ضُمّي قِناعَكِ يا سُعادُ أَو اِرفَعي

ضُمّي قِناعَكِ يا سُعادُ أَو اِرفَعي

هَذي المَحاسِنُ ما خُلِقنَ لِبُرقُعِ

هَذي المَحاسِنُ ما خُلِقنَ لِبُرقُعِ

Draw your veil close, Suad, or raise it;

My happiness, veil your beauty or lift it,

These beauties were not made for a face-veil.

These charms were not made to be covered.

اَلضاحِياتُ الضاحِكاتُ وَدونَها

اَلضاحِياتُ الضاحِكاتُ وَدونَها

سِترُ الجَلالِ وَبُعدُ شَأوِ المَطلَعِ

سِترُ الجَلالِ وَبُعدُ شَأوِ المَطلَعِ

Radiant, smiling—and before them stands

The radiant laughing girls below it,

A veil of majesty, and the far height of their rising.

Are veils of glory and far from noble sights.

يا دُميَةً لا يُستَزادُ جَمالُها

يا دُميَةً لا يُستَزادُ جَمالُها

زيديهِ حُسنَ المُحسِنِ المُتَبَرِّعِ

زيديهِ حُسنَ المُحسِنِ المُتَبَرِّعِ

O beautiful image, whose beauty cannot be increased,

Oh doll whose beauty cannot be exceeded,

Add to it the grace of a freely giving benefactor.

Add to it the beauty of the generous benefactor.

ماذا عَلى سُلطانِهِ مِن وَقفَةٍ

ماذا عَلى سُلطانِهِ مِن وَقفَةٍ

لِلضارِعينَ وَعَطفَةٍ لِلخُشَّعِ

لِلضارِعينَ وَعَطفَةٍ لِلخُشَّعِ

What would it cost its sovereignty to pause

What can stop his authority,

For the suppliants, and show kindness to the humble?

For the pleading and kindness to the humble?

بَل ما يَضُرُّكِ لَو سَمَحتِ بِجَلوَةٍ

بَل ما يَضُرُّكِ لَو سَمَحتِ بِجَلوَةٍ

إِنَّ العَروسَ كَثيرَةُ المُتَطَلِّعِ

إِنَّ العَروسَ كَثيرَةُ المُتَطَلِّعِ

Rather, what harm if you permitted an unveiling?

What would harm you if you allowed some coquetry?

Indeed, a bride has many eager onlookers.

The bride looks around frequently.

لَيسَ الحِجابُ لِمَن يَعِزُّ مَنالُهُ

لَيسَ الحِجابُ لِمَن يَعِزُّ مَنالُهُ

إِنَّ الحِجابَ لَهَيِّنٌ لَم يُمنَعِ

إِنَّ الحِجابَ لَهَيِّنٌ لَم يُمنَعِ

The veil is not for one whose attainment is hard;

The veil is not for one who cannot attain her,

Indeed, the veil is for one easily reached, not kept away.

The veil is flimsy, unforbidden.

أَنتِ الَّتي اِتَّخَذَ الجَمالَ لِعِزِّهِ

أَنتِ الَّتي اِتَّخَذَ الجَمالَ لِعِزِّهِ

مِن مَظهَرٍ وَلِسِرِّهِ مِن مَوضِعِ

مِن مَظهَرٍ وَلِسِرِّهِ مِن مَوضِعِ

You are she whom Beauty chose, for its glory,

You are the one beauty has chosen for its glory,

As a manifestation, and for its secret as a dwelling.

For its appearance and its secret place.

وَهوَ الصَناعُ يَصوغُ كُلَّ دَقيقَةٍ

وَهوَ الصَناعُ يَصوغُ كُلَّ دَقيقَةٍ

وَأَدَقَّ مِنكَ بَنانُهُ لَم تَصنَعِ

وَأَدَقَّ مِنكَ بَنانُهُ لَم تَصنَعِ

And he, the skilled craftsman, fashions every subtle detail;

He is the artisan forming each detail,

And his fingertips have fashioned nothing subtler than you.

More delicate than you, none he made.

لَمَسَتكِ راحَتُهُ وَمَسَّكِ روحُهُ

لَمَسَتكِ راحَتُهُ وَمَسَّكِ روحُهُ

فَأَتى البَديعُ عَلى مِثالِ المُبدِعِ

فَأَتى البَديعُ عَلى مِثالِ المُبدِعِ

His palm touched you, and his spirit touched you,

His hand caressed you and his soul imbued you,

So the wondrous creation came in the creator's likeness.

So the sublime came in the image of the creator.

اللَهَ في الأَحبارِ مِن مُتَهالِكٍ

اللَهَ في الأَحبارِ مِن مُتَهالِكٍ

نِضوٍ وَمَهتوكِ المُسوحِ مُصَرَّعِ

نِضوٍ وَمَهتوكِ المُسوحِ مُصَرَّعِ

For God's sake, spare the learned—the exhausted,

God, among the monks is one shaky,

The emaciated, and the fallen with torn sackcloth,

Calm yet worn out, decorated robe.

مِن كُلِّ غاوٍ في طَوِيَّةِ راشِدٍ

مِن كُلِّ غاوٍ في طَوِيَّةِ راشِدٍ

عاصي الظَواهِرِ في سَريرَةِ طَيِّعِ

عاصي الظَواهِرِ في سَريرَةِ طَيِّعِ

Every erring one with a rightly guided heart,

From every transgressor in the quarters of the righteous,

Outwardly rebellious, inwardly obedient.

Disobeying appearances, obedient in private.

يَتَوَهَّجونَ وَيَطفَأونَ كَأَنَّهُم

يَتَوَهَّجونَ وَيَطفَأونَ كَأَنَّهُم

سُرُجٌ بِمُعتَرَكِ الرِياحِ الأَربَعِ

سُرُجٌ بِمُعتَرَكِ الرِياحِ الأَربَعِ

They flare and die out, as though they were

They shine and fade out as if they are,

Lamps in the battleground of the four winds.

Lamps in the battle of the four winds.

عَلِموا فَضاقَ بِهِم وَشَقَّ طَريقُهُم

عَلِموا فَضاقَ بِهِم وَشَقَّ طَريقُهُم

وَالجاهِلونَ عَلى الطَريقِ المَهيَعِ

وَالجاهِلونَ عَلى الطَريقِ المَهيَعِ

They learned, and their path grew narrow and hard,

They knew so their path narrowed and split,

While the ignorant are on the broad, open road.

While the ignorant are on the terrible path.

ذَهَبَ اِبنُ سينا لَم يَفُز بِكِ ساعَةً

ذَهَبَ اِبنُ سينا لَم يَفُز بِكِ ساعَةً

وَتَوَلَّتِ الحُكَماءُ لَم تَتَمَتَّعِ

وَتَوَلَّتِ الحُكَماءُ لَم تَتَمَتَّعِ

Ibn Sina departed, never winning you for an hour,

Ibn Sina is gone, he never won you for an hour,

And the sages departed without delighting in you.

The wise men turned from you, never enjoying you.

هَذا مَقامٌ كُلُّ عِزٍّ دونَهُ

هَذا مَقامٌ كُلُّ عِزٍّ دونَهُ

شَمسُ النَهارِ بِمِثلِهِ لَم تَطمَعِ

شَمسُ النَهارِ بِمِثلِهِ لَم تَطمَعِ

This is a station beneath which all glory lies;

This position, all glory is below it,

The daylight sun never aspired to its like.

The sun never dreamed of its like.

فَمُحَمَّدٌ لَكِ وَالمَسيحُ تَرَجَّلا

فَمُحَمَّدٌ لَكِ وَالمَسيحُ تَرَجَّلا

وَتَرَجَّلَت شَمسُ النَهارِ لِيوشَعِ

وَتَرَجَّلَت شَمسُ النَهارِ لِيوشَعِ

For Muhammad and the Messiah dismounted for you,

So for you Muhammad and the Christ humbled themselves,

And the daylight sun dismounted for Joshua.

And for Joshua the sun of day humbled itself.

ما بالُ أَحمَدَ عَيَّ عَنكِ بَيانُهُ

ما بالُ أَحمَدَ عَيَّ عَنكِ بَيانُهُ

بَل ما لِعيسى لَم يَقُل أَو يَدَّعِ

بَل ما لِعيسى لَم يَقُل أَو يَدَّعِ

Why did Ahmad's eloquence fail to speak of you?

Why did Ahmed tired speaking of you?

Rather, why did Jesus not speak or make a claim?

Jesus never said or claimed anything.

وَلِسانُ موسى اِنحَلَّ إِلّا عُقدَةً

وَلِسانُ موسى اِنحَلَّ إِلّا عُقدَةً

مِن جانِبَيكَ عِلاجُها لَم يَنجَعِ

مِن جانِبَيكَ عِلاجُها لَم يَنجَعِ

And Moses' tongue was loosed, save for one knot

Moses’ tongue is paralyzed but for a knot,

Concerning your two aspects, which no remedy could undo.

From your side, its treatment never succeeded.

لَمّا حَلَلتِ بِآدَمٍ حَلَّ الحِبا

لَمّا حَلَلتِ بِآدَمٍ حَلَّ الحِبا

وَمَشى عَلى المَلَأ السُجودِ الرُكَّعِ

وَمَشى عَلى المَلَأ السُجودِ الرُكَّعِ

When you dwelt in Adam, he loosened his bindings,

When you were with Adam, rapture was allowed,

And walked before the prostrate, bowing host.

And he walked erect before the bowing multitude.

وَأَرى النُبُوَّةَ في ذَراكِ تَكَرَّمَت

وَأَرى النُبُوَّةَ في ذَراكِ تَكَرَّمَت

في يوسُفٍ وَتَكَلَّمَت في المُرضَعِ

في يوسُفٍ وَتَكَلَّمَت في المُرضَعِ

And I see prophethood, in your shelter, showing its nobility

And I saw prophesy honored in your threading,

In Joseph, and speaking in the suckling child;

In Joseph and speaking in the suckling infant.

وَسَقَت قُريشَ عَلى لِسانِ مُحَمَّدٍ

وَسَقَت قُريشَ عَلى لِسانِ مُحَمَّدٍ

بِالبابِلِيِّ مِنَ البَيانِ المُمتِعِ

بِالبابِلِيِّ مِنَ البَيانِ المُمتِعِ

And giving Quraysh to drink through Muhammad's tongue

And you gave Quraish to drink in the tongue of Mohammed,

The Babylonian wine of delightful eloquence;

Of revelations, from the most pleasant eloquence.

وَمَشَت بِموسى في الظَلامِ مُشَرَّداً

وَمَشَت بِموسى في الظَلامِ مُشَرَّداً

وَحَدَتهُ في قُلَلِ الجِبالِ اللُمَّعِ

وَحَدَتهُ في قُلَلِ الجِبالِ اللُمَّعِ

And leading Moses through the darkness, driven into exile,

And you walked with Moses in darkness bewildered,

And singing him onward among the mountains' gleaming peaks.

And guided him on the lit mountain peaks.

حَتّى إِذا طُوِيَت وَرِثتِ خِلالَها

حَتّى إِذا طُوِيَت وَرِثتِ خِلالَها

رُفِعَ الرَحيقُ وَسِرُّهُ لَم يُرفَعِ

رُفِعَ الرَحيقُ وَسِرُّهُ لَم يُرفَعِ

Until, when it was folded away, you inherited its qualities:

When you were folded up, and inherited her conditions,

The nectar was taken away, but its secret was not.

The perfume was raised up and its secret not raised.

قَسَمَت مَنازِلَكِ الحُظوظُ فَمَنزِلاً

قَسَمَت مَنازِلَكِ الحُظوظُ فَمَنزِلاً

أُترَعنَ مِنكِ وَمَنزِلاً لَم تُترَعِ

أُترَعنَ مِنكِ وَمَنزِلاً لَم تُترَعِ

Fortunes apportioned your dwellings: one abode

The fortunes divided your dwellings, so a dwelling,

They filled with you, and another they left unfilled;

Was looked after because of you, and a dwelling you did not look after.

وَخَلِيَّةً بِالنَحلِ مِنكِ عَميرَةً

وَخَلِيَّةً بِالنَحلِ مِنكِ عَميرَةً

وَخَلِيَّةً مَعمورَةٍ بِالتُبَّعِ

وَخَلِيَّةً مَعمورَةٍ بِالتُبَّعِ

And a hive richly peopled with bees from you,

And a cell with bees from you busily occupied,

And another hive inhabited by drones;

And an empty cell you did not occupy.

وَحَظيرَةً قَد أودِعَت غُرَرَ الدُمى

وَحَظيرَةً قَد أودِعَت غُرَرَ الدُمى

وَحَظيرَةً مَحرومَةً لَم تودَعِ

وَحَظيرَةً مَحرومَةً لَم تودَعِ

And an enclosure stocked with the fairest images,

An enclosure where the wild animals’ treasures were deposited,

And a deprived enclosure, stocked with none.

And an enclosure you deprived, nothing deposited in it.

نَظَرَ الرَئيسُ إِلى كَمالِكِ نَظرَةً

نَظَرَ الرَئيسُ إِلى كَمالِكِ نَظرَةً

لَم تَخلُ مِن بَصَرِ اللَبيبِ الأَروَعِ

لَم تَخلُ مِن بَصَرِ اللَبيبِ الأَروَعِ

The Master looked upon your perfection with a gaze

The president looked at your perfection, a look

Not lacking the insight of a discerning, keen-minded sage.

That did not lack the insight of the most perceptive.

فَرآهُ مَنزِلَةً تَعَرَّضَ دونَها

فَرآهُ مَنزِلَةً تَعَرَّضَ دونَها

قِصَرُ الحَياةِ وَحالَ وَشكُ المَصرَعِ

قِصَرُ الحَياةِ وَحالَ وَشكُ المَصرَعِ

He saw it as a rank, whose attainment was obstructed

He saw it a position before which,

By life's brevity, barred by death's nearness.

The lifetimes bow down, and the appointed time of death.

لَولا كَمالُكِ في الرَئيسِ وَمِثلِهِ

لَولا كَمالُكِ في الرَئيسِ وَمِثلِهِ

لَم تَحسُنِ الدُنيا وَلَم تَتَرَعرَعِ

لَم تَحسُنِ الدُنيا وَلَم تَتَرَعرَعِ

Were it not for your perfection in the Master and his like,

Were it not for your perfection in the president and his like,

The world would neither grow fair nor flourish.

The world would not be good and would not flourish.

اللَهُ ثَبَّتَ أَرضَهُ بِدَعائِمٍ

اللَهُ ثَبَّتَ أَرضَهُ بِدَعائِمٍ

هُم حائِطُ الدُنيا وَرُكنُ المَجمَعِ

هُم حائِطُ الدُنيا وَرُكنُ المَجمَعِ

God secured His earth with pillars;

God established His land with pillars,

They are the world's wall and the assembly's pillar.

They are the barrier of the world and pillar of the assembly.

لَو أَنَّ كُلَّ أَخي يَراعٍ بالِغٌ

لَو أَنَّ كُلَّ أَخي يَراعٍ بالِغٌ

شَأوَ الرَئيسِ وَكُلَّ صاحِبِ مِبضَعِ

شَأوَ الرَئيسِ وَكُلَّ صاحِبِ مِبضَعِ

If every wielder of a reed pen could reach

If every brother were striving maturely,

The Master's height, and every wielder of a scalpel,

For the president’s glory, and every owner of a mare,

ذَهَبَ الكَمالُ سُدىً وَضاعَ مَحَلُّهُ

ذَهَبَ الكَمالُ سُدىً وَضاعَ مَحَلُّهُ

في العالَمِ المُتَفاوِتِ المُتَنَوِّعِ

في العالَمِ المُتَفاوِتِ المُتَنَوِّعِ

Perfection would be wasted, and its place lost

Perfection would vanish in vain, and its place lost,

In the unequal, varied world.

In the uneven diverse world.

يا نَفسُ مِثلُ الشَمسِ أَنتِ أَشِعَّةٌ

يا نَفسُ مِثلُ الشَمسِ أَنتِ أَشِعَّةٌ

في عامِرٍ وَأَشِعَّةٌ في بَلقَعِ

في عامِرٍ وَأَشِعَّةٌ في بَلقَعِ

O soul, like the sun, you are rays

Oh soul, you are like the sun, rays

In inhabited land, and rays in barren wastes.

In a cultivated land, and rays in a patch.

فَإِذا طَوى اللَهُ النَهارَ تَراجَعَت

فَإِذا طَوى اللَهُ النَهارَ تَراجَعَت

شَتّى الأَشِعَّةِ فَاِلتَقَت في المَرجِعِ

شَتّى الأَشِعَّةِ فَاِلتَقَت في المَرجِعِ

And when God folds away the day, back come

So when God folds up the day, the rays retreat,

The scattered rays, meeting at their source.

The scattered rays meet in the place of return.

لَما نُعيتِ إِلى المَنازِلِ غودِرَت

لَما نُعيتِ إِلى المَنازِلِ غودِرَت

دَكّاً وَمِثلُكِ في المَنازِلِ ما نُعي

دَكّاً وَمِثلُكِ في المَنازِلِ ما نُعي

When your death was announced to the dwellings, they were left

When you were invited to the dwellings,

Flattened; your like had never been mourned in those dwellings.

You were called to, and like you, none were called to dwellings.

ضَجَّت عَلَيكِ مَعالِماً وَمَعاهِداً

ضَجَّت عَلَيكِ مَعالِماً وَمَعاهِداً

وَبَكَت فُراقُكِ بِالدُموعِ الهُمَّعِ

وَبَكَت فُراقُكِ بِالدُموعِ الهُمَّعِ

Their landmarks and familiar haunts cried aloud for you,

Places and covenants cried over you,

And wept for your parting with streaming tears.

And your separation wept with copious tears.

آذَنتِها بِنَوىً فَقالَت لَيتَ لَم

آذَنتِها بِنَوىً فَقالَت لَيتَ لَم

تَصِلِ الحِبالَ وَلَيتَها لَم تَقطَعِ

تَصِلِ الحِبالَ وَلَيتَها لَم تَقطَعِ

You told them of parting; they said, 'Would that she had not

You told them of a vow, so they said would that,

Joined the cords, and would that she had not cut them!'

The ropes were not joined, would that they were not cut.

وَرِداءُ جُثمانٍ لَبِستِ مُرَقَّمٍ

وَرِداءُ جُثمانٍ لَبِستِ مُرَقَّمٍ

بِيَدِ الشَبابِ عَلى المَشيبِ مُرَقَّعِ

بِيَدِ الشَبابِ عَلى المَشيبِ مُرَقَّعِ

And the bodily robe you wore, embroidered

The garment of an embroidered body you wore,

By youth's hand, patched in gray-haired age—

Patched by youth over old age.

كَم بِنتِ فيهِ وَكَم خَفيتِ كَأَنَّهُ

كَم بِنتِ فيهِ وَكَم خَفيتِ كَأَنَّهُ

ثَوبُ المُمَثِّلِ أَو لِباسُ المَرفَعِ

ثَوبُ المُمَثِّلِ أَو لِباسُ المَرفَعِ

How often you appeared in it, how often hid, as though it were

How many daughters were in it, and how you hid them, as if,

An actor's costume, or carnival dress!

It were the actor’s robe or the judge’s attire.

أَسَئِمتِ مِن ديباجِهِ فَنَزَعتِهِ

أَسَئِمتِ مِن ديباجِهِ فَنَزَعتِهِ

وَالخَزُّ أَكفانٌ إِذا لَم يُنزَعِ

وَالخَزُّ أَكفانٌ إِذا لَم يُنزَعِ

Did you tire of its brocade and strip it off?

I asked about its brocade so you took it off,

And silk is a shroud if not stripped away.

And the linen shroud, when not taken off.

فَزِعَت وَما خَفِيَت عَلَيها غايَةٌ

فَزِعَت وَما خَفِيَت عَلَيها غايَةٌ

لَكِنَّ مَن يَرِدِ القِيامَةَ يَفزَعِ

لَكِنَّ مَن يَرِدِ القِيامَةَ يَفزَعِ

They took fright, though no end was hidden from them;

She panicked but no point was hidden from her,

But whoever reaches the Resurrection takes fright.

Except whoever wants the resurrection will panic.

ضَرَعَت بِأَدمُعِها إِلَيكِ وَما دَرَت

ضَرَعَت بِأَدمُعِها إِلَيكِ وَما دَرَت

أَنَّ السَفينَةَ أَقلَعَت في الأَدمُعِ

أَنَّ السَفينَةَ أَقلَعَت في الأَدمُعِ

They pleaded to you with their tears, unaware

With her tears she implored you but did not know,

That the ship had set sail upon the tears.

That the ship had sailed with the tears.

أَنتِ الوَفِيَّةُ لا الذِمامُ لَدَيكِ مَذ

أَنتِ الوَفِيَّةُ لا الذِمامُ لَدَيكِ مَذ

مومٌ وَلا عَهدُ الهَوى بِمُضَيَّعِ

مومٌ وَلا عَهدُ الهَوى بِمُضَيَّعِ

You are the faithful one: no bond in your keeping is blame-

You are the faithful, not the one to blame, for you have,

worthy, nor is love's covenant neglected.

No blameworthy acts, nor are your covenants broken.

أَزمَعتِ فَاِنهَلَّت دُموعُكِ رِقَّةً

أَزمَعتِ فَاِنهَلَّت دُموعُكِ رِقَّةً

وَلَوِ اِستَطَعتِ إِقامَةً لَم تُزمِعي

وَلَوِ اِستَطَعتِ إِقامَةً لَم تُزمِعي

You resolved to leave, and your tears poured down in tenderness;

You intended departure so your tears flowed gently,

Had you been able to stay, you would not have resolved to leave.

If you could have stayed, you would not have intended to leave.

بانَ الأَحِبَّةُ يَومَ بَينِكِ كُلُّهُم

بانَ الأَحِبَّةُ يَومَ بَينِكِ كُلُّهُم

وَذَهَبتِ بِالماضي وَبِالمُتَوَقَّعِ

وَذَهَبتِ بِالماضي وَبِالمُتَوَقَّعِ

All the loved ones departed on the day you parted,

The loved ones were seen on that day, all of them,

And you carried away the past and the awaited future.

And you left with those past and awaited.