سِرُّ حَياةٍ وشَرُّ مَوتٍ

سِرُّ حَياةٍ وشَرُّ مَوتٍ

حياةُ نَفسٍ وَمَوْتُ قلبِ

حياةُ نَفسٍ وَمَوْتُ قلبِ

The secret of life and the evil of death:

The secret of life and the evil of death

A soul’s life and a heart’s death.

The life of a soul and the death of a heart

حِزْبان مِن باطلٍ وحَقٍّ

حِزْبان مِن باطلٍ وحَقٍّ

ما بَرِحَا في عظيمِ حَرْبِ

ما بَرِحَا في عظيمِ حَرْبِ

Two factions, of falsehood and truth,

Two parties of falsehood and truth

have remained in a mighty war.

That have not ceased their mighty war

فَكَوْنُ ذا في نعيمِ رُوحٍ

فَكَوْنُ ذا في نعيمِ رُوحٍ

بكَوْنِ ذا في أليم كَرْبِ

بكَوْنِ ذا في أليم كَرْبِ

Thus one’s being in the bliss of the spirit

So the being of this one is in the bliss of spirit

comes through the other’s being in painful anguish.

And the being of that one is in the painful suffering