قلبيmy heart بذكرِكَin remembering you مسرورٌjoyful ومحزونٌand sorrowful
قلبي بذكرِكَ مسرورٌ ومحزونٌ
لماbecause تملكهhave possessed it لمحٌa glimpse وتلوينُand shifting states
لما تملكه لمحٌ وتلوينُ
My heart is joyful and sorrowful in remembering you,
My heart is joyful and sorrowful with your remembrance,
For a glimpse and shifting states have possessed it.
For it possesses a glance and coloration.
فلوso if رقتrose فيinto سماءِthe heaven of الكشفِunveiling همتهits aspiration
فلو رقت في سماءِ الكشفِ همته
لماthen would not تملكهhave possessed it وَجدٌecstasy وتكوينand formation
لما تملكه وَجدٌ وتكوين
Had its aspiration risen into the heaven of unveiling,
If its ambition soared in the sky of unveiling,
Neither ecstasy nor formation would have possessed it.
It would not possess ecstasy and constitution.
لكنهbut it حادstrayed عنfrom قصدِthe straight course of السبيلthe path فلمso did not
لكنه حاد عن قصدِ السبيل فلم
يظفرattain بهit فهوso it بينamong الخلقِِcreated beings مِسكينdestitute
يظفر به فهو بين الخلقِِ مِسكين
But it strayed from the path's straight course and did not
But it strayed from the purpose of the path, so it
Attain it; so among created beings it is destitute.
Did not attain it, thus it is miserable among people.
حتىuntil دعتْcried out منfrom الأشواقthe longings داعيةٌa caller
حتى دعتْ من الأشواق داعيةٌ
همتpoured down لهاin answer to her نحوtoward قلبيmy heart سحبةa cloud of الجونdarkness
همت لها نحو قلبي سحبة الجون
Until a caller from the longings cried out,
Until a longing caller called out,
A dark cloud poured toward my heart in answer to her.
Drawing its ambition toward my heart in a swoon.
وأبرقتand flashed فيin نواحيthe reaches of الجوّthe sky بارقةa lightning flash
وأبرقت في نواحي الجوّ بارقة
أضحىbecame بهاthrough it وهوwhile it was مغبوطٌenvied ومفتونand enthralled
أضحى بها وهو مغبوطٌ ومفتون
And a flash of lightning blazed through the reaches of the sky;
And it flashed a lightning in the horizons of the air,
Through it, it became enviable and enthralled.
By which it became blissful and infatuated.
والسحبُand the clouds ساريةٌtraveling by night والريحand the wind ذاريةscattering
والسحبُ ساريةٌ والريح ذارية
والبرقُand the lightning مختطفُsnatching away والماءُand the water مسنونpoured forth
والبرقُ مختطفُ والماءُ مسنون
And the clouds travel by night, and the wind scatters,
The clouds are flowing and the wind blowing,
And the lightning snatches away, and the water is poured forth.
The lightning snatching and the water gushing.
وأخرجتْand brought forth كلall ماthat which تحويهcontains it منfrom حبسconfinement
وأخرجتْ كل ما تحويه من حبس
أرضُthe earth of الجسومbodies وفاحand breathed fragrance الهندُIndia والصينand China
أرضُ الجسوم وفاح الهندُ والصين
And all it held imprisoned was brought forth
And it brought out all that the realm of bodies contains,
By the earth of bodies; India and China breathed fragrance.
The land of India and China smelled fragrant.
فماso no ترىyou see فوقabove أرضِthe earth of الجسمِthe body مرقبةa vantage point
فما ترى فوق أرضِ الجسمِ مرقبة
إلاexcept وفيهاand within it منof النُّوارblossoms تزيينadornment
إلا وفيها من النُّوار تزيين
So you see no vantage point above the body's earth
You do not see an observatory above the earth of bodies,
Except with an adornment of blossoms within it.
Except adorned with lights.
وكلماand whatever لاحappeared فيin الأجسامthe bodies منof بدعٍmarvels
وكلما لاح في الأجسام من بدعٍ
وفيand within السرائرthe inward secrets معلومٌknown وموزونُand weighed
وفي السرائر معلومٌ وموزونُ
And whatever marvels appear in bodies
And whenever novelties appear in the bodies,
Are known and weighed within the inward depths.
And known, measured secrets in the hearts,
والقلبُand the heart يلتذdelights فيin تقليبِthe turning of مشهدهits vision
والقلبُ يلتذ في تقليبِ مشهده
بكلِّof every وجهaspect منof التزيينadornment ضنّينjealously protective
بكلِّ وجه من التزيين ضنّين
And the heart delights in the turning of its vision,
The heart delights in turning over its scene,
Jealously cherishing every aspect of adornment.
Stingy with every aspect of adornment.
والجسمand the body فلكٌa ship ببحرِon the sea of الجودbounty يزعجهdrives it
والجسم فلكٌ ببحرِ الجود يزعجه
ريحa wind منfrom الغربthe west بالأسرارwith secrets مشحُونladen
ريح من الغرب بالأسرار مشحُون
And the body is a ship on the sea of bounty, driven
The body is a sphere in the sea of generosity,
By a wind from the west, laden with secrets.
Stirred by a western wind laden with secrets.
وراكبُand the rider of الفلكthe ship ماas long as دامتit continues تسيِّرهcarries him along
وراكبُ الفلك ما دامت تسيِّره
ريحُthe wind of الشريعةsacred law محفوظٌprotected وممنونand favored
ريحُ الشريعة محفوظٌ وممنون
And the ship's rider, so long as he is borne
And the rider of the sphere, as long as
By the wind of sacred law, is protected and favored.
The wind of Divine Law steers it, is protected and granted success.
ألقىcast الرئيسُthe captain إلىtoward التوحيدdivine oneness مقدمهits prow
ألقى الرئيسُ إلى التوحيد مقدمه
وفيهand in it للملأfor the assembly العلويِّheavenly تأمينassurance of safety
وفيه للملأ العلويِّ تأمين
The captain directed its prow toward divine oneness,
The captain turned his prow toward Oneness,
And in it is assurance of safety for the heavenly assembly.
And through it the highest assembly felt reassured.
فلوso if only تراهyou see it وريحُwhile the wind of الشوقِlonging تزعجُهdrives it
فلو تراه وريحُ الشوقِ تزعجُه
يجريit runs وماand not فيهwithin it تحريكٌsetting in motion وتسكينُand bringing to rest
يجري وما فيه تحريكٌ وتسكينُ
If only you could see it, driven by the wind of longing,
If you could see it when the wind of passion stirs it,
It runs, yet within it is neither stirring nor stilling.
It moves while having no motion or stillness.
إنindeed العناصرthe elements فيin الإنسانِthe human being مُودَعةdeposited
إن العناصر في الإنسانِ مُودَعة
نارٌfire ونورٌand light وطينٌand clay فيهwithin him مَسنونُmolded
نارٌ ونورٌ وطينٌ فيه مَسنونُ
The elements are indeed deposited in the human being:
The elements within man are deposited -
Fire and light, and clay molded within him.
Fire, light, and clay, measured within him.
فأودعِso entrust الوصلَunion ماwhat بينيbetween me علىat كثبِclose quarters
فأودعِ الوصلَ ما بيني على كثبِ
وبينand between ربيmy Lord مفروضٌobligatory ومسنونand prescribed by tradition
وبين ربي مفروضٌ ومسنون
So entrust union to what lies close between me
So deposit connection between me and
And my Lord: the obligatory and the recommended.
My Lord, obligatory and measured.
فالسرُّso the secret باللهby God منof خَلقيmy form ومنand of خُلُقيmy character
فالسرُّ بالله من خَلقي ومن خُلُقي
إذاwhen تحققتyou attain realization موصولٌjoined وممنونand severed
إذا تحققت موصولٌ وممنون
So the secret, by God, of my form and character,
The secret, by God, of my creation and character -
When you attain realization, is joined and severed.
When realized - is connected and measured.
يقولُit says إنيindeed I am قلبُthe heart of الحقِّthe Real فاعتبرواso take heed
يقولُ إني قلبُ الحقِّ فاعتبروا
فإنfor indeed قلبَthe heart of كتابِthe Book of اللهGod ياسينYa-Sin
فإن قلبَ كتابِ الله ياسين
It says: 'I am the heart of the Real—take heed,'
It says, "I am the heart of the Truth, so consider:
For the heart of God's Book is Ya-Sin.
The heart of the Book of God is Ya Sin."
منfrom بعدِafter ماthat قدalready أتىhad come منfrom قبلbefore نفحتهhis breath
من بعدِ ما قد أتى من قبل نفحته
عليّupon me منof دهرهhis time فيin نشأتيmy coming-to-be حينa span
عليّ من دهره في نشأتي حين
After there had already come, before his breath,
After what came to me from Its breath,
Upon me, in my coming-to-be, a span of his time.
In my inception, from Its eternal realm.
لاnot يعرفُknows الملكُthe angel المعصومُsinless ماwhat سببيmy cause
لا يعرفُ الملكُ المعصومُ ما سببي
ولاnor اللعينthe accursed one الذيwhom ينكيهwounds him تنّينa dragon
ولا اللعين الذي ينكيه تنّين
The sinless angel does not know what my cause is,
The protected King does not know my cause,
Nor does the accursed one whom a dragon wounds.
Nor the accursed dragon who laments.
لماwhen تسترتI veiled myself عنfrom صَلصالthe ringing clay of مملكتيmy realm
لما تسترت عن صَلصال مملكتي
أخفانِhid me عنfrom علمهhis knowledge فيin عينهhis sight الطينthe clay
أخفانِ عن علمه في عينه الطين
When I veiled myself from the ringing clay of my realm,
When the screens of my domain's clay
The clay hid me from his knowledge, in his sight.
Were veiled from His knowledge in the mud,
فكانso it was يحجبهveiling him عنيfrom me وعنand from صفتيmy attribute
فكان يحجبه عني وعن صفتي
غيمُthe cloud of العمىblindness وأناwhile I فيin الغيبthe unseen مخزونُstored away
غيمُ العمى وأنا في الغيب مخزونُ
Thus what veiled him from me and from my attribute
The cloud of blindness would block Him from me
Was the cloud of blindness, while I lay hidden in the unseen.
And my attributes, while I was stored in the unseen.
فعندماso when قمتُI arose فيهwithin him صارhe became مفتخراًproud
فعندما قمتُ فيه صار مفتخراً
يمشيwalking الهويناgently وفيand in أعطافهhis sides لِينُsuppleness
يمشي الهوينا وفي أعطافه لِينُ
When I arose within him, he became proud,
So when I stood up within Him, He became proud,
Walking gently, with suppleness in his sides.
Walking gently, softness in His sides.
لماwhen سرىjourneyed by night القلبُthe heart للأعلىto the Most High وجازand passed علىover
لما سرى القلبُ للأعلى وجاز على
عدنٍEden وغازلنهand they courted it حُورٌhouris بهاwithin it عِينُwide-eyed
عدنٍ وغازلنه حُورٌ بها عِينُ
When the heart journeyed by night to the Most High and passed over
When the heart ascended on high, beyond
Eden, and wide-eyed houris there courted it,
Eden, alluring houris with eyes were there.
غضِّlower الجفونَthe eyelids ولمand did not يثنِturn العنانthe reins لهاtoward them
غضِّ الجفونَ ولم يثنِ العنان لها
لماwhen مضىhad passed عنbeyond هواهits desire القرضُloan والدَّينُand debt
لما مضى عن هواه القرضُ والدَّينُ
Lower the eyelids! It did not turn its reins toward them,
But it did not yield the bridle to them
When loan and debt had passed beyond its desire.
When it passed by its passions, debts, and sins.
فعندماso when قامit stood فوقَabove العرشthe Throne بايعهpledged allegiance to it
فعندما قام فوقَ العرش بايعه
اللوحُthe Tablet والقلمُand the Pen والعلاَّمُand the All-Knowing والنُّونُand Nun
اللوحُ والقلمُ والعلاَّمُ والنُّونُ
And when it stood above the Throne, allegiance was pledged to it
So when it stood above the Throne, the Tablet,
By the Tablet, the Pen, the All-Knowing, and Nun.
Pen, All-Knowing, and the Letter Nun pledged allegiance.
فلوso if only تراهyou see it وقدhaving already أخفىconcealed حقيقَتهits reality
فلو تراه وقد أخفى حقيقَته
لهit has فويقَjust above استواءِthe enthronement of الحقِّthe Real تمكينfirm establishment
له فويقَ استواءِ الحقِّ تمكين
If only you could see it, having concealed its reality,
If you could see it when it concealed its reality,
It has firm establishment just above the Real's enthronement.
Given success in stabilizing the Truth.
فإنso if تجلىmanifests itself علىupon كونٍa being بحكمتهthrough its wisdom
فإن تجلى على كونٍ بحكمته
لهit has علاupon ظهرِthe back of ذاكthat الكونِbeing تعيينa distinct determination
له علا ظهرِ ذاك الكونِ تعيين
If it manifests upon a being through its wisdom,
If it manifested upon a cosmos through its wisdom,
It has a distinct determination upon that being's back.
Appointing it over that cosmos' summit.
فلاso not يزالُceases لمرحfor the delight of الملقياتthe inspirers بهthrough it
فلا يزالُ لمرح الملقيات به
يقولsays للكائناتِto beings فيamong الورىcreation كونواbe
يقول للكائناتِ في الورى كونوا
So, for the delight of the inspirers through it, it never ceases
It continues saying to the created, "Be!"
To say to beings among creation: 'Be!'
For the sport of creation in the abode.
فكلُّso every قلبٍheart سهاwas heedless عنof سرِّthe secret of حكمتهits wisdom
فكلُّ قلبٍ سها عن سرِّ حكمته
فيin كلevery كونٍbeing فذاكthen that القلبُheart مغبونُcheated
في كل كونٍ فذاك القلبُ مغبونُ
So every heart heedless of the secret of its wisdom
And every heart distracted from the secret of Its wisdom
In every being—that heart is cheated.
In every cosmos - that heart is deluded.
فاعلمso know بأنكthat you لاnot تدريknow الإلهGod إذاif
فاعلم بأنك لا تدري الإله إذا
ماconditional emphasis لمnot يكنbe فيكwithin you يرموكٌYarmuk وصِفِّينand Siffin
ما لم يكن فيك يرموكٌ وصِفِّين
Know, then, that you do not know God if
So know you do not know your God unless
Yarmuk and Siffin are not within you.
Within you there is an inspirer and qualities.
فاعرفso know إلهكyour God منfrom قبلbefore المماتdeath فإنfor if
فاعرف إلهك من قبل الممات فإن
تمتyou die فأنتthen you علىupon التقليدuncritical imitation مسجونُimprisoned
تمت فأنت على التقليد مسجونُ
So know your God before death; for if
So know your God before death, for if
You die, you are imprisoned in uncritical imitation.
You die, you are imprisoned by imitation.
وإنand if تجليتyou manifest yourself فيin شرقيthe east of مشهدهits vision
وإن تجليت في شرقي مشهده
علماًas knowledge تنزهare purified فيكwithin you العالُthe high والدونand the low
علماً تنزه فيك العالُ والدون
And if you manifest yourself in the east of its vision
And if you are unveiled in the east of Its scene
As knowledge, the high and low are purified within you,
With knowledge - the high and low are sanctified in you.
ولاحand appeared فيin كلِّall ماthat which يخفىis hidden ويظهرهand reveals it
ولاح في كلِّ ما يخفى ويظهره
منamong التكاليفobligations تقبيحcensure وتحسينand approval
من التكاليف تقبيح وتحسين
And in all that is hidden and that it reveals there appear
And everything It conceals and reveals
Among obligations, censure and approval.
Of obligations, forbiddance and recommendation shone forth.
فافهمso understand فديتُكَmay I be your ransom سرَّاًa secret للهbelonging to God فيكwithin you ولاand do not
فافهم فديتُكَ سرَّاً لله فيك ولا
تظهرْهreveal it فهوfor it عنfrom الأغيارothers مكنونُconcealed
تظهرْه فهو عن الأغيار مكنونُ
So understand—may I be your ransom—a secret of God within you; do not
So understand, my dear, a secret of God in you, but do not
Reveal it, for it is concealed from others.
Reveal it, for it is hidden from strangers.
وغرand be jealous عليهover it وصُنهand preserve it ماas long as حييتَyou live بهby it
وغر عليه وصُنه ما حييتَ به
فالسرُّfor the secret ميتٌdead بقلبِin the heart of الحرِّthe free man مدفونُburied
فالسرُّ ميتٌ بقلبِ الحرِّ مدفونُ
And be jealous over it; preserve it as long as you live by it,
And guard it as long as you live through it,
For the secret is dead, buried in the free man's heart.
For the secret is dead in the heart of the free, buried.