هبطت إليكَ من المحلِّ الأرفعِ

هبطت إليكَ من المحلِّ الأرفعِ

نفسٌ ترآت في وشاح لا يعي

نفسٌ ترآت في وشاح لا يعي

She descended to you from the loftiest abode,

You descended to me from the highest abode

a soul appearing in a mantle that cannot perceive.

A soul that left behind a cloak that knows not

دقت ورقَّت جوهراً فكأنها

دقت ورقَّت جوهراً فكأنها

ورقاءُ ذات تعزُّزٍ وتمنُّع

ورقاءُ ذات تعزُّزٍ وتمنُّع

She grew subtle and delicate in essence, as though she were

She knocked and turned into a delicate essence as though

a gray dove, possessed of pride and aloofness.

She were thin sheets fortified and aloof

محجوبةٌ عن كل مقلة عارفٍ

محجوبةٌ عن كل مقلة عارفٍ

كمّاً وكيفاً كالجهات الأربع

كمّاً وكيفاً كالجهات الأربع

Veiled from the eye of every knower,

Veiled from every knower, in quantity and quality

in quantity and quality, like the four directions.

Like the four directions

لكن قواها كيف يمكن سترُها

لكن قواها كيف يمكن سترُها

وهي التي سَفَرَت ولم تتبرقع

وهي التي سَفَرَت ولم تتبرقع

Yet how can her powers be concealed,

But her powers - how can they be concealed

when she has unveiled herself and worn no face-veil?

When she travelled unveiled

وصلت على كرهٍ إليك وربما

وصلت على كرهٍ إليك وربما

فازت بحيِّز جسمها بالمطلع

فازت بحيِّز جسمها بالمطلع

She came to you unwillingly; yet perhaps

She reached you reluctantly and perhaps

she gained her body's space at her rising.

Won her physical space at dawn

حتى إذا ما لابستك بلطفها

حتى إذا ما لابستك بلطفها

كرهت فراقك فهي ذات توجُّع

كرهت فراقك فهي ذات توجُّع

Until, when she mingled with you in her subtlety,

Until when she clothed you with her gentleness

she hated parting from you, and so was full of pain.

She disliked parting from you, she feels pain

أَلِفت وما ألفت فلما واصلت

أَلِفت وما ألفت فلما واصلت

حلَّت وما حلَّت عراك بموضع

حلَّت وما حلَّت عراك بموضع

She grew accustomed, yet did not; then, when she made contact,

She became accustomed, yet did not, so when she met

she settled, yet nowhere untied your bonds.

She settled, yet did not, your struggle in place

صدرت عن الأمر العزيز وإنما

صدرت عن الأمر العزيز وإنما

ألفت مجاورةَ الخراب البلقع

ألفت مجاورةَ الخراب البلقع

She issued from the mighty command, but only

She turned from the Almighty's command, but

grew accustomed to dwelling beside the barren ruins.

Became accustomed to ruins and desolation

وأظنُّها نسيت عهوداً بالحمى

وأظنُّها نسيت عهوداً بالحمى

كلّا ولكن شوقُها لم يُقلِع

كلّا ولكن شوقُها لم يُقلِع

And I think she has forgotten former days in the sanctuary.

And I think she forgot pledges of passion

No—but her longing has not ceased.

No! But her longing did not relent

قنعت بمصدرها وحلت أربُعاً

قنعت بمصدرها وحلت أربُعاً

ومنازلاً بفراقها لم تَقنع

ومنازلاً بفراقها لم تَقنع

She was content with her origin and settled in abodes,

Content with her source, she settled for four

and homes from which she was not content to part.

And homes - with her separation she was not content

حتى إذا اتصلت بهاء هبوطها

حتى إذا اتصلت بهاء هبوطها

وتركَّبت مع جسمها المتوجع

وتركَّبت مع جسمها المتوجع

Until, when she joined the hāʾ of her descent,

Until when the splendor of her descent connected

and became compounded with her suffering body,

And her aching body was fully adorned

وانحطَّ شأنُ ذكائها وسنائها

وانحطَّ شأنُ ذكائها وسنائها

من ميم مركزها بدار الأجرَع

من ميم مركزها بدار الأجرَع

and the standing of her intelligence and splendor fell

And the brilliance and loftiness of her intellect declined

from the mīm of her center, in the abode of barren sand,

From the letter meem of her center in the house of bareness

عَلقَت بها ثاءُ الثقيل فأصبحت

عَلقَت بها ثاءُ الثقيل فأصبحت

في كل عضوٍ صُنعُها لم يُمنَع

في كل عضوٍ صُنعُها لم يُمنَع

the thāʾ of the heavy body clung to her, and she became

The heavy ta stuck to her and she became

unhindered in her work in every limb.

In each limb her making was unrestrained

تختال في بُردِ اختيارٍ مع نهىً

تختال في بُردِ اختيارٍ مع نهىً

بين المعالم والطلول الخُضَّع

بين المعالم والطلول الخُضَّع

She struts in a cloak of choice, with reason,

She struts in the cold of free choice and prohibition

among the landmarks and the bowed-down ruins.

Between landmarks and submissive hills

تبكي وقد ذكرت عهوداً بالحمى

تبكي وقد ذكرت عهوداً بالحمى

هيهاتِ منك سرورها بالمرتع

هيهاتِ منك سرورها بالمرتع

She weeps, having recalled former days in the sanctuary—

She cries when she remembers passionate pledges

far from you is her joy in the pasture!—

Alas, her joy in pasture from you is denied

إن أحسنت فعلاً وتبكي إن جنت

إن أحسنت فعلاً وتبكي إن جنت

بمدامعٍ تهمي ولما تُقلِع

بمدامعٍ تهمي ولما تُقلِع

if she does a good deed, and she weeps if she sins,

If she does good, she cries, with tears that accuse, when she sins

with tears that pour and have not yet ceased.

And remains turning in grief over the dung

وتظل ساجعةً على الدِّمَن التي

وتظل ساجعةً على الدِّمَن التي

ألفت بها لذّات عيشٍ أَشنَع

ألفت بها لذّات عيشٍ أَشنَع

And she keeps cooing over the ruined campsites where

That she became accustomed to, for the pleasures

she grew accustomed to the pleasures of a more hideous life.

Of a miserable life

لولاه مانعَت الديارُ بها وإن

لولاه مانعَت الديارُ بها وإن

دُرِسَت بتكرار الرياح الأربع

دُرِسَت بتكرار الرياح الأربع

But for it, the dwellings would have held out with her aid, even if

Were it not for the Preserver, the lands would have destroyed her

effaced by the repeated passage of the four winds.

Though eroded by the blowing four winds

إذ عاقها الشَّرَكُ الكثيف وصدَّها ال

إذ عاقها الشَّرَكُ الكثيف وصدَّها ال

مَيلُ الضعيف عن العلاء الأرفع

مَيلُ الضعيف عن العلاء الأرفع

For the dense snare hindered her, and she was turned away by the

Since dense polytheism denied her, and the inclination

feeble inclination from the loftiest heights.

Of the weak turned her away from the Highest

زلَّت فضلت عن هداه فكفَّها

زلَّت فضلت عن هداه فكفَّها

نقصٌ عن الأوج الفسيح الأربُع

نقصٌ عن الأوج الفسيح الأربُع

She slipped and strayed from His guidance, and was held back

She slipped, distracted from His guidance, so deficiency

by imperfection from the zenith with its spacious abodes.

Deprived her of expansive loftiness

حتى إذا قرب المسير إلى الحمى

حتى إذا قرب المسير إلى الحمى

وانحل تركيب الكثيف الأسفَع

وانحل تركيب الكثيف الأسفَع

Until, when the journey to the sanctuary drew near,

Until when the journey to the Abode was near

and the composition of the dense, dusky body dissolved,

And the composition of the dense darkness dispersed

وتجهَّزت نحو العُلا بمُجرَّدٍ

وتجهَّزت نحو العُلا بمُجرَّدٍ

ودنا الرحيل إلى الفضاء الأوسع

ودنا الرحيل إلى الفضاء الأوسع

and she readied herself for the heights in disembodied form,

And she prepared with only Him toward the Most High

and departure into the wider expanse drew near,

And departure to the vast space drew nigh

وغدت مفارقةً لكل مخلَّفٍ

وغدت مفارقةً لكل مخلَّفٍ

موضوعِ كل ممزق ومصدَّع

موضوعِ كل ممزق ومصدَّع

and she became parted from all that was left behind,

She became one who parts from all left behind

the seat of everything torn and shattered,

Subject of every tear and rupture

ويعود جزءُ وجودها لوجوده

ويعود جزءُ وجودها لوجوده

فيها حليفَ التُربِ غيرَ مُشيَّع

فيها حليفَ التُربِ غيرَ مُشيَّع

and part of her being returns to its own existence

And a part of her existence returns to His existence

within her, an ally of dust, unescorted.

In her the soil's ally not mourned

هيجعت وقد كُشِفَ الغطاء فأبصرت

هيجعت وقد كُشِفَ الغطاء فأبصرت

بالإنفصال مقامَ كل مودِّع

بالإنفصال مقامَ كل مودِّع

She slept; the covering had been lifted, and so she saw

She awoke when the cover was removed and saw

through separation, the station of everyone taking leave.

In separation the position of all bidding farewell

واستَدركت في ذاتها فتحقَّقت

واستَدركت في ذاتها فتحقَّقت

ما ليس يُدرَك بالعيون الهُجَّع

ما ليس يُدرَك بالعيون الهُجَّع

And she recovered within herself what she had missed, and so discerned

And she realized within herself and became certain

what sleeping eyes cannot perceive.

Of what cannot be realized by drowsy eyes

وغدت تغرد فوق ذروة شاهقٍ

وغدت تغرد فوق ذروة شاهقٍ

يا ليتني أحكمتُ حكمةَ مربعي

يا ليتني أحكمتُ حكمةَ مربعي

And she began to sing above the summit of a lofty peak:

And she came to sing atop a towering summit

Oh, would that I had mastered the wisdom of my abode!

"If only I had exercised sound judgment in my square"

فالجهل يخفض شأن كل ممنَّعٍ

فالجهل يخفض شأن كل ممنَّعٍ

والعلمُ يَرفَع كل من لم يُرفَع

والعلمُ يَرفَع كل من لم يُرفَع

For ignorance lowers the standing of every unassailable one,

For ignorance demeans every defiant one

and knowledge raises everyone who has not been raised.

And knowledge raises everyone not raised

فلأي شيءٍ أُهبِطت من شامخٍ

فلأي شيءٍ أُهبِطت من شامخٍ

إلّا لتحظى بالإله الأرفع

إلّا لتحظى بالإله الأرفع

For what reason was she sent down from a lofty height,

"So for what was I brought down from the towering?

except to win the favor of God Most High?

Except to be blessed by the Highest

فلذاك خرت عن سُرادق مُرتَقٍ

فلذاك خرت عن سُرادق مُرتَقٍ

سامٍ إلى قعر الحضيض الأوضع

سامٍ إلى قعر الحضيض الأوضع

For that reason she fell from a soaring pavilion,

Thus did I fall from the sublime pavilion

high above, to the bottom of the lowest abyss.

To the bottom of the low valley

إن كان أهبطها الإلهُ لحكمةٍ

إن كان أهبطها الإلهُ لحكمةٍ

علويةٍ وتشبَّثت بالأضلُع

علويةٍ وتشبَّثت بالأضلُع

If God had sent her down for a wise purpose,

If the God brought me down for a lofty wisdom

heavenly in nature, and she clung to the ribs,

And I clung to ribs

فَسَرَت وسُرَّت مَربَعاً مع أنها

فَسَرَت وسُرَّت مَربَعاً مع أنها

طويت عن الفذِّ اللبيب الأروع

طويت عن الفذِّ اللبيب الأروع

then she coursed and rejoiced in an abode, although she

I was happy, though folded from the exceptional intellectual

was concealed from the peerless, discerning, brilliant one.

For my descent, if a blow from a powerful one

فهبوطها إن كان ضربةً لازبٍ

فهبوطها إن كان ضربةً لازبٍ

فعلام تحفل باعتراضِ الألكَع

فعلام تحفل باعتراضِ الألكَع

So if her descent was an unavoidable necessity,

Why do I care for barking of the foolish?

why does she care about the fool's objection?

Why did I not hear of her victory and bounty

هلّا سمعت بفوزها ونعيمها

هلّا سمعت بفوزها ونعيمها

لتكون سامعةً لما لم يُسمَع

لتكون سامعةً لما لم يُسمَع

Why have you not heard of her triumph and her bliss?

To be a hearer of what was not heard?

So that she may hear what has not been heard,

And to know all that is unseen

وتعود عالمةً بكل خفيةٍ

وتعود عالمةً بكل خفيةٍ

في ذاته إن أُهِّلَت في المَشرَع

في ذاته إن أُهِّلَت في المَشرَع

and return knowing every hidden thing

In His essence, if empowered in the niche

in His essence, if she is made worthy at the watering place.

She reaps in seeing Him minute subtleties

تَجني برؤياه اختبار دقائقٍ

تَجني برؤياه اختبار دقائقٍ

في العالمين وخَرقُها لم يُرقَع

في العالمين وخَرقُها لم يُرقَع

She reaps, by beholding Him, experience of subtleties

In both worlds - their being patched cannot be hoped

in both worlds, and the rent in her has not been patched.

She who cut time's course

وهي التي قطع الزمان طريقَها

وهي التي قطع الزمان طريقَها

لجوارِها جِرمَ الثقيل الأوضع

لجوارِها جِرمَ الثقيل الأوضع

And she is the one whose path time cut short,

To dwell near the heavy celestial sphere

because she dwelt beside the mass of the lowliest heavy body.

And she who prevented years from rising

وهي التي منعَ السنونَ بزوغَها

وهي التي منعَ السنونَ بزوغَها

حتّى لقد غَرَبت بغير المطلع

حتّى لقد غَرَبت بغير المطلع

And she is the one whose dawning the years prevented,

Until she set without the horizon

until indeed she set without a place of rising.

So it is as if she were lightning that flashed with passion

فكأنها برقٌ تألَّق بالحمى

فكأنها برقٌ تألَّق بالحمى

لوجودها فينا وجود المُسرِع

لوجودها فينا وجود المُسرِع

Thus she is like lightning that flashed in the sanctuary,

For her existence in us is that of the swift

for her existence among us is that of one who hastens.

Eternal, while lightning glimmers for a moment

أبديةٌ والبرق أومض لَمحةً

أبديةٌ والبرق أومض لَمحةً

ثم انطوى فكأنه لم يَلمَع

ثم انطوى فكأنه لم يَلمَع

She is eternal, whereas lightning flashed for an instant,

Then folds as if it never shone

then vanished, as though it had never shone.