بَدَت لِعَيني بِالسُتورِ وَالكِلَل

ثَمَّ اِختَفَت بِرَفعِها عَنِ المُقَل

She appeared to my eyes behind the veil and the locks

Then disappeared when she lifted it from her eyelids

غَزالَةٌ بَينَ الصَريمِ وَاللَوى

عَلَّمني الوَجدُ بِها نَظمَ الغَزَل

A gazelle between acacia and myrrh

Passion has taught me through her to compose poetry

بَذَلتُ فيها مُهجَتي وَلَيتَها

تَقَبَّلَت مِنَ المَحِبِّ ما بَذَل

I sacrificed my soul for her, would that she had

Accepted the sacrifice of the lover

تِلكَ الَّتي ما حَدُثَت صَبابَتي

بِحُبِّها لَكِنَّها مِنَ الأَزَل

She for whom my youth was not a novel tale

But rather she has been eternal

واحِدَةُ الحُسنِ الَّتي عَن حُسنِها

سارَت تَفاصيلُ الجَمالِ وَالجُمَل

The unique one in beauty, from whose beauty

The aspects and shapes of beauty emerged

مَحجوبَةٌ يُظهِرُها حِجابُها

كَالشَمسِ يَجلوها عَلى الطَرفِ الطَفَل

A veiled one whom her veil reveals

Like the sun unveiled at dawn

لَيسَ لَها بِالحُسنِ مِثلٌ إِنَّما

تَمَثَّلَت عِندَ الظُهورِ بِالمَثَل

She has no equal in beauty, but when she appeared

She was made an example

مَوصوفَةٌ بَينَ الوَرى وَحُسنُها

تَحتَ النُعوتِ وَالصِفاتُ ما دَخَل

Described among mankind while her beauty

Is beyond attributes and qualities

مَلحوظَةُ الذاتِ بِعَينِ ذاتِها

وَباطِنُ المَلحوظِ مِنها قَد جُهِل

Observed of essence through her own essence

While the interior of the observed from her is unknown

وَظاهِرُ الحُسنِ الَّذي باطِنُهُ

ظاهِرُهُ باطِنُ حُسنٍ قَد كَمَل

The exterior of beauty whose interior

Exterior is the interior of consummate beauty

وَهيَ وَإِن بانَ لَنا جَمالُها

عَنِ الكَيانِ بِالعَيانِ لَم تَزُل

And though her beauty was revealed to us

Through existence by sight, it never ceased to be

بَدَت بِخَمسٍ وَاِختَفَت بِخَمسَةٍ

وَأَظهَرَت خَمساً بِها المُرتابُ ضَل

She appeared in five, hid in five

And made manifest five, through her the doubter strayed

هامَ بِها بَنيَ الظَلامِ وَالضِيا

وَصَدَّ عَنها إِذا دَعَتهُ في الظُلَل

The confused roamed about her, the bright

Turned away from her though she called in the shadows

وَما دَرى بِأَنَّ عَينَ حُسنِها

بِالضالِ عَينُ حُسنِها بِذي الأَثَل

Little did he know her eye of beauty

For the lost one, her eye of beauty squints

خَلَّفَها مَن خَلفِهِ سافِرَةً

وَأُمَّ مَعنىً مِن مَعانيها عَطِل

He left her traveling while he lingered behind

A essence of her essences incapacitated

وَفَرَّ عَنها إِذ دَعَتهُ وَاِنثَنى

بِجَهلِهِ يَطلُبُها عِندَ الطَلَل

And turned away from her when she called him and veered

In his ignorance seeking her by the hills

فَاِعجَب بِهِ مِن عاشِقٍ مُغَفَّلٍ

يَجهَلُ مِن ذاتِ الخِمارِ ما عَقَل

So I wondered at him - a heedless lover

Who knows not of the essence of her veil

فَاِبعُد بِهِ وانِحُ سَبيلي وَاِطَّرِح

عَنكَ المَراءَ في الشُكوكِ وَالجَدَل

So leave him be and let me go my way and cast off

Contention about doubts and disputes

وَاِسلَم كَإِسلامي لَها تَسلَم بِها

في قَصدِها مِنَ العَناءِ وَالكَلَل

And submit as I have submitted by which through her

Submission the hardship and toil will pass

وَإِن عَراكَ خَبَلٌ في قَصدِها

فَاِتلُ أَساميها يَزُل عَنكَ الخَبَل

And if dementia confuses your quest for her

Recite her names and your confusion will disperse

وَعُذ بِها مِن غَفلَةٍ عَن أَمرِها

في سَترِها تُعقِبُ في الكَشفِ الخَجَل

And seek refuge through her from heedlessness of her affair

In her concealment which follows in unveiling embarrassment

وَاِعمَل بِمَسنونِ الهَوى في مِلَّتي

وَاِرفُض فُروضَ غَيرِها مِنَ المِلَل

And act according to passion’s law in my creed

And reject any obligations besides

وَاِسلُك سَبيلي في هَواها نَحوَها

وَلا تَمَل دونَ الحِمى إِلى الطَلَل

And take my path in passion towards her

Cease not wander save by her sanctuary

وَاِتَّخِذِ القَبيلَةَ شَطرَ وَجهِها

فَهيَ لِأَهلِ العِشقِ مِن أَسنى القِبَل

And make her tribe a direction and stand

For they are to lovers a most gracious kiss

وَقُل إِذا قُمتَ إِلى صَلاتِها

حَيَّ عَلى خَيرِ الصَلاةِ وَالعَمَل

And say when standing for her prayer

“Greetings to the best of prayers and deeds”

حَيَّ عَلى مَعرِفَةِ الحُسنِ الَّذي

قَد وَهَبَ الحُسنَ لِرَبّاتِ الكِلَل

Greetings to the gnosis of beauty which

Has granted beauty to the mistresses of tresses

وَجَهتُ وَجهي لِلَّتي جَمالُها

عَن جِهَةِ الأَوصافِ بِالتَحديدِ جَل

I turned my face to she whose beauty

Is beyond delimitation by attributes

مُستَسلِماً مُسَلِّماً لِأَمرِها

مُعتَصِماً بِحَبلِها مِنَ الزَلَل

Surrendered, submitting to her affair

Clinging through her rope safe from pitfalls

وَاِتلُ ثَناها راكِعاً وَساجِداً

عَساكَ تَحظى بِالقُبولِ وَلَعَل

And recite her praise bowing and prostrating

Perhaps you may gain acceptance

وَدُم عَلى فِعلِ الصَلاةِ تَتَّصِل

بِمَن إِلَيها بِالصَلاةِ قَد وَصَل

And persist in the act of prayer connected

Through prayer to whom it has reached

لِأَنَّها مَعرِفَةُ السِرِّ الَّذي

باطِنُهُ اِسمٌ عَلى مَعناهُ دَل

For it is the gnosis of the secret whose

Essence is a name indicating its meaning

وَصُم لَها بِالصَونِ لِلسِرِّ الَّذي

حُمِّلتَ مِنها عَن جَهولٍ ما حَمَل

And fast to her in preserving the secret

With which you were entrusted from an ignoramus

تَحَظَ بِسِرِّ الصَونِ في سَبيلِها

وَما عَلَيهِ مِن مَعانيها اِشتَمَل

You will attain the secret of preservation in her path

And that which of her meanings it has comprised

وَقَنِّعِ النَفسَ وَكُن مُذكِياً

عَلى مَواليها بِما عَنكَ فَضَل

And satisfy yourself and be content

With her patronage over what seemed spare to you

تَزَكّو بِإِخراجِ الزَكاةِ فَتَجِد

مَعنى الزَكاةِ سينَ ميمٍ ما اِنفَصَل

Purify yourself by paying the alms tax you will find

The meaning of “alms” is an inseparable “sīn” and “mīm”

وَزُر حِمىً حَلَّ بِهِ جَمالُها

تَستَغنِ عَن حَثِّ السَرى إِلى الجَبَل

And visit her sanctuary wherein her beauty has lodged

Without need to rouse the mounts to cross the mountain

وَلا تَزُر مَعهَدَ رَبعٍ قَد خَلا

وَزُر حِمىً عَنهُ سَناها مَاِنتَقَل

And do not traverse the region of a quarter left vacant

Or rouse the mounts from her realm therein transferred

فَذَلِكَ الحَجُّ الَّذي إِن نِلتَهُ

نِلتَ حَجّاً لَم تَنَلهُ بِالإِبِل

For that is the pilgrimage which if attained

Is a pilgrimage never attained with she-camels

وَاِجهَد عَلى مَرضاتِها النَفسَ وَكُن

مُجاهِداً بِالسَيفِ فيها مِن عَدَل

And struggle against the soul to please her and be

A warrior by the sword through her in equity

وَلا يُخيفَنَّكَ في طِلابِها

بيضُ ظُبى الهِندِ وَلا سُمرُ الأَسَل

And let neither the white antelopes of India frighten you

Nor the red lions in seeking her watering place

وَلا يَصُدُّنَّكَ عَن مَورِدِها ال

عَذبَ النَميرَ مَصَّةٌ مِنَ الوَشَل

And be for what she has legislated in her love

Pursuing, casting from you laziness

وَكُن لِما شَرَعتَهُ في حُبِّها

مُتَّبِعاً مَطرَحاً عَنكَ الكَسَل

You will ascend into the kernel from the exterior of what

I have legislated, then when silent, withdraw

تَرقَ إِلى الباطِنِ مِن ظاهِرِ ما

شَرَعتُهُ فَعِندَما اِصمَت وَاِعتَزِل

And sever ties with the brother of ignorance and join every youth

Grown in religion of passion and become wise

وَاِقطَع أَخا الجَهلِ وَصِل كُلَّ فَتى

شَبَّ عَلى دينِ الغَرامِ وَاِكتَهَل

From the Hamdān clan who in passion

By their sincerity have become a parable among mankind

مِن آلِ حَمدانَ الَّذينَ في الهَوى

بِصِدقِهِم يُضرَبُ في الناسِ المَثَل

Treasurers of the secrets of passion, refuge of

Lovers from adversary and disputes

خَزّانِ أَسرارِ الغَرامِ مَلجَأَ ال

عُشّاقِ مِن أَهلِ الشِقاقِ وَالجَدَل

A people who established the ways of love which

Came with it from the family of Lamyāʾ the messengers

قَومٌ أَقاموا سُنَنَ الحُبِّ الَّذي

جاءَت بِهِ مِن عِندِ لَمياءَ الرُسُل

They followed the psalm of her wisdom as it came

And recited her clarification as it was revealed

تَلوا زُبورَ حُكمِها كَما أَتى

وَرَتَّلوا فَرَقانَها كَما نَزَل

They are the people who proven true to love, attaining

Enduring union

أولَئِكَ القَومُ الَّذينَ صَدَّقوا ال

حُبَّ فَفازوا بِالوِصالِ المُتَّصِل

They took refuge in the cave of Sulaymā partaking

From her ripe honey the most purified honey

أَووا إِلى كَهفِ سُلَيمى فَجَنّوا

مِن نَحلِها الزاكي بِها أَزكى العَسَل

Never deviating from the path of seeking her

Nor answering the call of one who spurned

وَعَن سَبيلِ قَصدِها ما عَدَلوا

وَلا أَجابوا دَعوَةً لِمَن عَذَل

The people of loyalty and sincerity, brethren of sincerity

Like stars guiding travelers, moons of crescents

أَهلُ الوَفا وَالصِدقِ إِخوانُ الصَفا

كَواكِبُ الرُكبانِ أَقمارُ الحِلَل

Their abode for devotees a direction

And its earth for their chanting a place for kisses

دارُهُم لِلعاكِفينَ قِبلَةٌ

وَتُربُ مَغناها مَحَلٌّ لِلقُبَل

And it contains knowledge, forbearance, and piety

In a fold of security, humility, and fortitude

وَقَد حَوَت عِلماً وَحِلماً وَتُقى

في طِيِّ أَمنٍ وَاِنخِلاعٍ وَجَذَل

Then alight with it if you come visiting her sanctuary

O driver of the carriage, leave rousing the she-camel

فَاِنزِل بِها إِن جِئتَ زَوّارَ الحِمى

يا سائِقَ العيسِ فَدَع حَثَّ الإِبِل

By the Commander of the Faithful! To whom could I complain

That I kiss his stirrups on behalf of lips with the rings

وَالثَم ثَرى مَن لي بِأَن أَلثُمَهُ

نِيابَةً عَنِ الشِفاهِ بِالمُقَل

And circumambulate her seven times pausing with renewal

Of her awesome gravity – submit and humble yourself

وَطُف بِها سَبعاً وَقِف مُستَكنِفاً

لَهيبَةَ العِزِّ بِها وَاِخضَع وَذُل

And seek from her sanctuary an unwaning

Moon in its beauty since its perfection

وَاِستَجلِ بَدراً في حِماها لَم يَزَل

عَن اِكتِمالِ حُسنِهِ مُنذُ اِكتَمَل

And remove any speck in your eyes by her dust

For it is to the eyes of hearts refined and polished

وَاِجلُ قَذى عَينَيكَ مِن تُرابِها

فَهوَ لِأَبصارِ القُلوبِ قَد صَقَل

And turn dutifully to one harmonious in her love

Successful in repentance and beauty of deed

وَاِرغَب إِلى مُوافِقٍ في حُبِّها

تَظفَر في التَوبَةِ مَعَ حُسنِ العَمَل

For she is to us one firmly rooted – take refuge

Through her pillar safely from tremors

فَهيَ لَنا ذاتُ العِمادِ فَإِلى

عِمادِها الجَأ آمِناً مِنَ الوَجَل

And say “Peace of God every morning

Upon you O inhabitants of this abode”

وَقُل سِلامُ اللَهِ في كُلِّ ضُحىً

عَلَيكُم يا ساكِني هَذا المَحَل

“At your service, at your service” from one passionately in love

Whom distance confused and the roads misguided

لَبَيكُمُ لَبَيكُمُ مِن مُغرَمٍ

أَضَلَّهُ البُعدُ وَغَرَّتهُ السُبُل

Sick at heart to accompany you

After you departed, so I departed

عَلَّلَهُ القَلبُ بِأَن يَصحَبَهُ

بَعدَكُم حَتّى رَحَلتُم فَرَحَل

Misfortune intervened between my heart

And it, possibilities were cut off

وَحالَت وَالعَساءُ بَينَ قَلبِهِ

وَبَينَهُ وَاِنقَطَعَت مِنهُ الحِيَل

So after your betrayal did my truthful heart find solace

Nor did the rain bring consolation

فَما اِرتَوى مِن بَعدِ غُدرانِكُم

فُؤادي الصادي وَلَم يَلقَ البَلَل

Little did emaciation spare of his body

Even if estrangement destroys the weaker of you

وَقَلَّ ما أَبقى الضَنا مِن جِسمِهِ

وَإِن تَمادى هَجرُكُم يَفنى الأَقَل

It makes excuses with hopes for reunion

But no apologies cure the illness

يُعَلِّلُ النَفسَ بِآمالِ اللِقا

وَلَيسَ تَشفى بِالتَعاليلِ العِلَل

His heart drove him to fate

Returning from it in regret for what he did

ساقَ بِهِ إِلى السُياقِ قَلبُهُ

وَعادَ عَنهُ نادِماً لَمّا فَعَل

Thus he was in his deeds like a killer

Who wakes mourning mercy for the slain

فَكانَ في أَفعالِهِ كَقاتِلٍ

أَصبَحَ يَبكي رَحمَةً لِمَن قَتَل

And so explain O my messenger my tale

To all those among them who of my state inquired

وَهَكَذا اِشرَح يا رَسولي قِصَّتي

لِكُلِّ مَن عَن حالَتي مِنهُم سَأَل

And call in their club delivering

The message of the longing – you have attained hope

وَنادِ في ناديهِمُ مُبَلِّغاً

رِسالَةَ المُشتاقِ بَلَغتَ الأَمَل

And say to them “Your servant, the youth who

Did not break allegiance, nor was it undone”

وَقُل لَهُم عَبدَكُمُ الصَبُّ الَّذي

ما حالَ عَن عَهدِكُم وَلَم يَحُل

“Seeks connection and blessings from you

Fulfilled before the predestined end”

يَسِأَل وَصلاً وَصَلاةً مِنكُم

تُقضى لَهُ مِن قَبلِ أَن يَقضى الأَجَل

“Bestowed to every venerated angel

Of its people comprising knowledge and deed”

تُهدى لِكُلِّ مَلكٍ مُمَجَّدٍ

مِن أَهلِها حاوي عِلمٍ وَعَمَل