العلم أشرف ما يقنى ويكتسبُ

العلم أشرف ما يقنى ويكتسبُ

بصالحِ العمل المرضيّ في خلقِِ

بصالحِ العمل المرضيّ في خلقِِ

Knowledge is the noblest thing treasured and earned,

Knowledge is the noblest thing one can attain and acquire

Through righteous action, pleasing in character.

Through righteous deeds done with acceptance in manners

والوهبُ في العلم أمر لا يصح لما

والوهبُ في العلم أمر لا يصح لما

عندي له من الاستعداد والطرق

عندي له من الاستعداد والطرق

And the gifting of knowledge is something that does not hold, given

While innate gifts in knowledge are not sound, for what

My readiness for it and the paths available to me.

I see of predisposition and ways in them

فإنْ ترد صفة عليا مقدّسةً

فإنْ ترد صفة عليا مقدّسةً

مثل التبشش للورّادِ والملَقِِ

مثل التبشش للورّادِ والملَقِِ

So if you desire an exalted, holy quality,

So if a sublime, sacred trait comes to you

Like smiling warmly at visitors, and affability,

Like giving good news to newcomers and to all you meet

ولستُ أقصد للوارد ما زعموا

ولستُ أقصد للوارد ما زعموا

غيرَ الأسامي التي تأتي على نسق

غيرَ الأسامي التي تأتي على نسق

And by 'the visitor' I do not mean what they have claimed,

I do not mean for the visitor what they claimed

But only the names that come in sequence,

Other than good names that come in sequence

كمثل أسمائه الحسنى التي علمت

كمثل أسمائه الحسنى التي علمت

تخلقاً طبقاً منها على طبق

تخلقاً طبقاً منها على طبق

Like His most beautiful Names, which you have known,

Like His good names I learned

By taking on their qualities, layer upon layer.

Each class of them descending in order

أعوذ منها بها بقول عالمها

أعوذ منها بها بقول عالمها

كما تُعوَّذ في ناس وفي فلق

كما تُعوَّذ في ناس وفي فلق

I seek refuge from them in them, with the words of the one who knows them,

I seek refuge in them from them, as the Knower said

As you are given refuge in al-Nās and al-Falaq,

As one seeks refuge for people in the daybreak

ومن جهالة من تردى جهالته

ومن جهالة من تردى جهالته

ومن دخيلٍ أتى يبغيك في الغسق

ومن دخيلٍ أتى يبغيك في الغسق

And from the ignorance of one whose ignorance brings ruin,

And from the ignorance of those steeped in ignorance

And from an intruder who came seeking you in the darkness.

And from the intrusions of those who come desiring you in the night

إذا رأيت ولياً يستريح إلى

إذا رأيت ولياً يستريح إلى

ذي لوعة دائم الأشواقِ والحرق

ذي لوعة دائم الأشواقِ والحرق

If you see a saint who finds repose with

When you see a saint finding comfort

One in anguish, ever yearning and burning,

In one constantly yearning, burning with passion

بارد إليه عسى تخطى برؤيته

بارد إليه عسى تخطى برؤيته

فإن تحصيلها في النص والعنق

فإن تحصيلها في النص والعنق

Hasten toward him [apparently intended]; perhaps you may advance through seeing him,

Befriend him, perhaps he will escape by seeing you

For attaining it lies in the gallop and the swift gait.

For attaining it is in advice and care

فإنه من شهود الذات في دعة

فإنه من شهود الذات في دعة

وإنه من حجابِ العين في قلق

وإنه من حجابِ العين في قلق

For through witnessing the Essence he is at ease,

He is of the witnessing of the Essence in stillness

And through the veiling of the eye he is in unrest.

And he is of the veil of the eye in anxiety

تجري بخاطره في كل آونة

تجري بخاطره في كل آونة

مع الملائكة العالين في طلق

مع الملائكة العالين في طلق

They flow through his mind at every moment,

Thoughts stream through his mind at every moment

With the exalted angels, in unfettered motion.

With the exalted angels in the open space

جرت على السنة البيضاء سيرته

جرت على السنة البيضاء سيرته

وليس يقطعه قواطع العلق

وليس يقطعه قواطع العلق

His conduct followed the white Sunnah,

His way of life follows the straight path

And the hindrances of attachment do not cut him off.

Uninterrupted by material hindrances

وكل ما جاء مما لا يسرُّ به

وكل ما جاء مما لا يسرُّ به

من الإله فمحمول على الحدق

من الإله فمحمول على الحدق

And all that comes, in which he takes no joy,

And whatever comes that does not please him

From God is borne upon the pupils of his eyes,

From God, he attributes to destiny

ولو يكون له الإنسان في كبد

ولو يكون له الإنسان في كبد

والنفس في تلف والحلق في شرق

والنفس في تلف والحلق في شرق

Even if through it the human being is in hardship,

If man were to feel in his inner self

And the soul faces ruin, and the throat is choking.

The soul in perishing, the throat in choking

فحاصل القولِ في الألوان إنْ كثُرت

فحاصل القولِ في الألوان إنْ كثُرت

في أسود حالك وأبيض يققِ

في أسود حالك وأبيض يققِ

So the gist of talk of colors, however many they are,

So in summary of colors, though numerous

Lies in pitch-black and dazzling white.

In the black of your state and the white of certainty

ولا تخادع إله الخلق في أحد

ولا تخادع إله الخلق في أحد

فإنَّ تقليده المعلوم في العنق

فإنَّ تقليده المعلوم في العنق

And do not deceive the God of creation in dealing with anyone,

Do not deceive the God of creation in anyone

For His known charge rests upon the neck.

For following Him without question hangs from the neck