هلِ العِنايةُ إِلاَّ أن تُرى رَجُلاً

هلِ العِنايةُ إِلاَّ أن تُرى رَجُلاً

ما فيه إِلاَّ إلى الخَلاَّقِ مَقْصودُ

ما فيه إِلاَّ إلى الخَلاَّقِ مَقْصودُ

Is divine favor anything but to be shown a man

Is providence anything but seeing a man

Whose only aim is toward the Creator?

Whose only purpose is the Creator?

العَبْدُ تَعلو إلى المَعْبودِ هِمَّتُهُ

العَبْدُ تَعلو إلى المَعْبودِ هِمَّتُهُ

وهلْ إلى العبدِ غيرُ الرَّبِّ مَعبودُ

وهلْ إلى العبدِ غيرُ الرَّبِّ مَعبودُ

The servant's aspiration rises toward the Worshipped One;

The servant aspires to his Master

And for the servant, is anyone but the Lord worshipped?

Is there for the servant any deity but the Lord?

عبدُ الحَوادثِ عبدٌ في تَكبُّلِه

عبدُ الحَوادثِ عبدٌ في تَكبُّلِه

لهُ مع البعدِ إطلاقٌ وتَقْييدُ

لهُ مع البعدِ إطلاقٌ وتَقْييدُ

The slave of events is a slave in his bondage;

A slave of worldly affairs is shackled

Amid estrangement, he has both release and restraint.

Though free of attachments yet constrained

وعبدُ بارِئهِ في ظلِّ رأفَتِه

وعبدُ بارِئهِ في ظلِّ رأفَتِه

فَظلُّهُ بِجناحِ العِزِّ مَمْدودُ

فَظلُّهُ بِجناحِ العِزِّ مَمْدودُ

And the servant of his Maker dwells in the shade of His compassion;

While God's servant in His compassion

So his shade is outstretched by the wing of glory.

Is shaded by the wing of Honor outstretched

يُبدي الشُّهودَ لأهْليهِ شُموسَ هُدًى

يُبدي الشُّهودَ لأهْليهِ شُموسَ هُدًى

نَعَمْ وشاهدُ شمسِ الحُبِّ مَشهودُ

نَعَمْ وشاهدُ شمسِ الحُبِّ مَشهودُ

He reveals witnessing to its people as suns of guidance;

Revealing witnessing to his folk, suns of guidance

Yes, and the beholder of love's sun is himself beheld.

Yes, and witnessing the sun of love, witnessed

يُفاضُ في قَلبهِ نورٌ يُؤيِّدُه

يُفاضُ في قَلبهِ نورٌ يُؤيِّدُه

فَيَنْجلي فيه وهو الدَّهرَ مَسعودُ

فَيَنْجلي فيه وهو الدَّهرَ مَسعودُ

A light that sustains him is poured into his heart;

Light pours into his heart supporting him

Then it shines forth within him, and he is blessed for all time.

So it clears for him while he is blessed all time

ومنْ دَهاهُ العَما عن نورِ مَشْهدهِ

ومنْ دَهاهُ العَما عن نورِ مَشْهدهِ

فَقلبُهُ بِظلامِ الصَّدِّ مَكْمودُ

فَقلبُهُ بِظلامِ الصَّدِّ مَكْمودُ

And whoever is struck blind to the light of his witnessing,

But he who worldly blindness veils the light of his witnessing

His heart is grief-stricken by the darkness of rejection.

In darkness is his heart enveloped and bound

فَقلِّدِ القومَ يا هذا بسيرَتهِمْ

فَقلِّدِ القومَ يا هذا بسيرَتهِمْ

فكَمْ وكمْ جَرَّ للتَّحقيقِ تَقليدُ

فكَمْ وكمْ جَرَّ للتَّحقيقِ تَقليدُ

So imitate the folk, O you, in their conduct;

So emulate these people, O you, by their ways

For how often, how often, imitation has led to realization!

For how oft did emulation lead to realization?

في القومِ قومٌ كِرامٌ لا فُتورَ لهمْ

في القومِ قومٌ كِرامٌ لا فُتورَ لهمْ

ما الذِّكرُ عندهُمُ في الوقتِ مَحدودُ

ما الذِّكرُ عندهُمُ في الوقتِ مَحدودُ

Among the folk are noble people who never slacken;

Among the folk are honoured folk unrelenting

Their remembrance is not limited to a time.

Remembrance for them has no limited time

قَضَوا به جُهْدهُمْ ماتوا به وَلهاً

قَضَوا به جُهْدهُمْ ماتوا به وَلهاً

وما لَهمْ غيرَ ذاكَ الجُهْدِ مَجْهودُ

وما لَهمْ غيرَ ذاكَ الجُهْدِ مَجْهودُ

They spent all their strength on it; they died in loving rapture through it.

By it they exhausted their efforts, died enthralled by it

And they have no other endeavor but that striving.

Naught else but that effort had they expended

إذا رَأوا لَمْعةً من طَوْرِ طالِعهِ

إذا رَأوا لَمْعةً من طَوْرِ طالِعهِ

بها بِغيرِ عِنانٍ نَحْوها اقْتيدوا

بها بِغيرِ عِنانٍ نَحْوها اقْتيدوا

When they see a gleam from the mount of His dawning light,

If they saw a glimmer from the rising place of its dawn

By it, without a rein, they are led toward it—

Unreined they galloped towards it

من كلِّ قَرْمٍ هِزَبْرٍ خاشعٍ ولِهٍ

من كلِّ قَرْمٍ هِزَبْرٍ خاشعٍ ولِهٍ

لهُ مع اللَّيلِ ألحانٌ وتَغريد

لهُ مع اللَّيلِ ألحانٌ وتَغريد

Each a noble champion, a lion, humble and love-distraught,

From every lover, humble and enraptured

With the night he has melodies and warbling.

Songs and warbling fill his nights

شَبَّ الغرامُ به والشَّوقُ أقْلَقهُ

شَبَّ الغرامُ به والشَّوقُ أقْلَقهُ

إلى الحبيبِ وجيشُ الغَيِّ مَطرودُ

إلى الحبيبِ وجيشُ الغَيِّ مَطرودُ

Passion blazed within him, and longing drove him restlessly

Passion for Him ignited him, yearning unsettled him

Toward the Beloved, while the army of error is driven off.

To the Beloved, and the army of illusion banished

يَرُدُّ وهْمَ الأماني عن مَطالِعهِ

يَرُدُّ وهْمَ الأماني عن مَطالِعهِ

إِلاَّ بِمولاهُ نِعْمَ السَّعيُ مَحْمودُ

إِلاَّ بِمولاهُ نِعْمَ السَّعيُ مَحْمودُ

He banishes the illusion of wishes from his horizons,

It turns back the fancy of hopes from its horizons

Save those placed in his Master—excellent and praiseworthy is such striving.

Except through its Master, excellent is the effort blessed

يَرِنُّ من قلبهِ أنٌّ يُزَحْزحهُ

يَرِنُّ من قلبهِ أنٌّ يُزَحْزحهُ

عنِ الوُجودِ ومنهُ القلبُ مَفْقودُ

عنِ الوُجودِ ومنهُ القلبُ مَفْقودُ

A moan rings from his heart, dislodging him

A moan issues from his heart driving him

From existence, and his heart is lost to him.

From existence, and from it the heart is lost

يُحاضرُ الحِبَّ لا يَبغي به بَدلاً

يُحاضرُ الحِبَّ لا يَبغي به بَدلاً

فيه العَجيبانِ مَفْقودٌ ومَوْجودُ

فيه العَجيبانِ مَفْقودٌ ومَوْجودُ

He communes with the Beloved, seeking no substitute for Him;

Conversing with love, seeking no substitute

In him are the two marvels: absence and presence.

In it the two marvels, lost and found

لهُ اللَّيالي قدِ ابْيضَّتْ لِغارَتهِ

لهُ اللَّيالي قدِ ابْيضَّتْ لِغارَتهِ

أنْعمْ بعبدٍ قد ابْيضَّتْ لهُ السُّودُ

أنْعمْ بعبدٍ قد ابْيضَّتْ لهُ السُّودُ

For him, the nights have turned white through his foray;

For him the nights blanched from his burning

How blessed the servant whose black nights have turned white!

Favor a servant whose nights have whitened

يا عُربَ وادي النَّقا طالَ المَطالُ بِنا

يا عُربَ وادي النَّقا طالَ المَطالُ بِنا

غِبْتم أطلْتُمْ حَناناً رَحمةً عودوا

غِبْتم أطلْتُمْ حَناناً رَحمةً عودوا

O Arabs of Wadi al-Naqa, long have we been kept waiting.

O Arabs of Wadi Nakta, long has separation burdened us

You have been gone so long; out of tenderness and mercy, return!

You have been absent, be compassionate, return

بالجودِ أحْيَيْتُمو الدُّنيا وضَرَّتَها

بالجودِ أحْيَيْتُمو الدُّنيا وضَرَّتَها

فباللِّقاءِ عَلينا ساعةً جودوا

فباللِّقاءِ عَلينا ساعةً جودوا

Through generosity you gave life to this world and its co-wife;

By generosity you enlived the world and its homes

So be generous to us with an hour of meeting.

So by meeting us for an instant be generous

رَقَّ النِّظامُ لنا في مَدْحِكمْ وحَلى

رَقَّ النِّظامُ لنا في مَدْحِكمْ وحَلى

منهُ لدى النَّاسِ مَنْظومٌ ومَنْشودُ

منهُ لدى النَّاسِ مَنْظومٌ ومَنْشودُ

Our verse has grown tender and sweet in praising you;

Order was too constricting for us in praising you

Among the people are its composed and recited verses.

Of it odes composed and sought after are with people

نَظْمي أنينٌ وأشواقٌ لِطَلْعتكُمْ

نَظْمي أنينٌ وأشواقٌ لِطَلْعتكُمْ

مُطارَحاتٌ بها نَوْحٌ وتَعديدُ

مُطارَحاتٌ بها نَوْحٌ وتَعديدُ

My verse is a moan and yearnings for your countenance;

My composition is a lament and longings for your appearing

Exchanges of verse, full of lament and recounting.

Pourings forth in which are wailing and enumeration

عُبيدٌ أعْتابِكُمْ منهُ الفُؤادُ على

عُبيدٌ أعْتابِكُمْ منهُ الفُؤادُ على

أبوابِكُمْ منهُ قَدْ تُلْقى المَقاليدُ

أبوابِكُمْ منهُ قَدْ تُلْقى المَقاليدُ

A humble servant of your thresholds—his heart is at

Your loving slaves, from them hearts are on

Your doors, where he may cast down the keys.

Your thresholds, from them the mantles are received

حديدُ قلبي بِلينِ العِشْقِ ذابَ بكُمْ

حديدُ قلبي بِلينِ العِشْقِ ذابَ بكُمْ

فهلْ لَواهُ نَبيُّ الله داوودُ

فهلْ لَواهُ نَبيُّ الله داوودُ

The iron of my heart melted through you, with love's softness;

My iron heart melted by the gentleness of passion for you

So was it God's prophet David who bent it?

Will the Prophet David mend it?

أسْتَلْفِتُ البرقَ من أبراجِ دولتِكُمْ

أسْتَلْفِتُ البرقَ من أبراجِ دولتِكُمْ

كأنَّما فيه تَقْريعٌ وتَهديدُ

كأنَّما فيه تَقْريعٌ وتَهديدُ

I seek the attention of the lightning from the towers of your dominion,

I borrowed lightning from the castles of your kingdom

As though it bore rebuke and threat.

As though in it a rebuke and threat

عَواذلي حَسدَتْني إذْ وَلِعتْ بكمْ

عَواذلي حَسدَتْني إذْ وَلِعتْ بكمْ

وكُلُّ ذي نِعمةٍ في النَّاسِ مَحْسودُ

وكُلُّ ذي نِعمةٍ في النَّاسِ مَحْسودُ

My reprovers envied me when passion for you took hold;

My critics envied me when I was aflame for you

And every bearer of a blessing among people is envied.

While every gracious one among people is envied

رَأوا عليَّ شُؤُناً من مَحبَّتِكُمْ

رَأوا عليَّ شُؤُناً من مَحبَّتِكُمْ

لها على لُبَّةِ الأشواقِ إقْليدُ

لها على لُبَّةِ الأشواقِ إقْليدُ

They saw upon me signs of your love,

They saw in me traits of loving you

Which hold a key to the breast of longing.

Upon the core of longing a necklace

فَحاوَلوني بِطيشٍ يا لِخِسَّتِهمْ

فَحاوَلوني بِطيشٍ يا لِخِسَّتِهمْ

لِواؤُكُمْ فوقَ أهلِ الحُبِّ مَعْقودُ

لِواؤُكُمْ فوقَ أهلِ الحُبِّ مَعْقودُ

So they pressed me recklessly—oh, their baseness!

So they plotted against me, O how despicable

Your banner is fastened above the people of love.

Your standard above lovers is hoisted

روحي تُحاولُني فيكُمْ بِلَهْفتها

روحي تُحاولُني فيكُمْ بِلَهْفتها

لها انْحدارٌ على ضُعفي وتَصْعيدُ

لها انْحدارٌ على ضُعفي وتَصْعيدُ

My soul presses me about you with its yearning;

My soul tempts me through you in its fervor

It descends and ascends, despite my weakness.

It slopes toward my weakness and ascends

رُدُّوا لها رَمَقاً تَحْيى به لكُمُ

رُدُّوا لها رَمَقاً تَحْيى به لكُمُ

ما تلكَ يا سادتي والله جُلْمودُ

ما تلكَ يا سادتي والله جُلْمودُ

Restore to it a remnant of life, that it may live for you;

Return to it a breath to live by for you

That is no boulder, O my masters, by God!

Is that not, my masters - and God - being frozen?

سِرٌّ لَطيفٌ وهذا الجِسمُ ذابَ به

سِرٌّ لَطيفٌ وهذا الجِسمُ ذابَ به

فَعَنْهُ باللُّطْفِ سِرًّا سادتي ذودوا

فَعَنْهُ باللُّطْفِ سِرًّا سادتي ذودوا

It is a subtle secret, and this body has melted through it;

A subtle mystery which melted this body

So defend it with kindness, in secret, my masters.

So gently, my lords, from it defend a secret

مَقامُ عاشِقكُمْ ذُلٌّ لكُمْ أبداً

مَقامُ عاشِقكُمْ ذُلٌّ لكُمْ أبداً

يا من مَقامكُمُ في الغَيبِ مَحْمودُ

يا من مَقامكُمُ في الغَيبِ مَحْمودُ

Your lover's station is forever abasement before you,

Your lover's place is always humility to you

O you whose station in the unseen is praised.

O you whose place in the unseen is praised