ماnot إنemphatic particle علمتI knew بأمرof a thing فيهin it منany عددnumber
ما إن علمت بأمر فيه من عدد
إلاexcept وقامتand subsisted بهin it حقيقةthe reality of الأحدِthe One
إلا وقامت به حقيقة الأحدِ
Never have I known a thing containing any number
Whenever I learned of a matter involving any number,
without the reality of the One subsisting in it.
The truth of the One arose through it.
عينan essence توحدis unified والأسماءand the names تكثرهاmake it manifold
عين توحد والأسماء تكثرها
والكثرand multiplicity لاnot ينتهيends فيهاin it إلىat أمدِa limit
والكثر لا ينتهي فيها إلى أمدِ
An essence is unified, while the names make it manifold,
The eye unifies while the names multiply;
and multiplicity within it reaches no limit.
And the multiplicity has no end in it.
لماwhen علمتI knew بهذاof this واتصفتand became characterized بهby it
لما علمت بهذا واتصفت به
علمتI knew أنthat وجودَthe existence of الفردthe individual فيin العددnumber
علمت أن وجودَ الفرد في العدد
When I understood this and took on its qualities,
When I learned this and was characterized by it,
I knew that the individual's existence lies in number.
I knew that the existence of the individual is in the number.
فخبرونيso tell me عنabout أمرa thing لاno شبيهlikeness لهto it
فخبروني عن أمر لا شبيه له
وماand not هوit اللهGod ذوpossessor of الآلاءِblessings والرفدand bounty
وما هو الله ذو الآلاءِ والرفد
So tell me of a thing that has no likeness,
So inform me about a matter that has no likeness,
and is not God, possessor of blessings and bounty.
And who is God, Possessor of Bounty and Generosity.
إنindeed الغنيّthe self-sufficient one الذيwho غناهhis self-sufficiency عنfrom عرضa nonessential attribute
إن الغنيّ الذي غناه عن عرض
هوhe الفقيرthe one in need إلىof الآلاتِinstruments والعددand equipment
هو الفقير إلى الآلاتِ والعدد
Indeed, one whose self-sufficiency comes from a nonessential attribute
The Rich One whom sufficed His lack of attribute
is the needy one, dependent on instruments and equipment.
Is the poor unto instruments and number.
وليسand there is not فيin الكونthe cosmos إلاexcept منone who تكونare لهhis
وليس في الكون إلا من تكون له
هذيthese الصفاتqualities فماso not فيin الكونthe cosmos منany أحدone
هذي الصفات فما في الكون من أحد
And none exists in the cosmos except those who possess
And there is none in the universe but the one for whom
these qualities; thus there is no one in the cosmos
There are these attributes, so there is none in the universe.
يقالit is said فيهof him غنيّself-sufficient لاno افتقارneed لهthat he has
يقال فيه غنيّ لا افتقار له
وذلكand that الحكمrule فيin الأدنىthe nearest وفيand in البعدthe far distance
وذلك الحكم في الأدنى وفي البعد
who can be called self-sufficient, with no need.
It is said about Him "Rich, having no need,"
And that rule holds both near and far.
And that ruling is in the lowly and in the distant.
وذلكand that الحكمrule ساريpervasive إنif علمتَyou know بهof it
وذلك الحكم ساري إن علمتَ به
فيin كلevery ذيpossessor of روحa spirit أوor فيin كلevery ذيpossessor of جسدa body
في كل ذي روح أو في كل ذي جسد
And that rule is pervasive, if you know of it,
And that ruling if you know it
in every being with a spirit, or in every being with a body.
Flows in each possessing spirit or in each possessing body.
إنindeed الوجودexistence الذيwhich تدريyou know بهof it بلدa city
إن الوجود الذي تدري به بلد
وإنهand indeed it واحدone منof ساكنيthe inhabitants of البلدthe city
وإنه واحد من ساكني البلد
Indeed, the existence you know is a city,
The existence which you know with it the land,
and it is one of the inhabitants of that city.
And it is One of the inhabitants of the land.
أقولI say فيهabout it مقالاًa statement لاnot أقولI hold بهto it
أقول فيه مقالاً لا أقول به
حتىuntil أعاينهI behold it فيin كلِّevery مستندfoundation
حتى أعاينه في كلِّ مستند
I make a statement about it that I do not affirm
I speak a saying about it I do not speak with
until I behold it in every foundation.
Until I witness it in every place of rest.
هوit الوجودexistence الذيwhich الأعيانthe entities صورتهits form
هو الوجود الذي الأعيان صورته
وإنَّand indeed صاحبهits possessor مشاركsharing in النكدmisery
وإنَّ صاحبه مشارك النكد
It is existence, whose form consists of the entities,
It is the existence which appearances are its form,
and indeed its possessor shares in misery.
And its Master shares in difficulty.
لولاwere it not for الوجودُexistence ولولاand were it not for حسنُthe beauty of صورتِهits form
لولا الوجودُ ولولا حسنُ صورتِه
ماnot كانwould be ليfor me أملhope فيin كلِّevery ذيpossessor of حيدturning aside
ما كان لي أمل في كلِّ ذي حيد
Were it not for existence and the beauty of its form,
If it were not for existence and beauty of its form,
I would have no hope in anyone who turns aside.
I would have no hopes in anything bounded.
عنfrom منwhom إلىto منwhom وفيand in منwhom فاستعدّso prepare yourself لهfor him
عن من إلى من وفي من فاستعدّ له
إنindeed الإمامthe imam الذيthe one who يهديguides إلىto الرشدright conduct
إن الإمام الذي يهدي إلى الرشد
From whom, to whom, and in whom? So prepare yourself for him.
From whom to whom and in whom so prepare for it!
Indeed, the imam is the one who guides to right conduct.
The Imam who guides to rectitude.
إنَّindeed الإلهGod دعاناcalled us أنto نلاقيهmeet Him
إنَّ الإله دعانا أن نلاقيه
بالموتthrough death عندat فراقthe parting of الروحthe spirit للجسدfrom the body
بالموت عند فراق الروح للجسد
Indeed, God has called us to meet Him
God has called us to meet Him
through death, when the spirit parts from the body.
Through death when the spirit leaves the body.
لذاكfor that reason أسرعتِhastened الأرواحthe spirits طائرةflying
لذاك أسرعتِ الأرواح طائرة
ولمand did not تعرّجpause علىfor أهلٍfamily ولاnor ولدa child
ولم تعرّج على أهلٍ ولا ولد
For that reason the spirits hastened, flying,
Therefore the spirits hastened flying
and did not pause for family or child.
And did not bid farewell to family or children.
ليسis not التعجبُthe wonder منat تعجيلِhastening رحلتهاtheir departure
ليس التعجبُ من تعجيلِ رحلتها
إنindeed التعجبَthe wonder منat نوحٍNoah ومنand at لُبدLubad
إن التعجبَ من نوحٍ ومن لُبد
The wonder is not at the hastening of their departure;
Wondering not at their hurrying the journey
indeed, the wonder is at Noah and Lubad.
Rather wondering at Noah and logs of wood!