ياO نسيمbreeze الأطلالthe ruins
يا نسيم الأطلال
إنif جزتyou pass by باللَهby God حيgreet ربةthe mistress of الحالthe spiritual state
إن جزت باللَه حي ربة الحال
O breeze of the ruins,
O breeze of ruins
if you pass by, by God, greet the mistress of the spiritual state.
If you pass by the living Lord of states
طابgrew glad منيwithin me البالthe mind
طاب مني البال
لماwhen تنشقit inhaled روحكyour breeze الذيwhich مالbent
لما تنشق روحك الذي مال
My mind grew glad
My mind is at ease
when it inhaled your breeze, which bent
When your soul inclines
منهfrom it غصنa bough ميالswaying
منه غصن ميال
فيin وسطthe midst of قلبيmy heart لاذtook refuge ولاand never زالdeparted
في وسط قلبي لاذ ولا زال
a swaying bough;
Towards its branch bent
it took refuge in the midst of my heart and never left.
In the midst of my heart it found refuge and hasn't moved
ياO نسيمbreeze قدindeed طالhas grown long
يا نسيم قد طال
شوقيmy longing وحاليand my state منsince بعدهاher departure حالhas changed
شوقي وحالي من بعدها حال
O breeze, long has been
O breeze my longing has been so long
my longing; since her departure, my state has changed.
And my state after her is a state
بغيةthe desire of المتيمthe love-stricken one
بغية المتيم
عقليmy mind بهاof her طولthroughout الزمانtime مغرمenamored
عقلي بها طول الزمان مغرم
Desire of the love-stricken,
A longing lover
my mind is enamored of her for all time.
My mind is obsessed with her throughout time
حبهاher love تحكمtook command
حبها تحكم
ومازجand mingled with اللحمthe flesh والعظامand the bones والدمand the blood
ومازج اللحم والعظام والدم
Her love took command
Her love rules me
and mingled with flesh, bones, and blood.
It has mixed with my flesh, bones and blood
شأنهاher standing معظمexalted
شأنها معظم
لوif شاهدbeheld الكافرthe unbeliever جمالهاher beauty أسلمwould embrace Islam
لو شاهد الكافر جمالها أسلم
Her standing is exalted;
Her status is glorious
if an unbeliever beheld her beauty, he would embrace Islam.
If an unbeliever saw her beauty he would become Muslim
ماthere is no بهاfor her تبدالreplacement
ما بها تبدال
هيshe مطلبيmy desire فيin صدهاher turning away والإقبالand drawing near
هي مطلبي في صدها والإقبال
There is no replacing her;
She doesn't change
she is my desire, whether she turns away or draws near.
She is my pursuit in estrangement and nearness
كعبةKaaba المحاسنthe beauties
كعبة المحاسن
ماnever خلتI thought قلبيmy heart عنaway from هواكlove for you ساكنat rest
ما خلت قلبي عن هواك ساكن
Kaaba of all beauty,
The Kaaba of beauties
I never thought my heart could rest from loving you.
My heart hasn't been devoid of your love residing in it
ضاقتgrew cramped المساكنthe dwellings
ضاقت المساكن
عليهfor it حتىuntil ملgrew weary منwhoever يساكنdwells with it
عليه حتى مل من يساكن
The dwellings grew too cramped
The dwellings became too narrow
for it, until whoever dwelt with it grew weary.
For it until it got tired of dwelling
ياO عذولreproacher بائنkeep away
يا عذول بائن
فإننيfor indeed I للعذلto reproach غيرnot راكنinclined
فإنني للعذل غير راكن
O reproacher, keep away,
O distant, aloof gazelle
for I am not inclined to reproach.
I do not settle for estrangement
أنتyou والنبيby the Prophet زالbe gone
أنت والنبي زال
فيin عذلreproaching مثليone like me عاجلتكwould swiftly overtake you الآجالappointed deaths
في عذل مثلي عاجلتك الآجال
You—by the Prophet—be gone!
You and the Prophet have passed
For reproaching one like me, death would swiftly overtake you.
In estranging one like me you hastened the inevitable
ياO رفيقcompanion ساعدhelp
يا رفيق ساعد
وسرand journey بناwith us حتىso that عسىperhaps نشاهدwe may behold
وسر بنا حتى عسى نشاهد
O companion, lend a hand,
O companion, help me
and journey with us, that perhaps we may behold,
And walk with me so we may hopefully see
ونرىand we see المعاهدthe familiar haunts
ونرى المعاهد
وننظرand we look upon الأعلامthe landmarks والمشاهدand the sights
وننظر الأعلام والمشاهد
and see the familiar haunts,
And look upon the landmarks and minarets
and gaze upon the landmarks and sights—
The ultimate goals
منتهىthe ultimate end of المقاصدthe aims
منتهى المقاصد
يومthe day انهاضكyour setting out للربوعtoward the dwellings قاصدbound for them
يوم انهاضك للربوع قاصد
the ultimate goals.
The day you set out to the prairies intentionally
On the day you set out, bound for the dwellings,
Walk and leave behind the money
سرjourney on وخلفand leave behind المالwealth
سر وخلف المال
والأهلand the family خلفbehind الظهرthe back لاdo not تكنbe ذالabject
والأهل خلف الظهر لا تكن ذال
journey on and leave wealth
And family behind your back, don't be lowly
and family behind your back; do not be abject.
One who risks it all in love
منwhoever هوىloves يخاطرrisks
من هوى يخاطر
بالكلwith everything فيfor المحبوبthe beloved لاdoes not يحاذرtake precautions
بالكل في المحبوب لا يحاذر
Whoever loves risks
Does not worry for all in the beloved
everything for the beloved, without caution.
In love, a companion
فيin الهوىlove معاشرfellowships
في الهوى معاشر
لكنهاbut they are أنوارlights للسرائرfor the inner selves
لكنها أنوار للسرائر
In love there are fellowships,
But they are lights for the innermost being
yet they are lights for the inner selves.
There is no loser there
ليسis not ثمthere خاسرa loser
ليس ثم خاسر
الكلeveryone رابحa gainer واصلone who has arrived وسائرand one who is journeying
الكل رابح واصل وسائر
There is no loser there;
All gain, arrive and travel on
all gain, both those who have arrived and those still journeying.
One on the way of the ecstatics
ذيthis سبيلthe path of الأبدالthe Abdal
ذي سبيل الأبدال
الأولياthe saints أهلpeople of الصفاpurity والأحوالand spiritual states
الأوليا أهل الصفا والأحوال
This is the path of the Abdal,
The intimates, people of purity and states
the saints, people of purity and spiritual states.
Partial English translation: 39 of 40 Arabic lines translated.