما يختار وهي سياسةٌ

وإن ضاق في رأي العيون بها الكَبَلْ

وإن ضاق في رأي العيون بها الكَبَلْ

He orders whatever He chooses—such is His governance—

He orders what He chooses; such is His governance,

Though, in the eyes’ judgment, its fetter may feel constricting.

even if, to the eyes, its fetter seems tight.

عَلَينا الرضى فيما يجئ به القضا

عَلَينا الرضى فيما يجئ به القضا

وأهلاً بما نحسو من الصاب والعَسَل

وأهلاً بما نحسو من الصاب والعَسَل

Ours is to accept whatever fate brings,

We must be content with whatever the divine decree brings,

And welcome what we sip of bitter aloes and honey.

and welcome whatever we sip, bitter sap or honey.