يلبي نداء الحقِّ من كان داعياً

يلبي نداء الحقِّ من كان داعياً

جزاء لما يدعو أجابَ المناديا

جزاء لما يدعو أجابَ المناديا

Whoever has called responds to the call of the Real,

He who calls to the truth, let him respond,

In recompense for his calling, he answered the caller.

A reward for what he calls, the caller has responded.

يقول تذكر ما أتى في خطابه

يقول تذكر ما أتى في خطابه

وما أودعَ الله السنين الخواليا

وما أودعَ الله السنين الخواليا

He says: remember what came in his address,

He says remember what came in His speech,

And what God entrusted to the bygone years.

And what God deposited in the passing years.

يرى حضرةً لم تشهدِ العينُ مثلها

يرى حضرةً لم تشهدِ العينُ مثلها

يناديه أيّاماً بها ولياليا

يناديه أيّاماً بها ولياليا

He sees a presence whose like the eye has never witnessed;

He sees a presence that no eye has witnessed the like of,

He calls him there for days and nights.

Calling him days in which there are nights.

يؤمل أمراً لم يزل قائلاً به

يؤمل أمراً لم يزل قائلاً به

من الله لم يدعو له الله داعيا

من الله لم يدعو له الله داعيا

He hopes for something he has never ceased speaking of,

He hopes for a matter that he kept saying,

From God, though he has not invoked God for it as a supplicant.

God did not call it for him, nor made anyone call it.

يحيى فيحيى من يشاءُ بنطقه

يحيى فيحيى من يشاءُ بنطقه

لذاك تراه في المحاريب تاليا

لذاك تراه في المحاريب تاليا

He greets, and through his speech gives life to whomever he wills;

He gives life so he brings to life whom He wills with His speech,

For that reason you see him reciting in the prayer niches.

Thus you see him in shrines reciting.

يمين له مدَّتْ لبيعة مالك

يمين له مدَّتْ لبيعة مالك

هو العبد إلا أنه كان واليا

هو العبد إلا أنه كان واليا

A right hand was extended to him for allegiance to a master;

His right hand stretched for the pledge of Malik,

He is the servant, though he was a governor.

He is the servant except that he was a governor.

يوليه أمرَ الكونِ فهو خليفته

يوليه أمرَ الكونِ فهو خليفته

وإقليده التقليد إنْ كنت واعيا

وإقليده التقليد إنْ كنت واعيا

He entrusts him with the rule of the cosmos, so he is his vicegerent;

He appoints him the affairs of the universe so he is His caliph,

And his key is investiture, if you are discerning.

And hands him leadership if you are aware.

ينزله في الأرض عبداً مسوداً

ينزله في الأرض عبداً مسوداً

سؤوساً عليماً بالأمور وراعيا

سؤوساً عليماً بالأمور وراعيا

He sends him down to earth as a servant made a master,

He sends him down to earth as a dark-skinned servant,

Skilled in governance, knowledgeable in affairs, and a shepherd.

Disheveled, knowledgeable of matters and a shepherd.

يكسر أصنامَ النفوسِ بعزمه

يكسر أصنامَ النفوسِ بعزمه

من الهمة العليا خفيّاً وخافيا

من الهمة العليا خفيّاً وخافيا

He breaks the idols of souls with his resolve,

He breaks the idols of souls with his resolve,

From the loftiest spiritual aspiration, secretly and unseen.

With the supreme ambition, secretly and covertly.

يناديه من ولاه أنت خليفتي

يناديه من ولاه أنت خليفتي

على الكل مهديّ المقام وهاديا

على الكل مهديّ المقام وهاديا

The one who appointed him calls to him: You are my vicegerent

He who entrusted him calls him: you are My caliph,

Over all, rightly guided in station and a guide.

A guide over all, the guided leader.