يقرّبُ الأمر إذا انشق القمر

يقرّبُ الأمر إذا انشق القمر

لأنه في اللوحِ رقمٌ مستطِرْ

لأنه في اللوحِ رقمٌ مستطِرْ

The affair draws near when the moon splits asunder,

The matter is brought near when the moon splits,

for in the Tablet it is a decree inscribed in lines.

because it is an inscribed record in the Tablet.

ولا تقل يا سيِّدي بأنَّ ذا

ولا تقل يا سيِّدي بأنَّ ذا

إذا رأته العينُ سحر مستمرْ

إذا رأته العينُ سحر مستمرْ

Do not say, my master, that this,

And do not say, my master, that this,

when the eye beholds it, is enduring sorcery.

when the eye sees it, is persistent sorcery.

لو لم يكن هذا الذي رأيته

لو لم يكن هذا الذي رأيته

لما انتهى شخصٌ به ولا ائتمر

لما انتهى شخصٌ به ولا ائتمر

Had what I beheld not truly been so,

Had this that you saw not existed,

no one would have desisted because of it or obeyed.

no one would have desisted because of it or obeyed.

تبتسم الأرضُ وتبدي خيرها

تبتسم الأرضُ وتبدي خيرها

إنْ جادتِ السحبُ بماءٍ منهمر

إنْ جادتِ السحبُ بماءٍ منهمر

The earth smiles and reveals her bounty

The earth smiles and reveals its bounty

when the clouds are generous with pouring rain,

if the clouds lavish water in torrents,

وجادتِ الشمسُ لها بنورها

وجادتِ الشمسُ لها بنورها

صبيحةَ اليومِ الذي فيه مطر

صبيحةَ اليومِ الذي فيه مطر

and the sun is generous to her with its light

and the sun lavishes its light upon it

on the morning of a day of rain.

on the morning of the day when rain falls.

وأصبحتْ أرضُ الهوى مخضرَّةً

وأصبحتْ أرضُ الهوى مخضرَّةً

تظهر للأبصارِ غيبَ ما سترْ

تظهر للأبصارِ غيبَ ما سترْ

And the land of love has turned green,

And the land of love becomes green,

revealing to all eyes what had lain veiled,

revealing to the eyes the unseen that was veiled.

وطاب عَرفُ الجوّ من أعرافها

وطاب عَرفُ الجوّ من أعرافها

فقلت للأنواءِ ما هذا الخبر

فقلت للأنواءِ ما هذا الخبر

and the air’s scent grows sweet from her perfumes.

And the air's scent grows sweet from its fragrances,

I asked the rain-stars, “What news is this?”

so I said to the rain-bearing stars, 'What is this news?'

رأيته طلقَ المحيَّا ضاحكاً

رأيته طلقَ المحيَّا ضاحكاً

من كان يدعى بالعبوس المكفهر

من كان يدعى بالعبوس المكفهر

I saw him open-faced and laughing—

I saw him cheerful of face and laughing—

he who was once known for his glowering scowl.

the one once called grim and scowling.

فاشكر وزد في شكرِه مُجتهداً

فاشكر وزد في شكرِه مُجتهداً

واحذر من المكر إنَّ الله مكر

واحذر من المكر إنَّ الله مكر

So give thanks, and redouble your thanks to Him, striving hard;

So give thanks, and strive to thank Him ever more,

beware the stratagem—for God has laid His plan.

and beware of guile: indeed, God has schemed.

أنذرته المكر فقال لا تقل

أنذرته المكر فقال لا تقل

هذا الذي قلت فما تغني النذر

هذا الذي قلت فما تغني النذر

I warned him of the stratagem; he said, “Do not speak

I warned him of guile, and he said, 'Do not say

of what you have said, for warnings are no avail.”

what you have said; what good are warnings?'

قلت فما أعرفُ إلا مؤمناً

قلت فما أعرفُ إلا مؤمناً

بما به يجري القضاءُ والقدر

بما به يجري القضاءُ والقدر

I said, “I know none but one who believes

I said, 'I know you only as a believer

in that by which decree and destiny run their course.”

in that by which decree and destiny take their course.'

فقالَ هيهاتِ لما تعرفه

فقالَ هيهاتِ لما تعرفه

مني فإني منذ وليتُ الدبر

مني فإني منذ وليتُ الدبر

He said, “Impossible, given what you know

He said, 'How far off is what you know

of me! Ever since I turned my back,

of me! For ever since I turned my back,

أعرض عني الرشدُ واستفزني

أعرض عني الرشدُ واستفزني

شيطانه فقلت هل من مدَّكر

شيطانه فقلت هل من مدَّكر

guidance has turned from me, and his devil has goaded me.”

right guidance turned away from me, and I was goaded

I said, “Is there anyone who will take heed?”

by its devil.' So I said, 'Is there anyone who will take heed?'

قلت أنا فقال لا أصغي إلى

قلت أنا فقال لا أصغي إلى

ما قلت إني في ضلالٍ وسَعَر

ما قلت إني في ضلالٍ وسَعَر

I said, “I.” He said, “I will not listen to

I said, 'I am.' He said, 'I do not listen to

what you said; truly I am in error and madness.”

what you said; I am in error and madness.'

كم بين شخصٍ في جنانٍ ونهر

كم بين شخصٍ في جنانٍ ونهر

في مقعد صدقٍ مليك مُقتدر

في مقعد صدقٍ مليك مُقتدر

How far apart are one amid gardens and a river,

How vast the gulf between one amid gardens and a river,

in a seat of truth with an omnipotent King,

in an all-powerful King's seat of truth,

وبين شخصٍ خاسرٍ قيل له

وبين شخصٍ خاسرٍ قيل له

يا أيها الخاسرُ ذق مسَّ سَقَر

يا أيها الخاسرُ ذق مسَّ سَقَر

and one who is lost, to whom it is said:

and one who has lost, to whom it was said:

“O ruined one, taste the touch of Saqar!”

'O you who have lost, taste the touch of Saqar!'

فالحمد لله الذي أعطى البشر

فالحمد لله الذي أعطى البشر

حمد شكور شاكر شكر الشكر

حمد شكور شاكر شكر الشكر

Then praise be to God, who granted humankind

So praise be to God, who bestowed gladness:

the praise of a deeply grateful, thankful one—the gratitude of gratitude.

the praise of a deeply grateful, thankful one who gave thanks for gratitude.