أناI مشغولabsorbed بليليin Layla
أنا مشغول بليلي
عنaway from جميعall الكونcreation جملهentirely
عن جميع الكون جمله
I am absorbed in Layla,
I am preoccupied with my night
To the exclusion of all creation.
From all the universe altogether
فإذاand when ماemphasis قيلit is said منwho ذاthis
فإذا ما قيل من ذا
قلsay هوhe الصبthe lovesick lover المولهbewildered by love
قل هو الصب الموله
And when it is asked, 'Who is this?'
So if it is said who is this
Say, 'He is the lovesick, bewildered lover.'
Say he is the obsessed lover
أخذتهseized him الراحthe wine حتىuntil
أخذته الراح حتى
لمnot تبقremained فيهwithin him فضلهa remnant
لم تبق فيه فضله
The wine seized him, until
The wind took him until
Not a remnant remained within him.
None of his excellence remained
راحwine أنسintimacy راحwine قدسholiness
راح أنس راح قدس
ليستis not اراحthe wine (apparent typo) المضلهthat leads astray
ليست اراح المضله
Wine of intimacy, wine of holiness—
Friendship and sanctity departed
Not the wine that leads astray.
Not the comfort of the misguided
نسماتbreezes القربnearness هبتblew
نسمات القرب هبت
منfrom ربوعabodes العامريةal-ʿAmiriyya
من ربوع العامرية
The breezes of nearness blew
The breezes of nearness blew
From the abodes of al-ʿAmiriyya.
From the meadows of al-Ameriyah
أطربتenraptured روحيmy soul وسريand my innermost being
أطربت روحي وسري
حينwhen أهدتoffered ليto me التحيةthe greeting
حين أهدت لي التحية
They enraptured my soul and my innermost being
It gladdened my soul and my secret
When they offered me a greeting.
When it conveyed greetings to me
وسرتand spread فيthrough الكونcreation منهاfrom her
وسرت في الكون منها
نفحاتfragrant wafts عنبريةambergris-scented
نفحات عنبرية
And from her, through creation, spread
And aromas drifted in the universe
Wafts scented with ambergris.
From it, scents of ambergris
فارso relate (apparent mis-spacing) وعنيfrom me (apparent mis-spacing) منof حديثيmy discourse
فار وعني من حديثي
إنif تكنyou are ياO سعدSaʿd أهلهworthy of it
إن تكن يا سعد أهله
So relate from me something of my discourse,
So excuse me from my words
If you are worthy of it, O Saʿd.
If you are, O Saad, worthy
إنهindeed, it is سرa secret شريفnoble
إنه سر شريف
ليسis not للأغيارto outsiders يذكرmentioned
ليس للأغيار يذكر
Indeed, it is a noble secret,
It is an honorable secret
Not spoken of to outsiders.
Not to be mentioned to strangers
إنهindeed, it is معنىa meaning لطيفsubtle
إنه معنى لطيف
عنfrom جميعall الناسpeople يسترis concealed
عن جميع الناس يستر
Indeed, it is a subtle meaning,
It is a subtle meaning
Concealed from all people,
Concealed from all people
غيرexcept عنfrom عبدa servant تقيdevout
غير عن عبد تقي
صوفيa Sufi صافيpure محررliberated
صوفي صافي محرر
Except a devout servant:
Except from an abstinent devout
A Sufi, pure and liberated,
Sufi, pure, liberated
ذيpossessing شريقةsacred law (apparent typo) وحيقيقةand spiritual truth (apparent typo)
ذي شريقة وحيقيقة
جمعunited الفرعthe branch وأصلهand its root
جمع الفرع وأصله
Possessing sacred law and spiritual truth,
Who has spiritual state and truth
Who has united the branch with its root.
And gathered branch and origin
أينwhere أربابthe masters المثانيthe oft-repeated verses
أين أرباب المثاني
والعلومand knowledge اللدنيهdivinely bestowed
والعلوم اللدنيه
Where are the masters of the oft-repeated verses
Where are the people of meanings
And of divinely bestowed knowledge?
And innate sciences
أينwhere أصحابthe possessors المعانيmeanings
أين أصحاب المعاني
والنفوسand souls العلويهexalted
والنفوس العلويه
Where are the possessors of meanings
Where are the people of significances
And exalted souls?
And sublime souls
أناI أدعوcall منwhoever دعانيcalled me
أنا أدعو من دعاني
هكذاthus حكمthe ruling القضيهthe matter
هكذا حكم القضيه
I call whoever calls me;
I call whom called me
Such is the ruling in this matter:
Thus is the decree of destiny
فيin خصوصparticularity لأعمومnot generality (apparent typo)
في خصوص لأعموم
علةa second draught منfrom بعدafter نهلهhis first draught
علة من بعد نهله
For a select few, not for all—
In private and public
A second draught after his first.
A reason after being quenched