أدِرْpass round كؤوسَcups of الرِّضاcontentment ناراًa fire عَلىupon عَلَمِa mountain
أدِرْ كؤوسَ الرِّضا ناراً عَلى عَلَمِ
لاno خَيْرَgood فيin لَذَّةٍpleasure بتّاًat all لِمُكتَتمِfor one who conceals it
لا خَيْرَ في لَذَّةٍ بتّاً لِمُكتَتمِ
Pass round the cups of contentment—a fire upon a mountain.
There is no good at all in pleasure for one who conceals it.
ولْتَجْلُهاand unveil her بنتَdaughter of دَنٍّa wine-cask عُمْرُهاher age عُمُريmy age
ولْتَجْلُها بنتَ دَنٍّ عُمْرُها عُمُري
تَسْتَدرجُdraws away by degrees العَقلَthe mind فِعلَas the action of الشَّيبِgray hair باللَّمَمِupon the locks
تَسْتَدرجُ العَقلَ فِعلَ الشَّيبِ باللَّمَمِ
And unveil her, the cask's daughter, whose age is mine,
She steals the mind away as grayness steals through locks.
مَشْمُولَةًcooled by the north wind نَسجَتْهاwove her للشَّمالِof the north wind يَدٌa hand
مَشْمُولَةً نَسجَتْها للشَّمالِ يَدٌ
والطَفتهاand caressed her أكُفُّthe hands of اللُّطفِgrace فيin القِدَمِpre-eternity
والطَفتها أكُفُّ اللُّطفِ في القِدَمِ
Cooled by the north wind, whose hand has woven her,
And the hands of grace caressed her in pre-eternity.
فَماso there is no لَهاfor her غيرَother than رُوحِthe spirit of الرُّوحِthe spirit منany قَدَحٍcup
فَما لَها غيرَ رُوحِ الرُّوحِ من قَدَحٍ
ولاnor لَهاfor her غَيْرُother than سِرِّthe secret of السِّرthe secret مِنْany فَدَمِwine-strainer
ولا لَها غَيْرُ سِرِّ السِّر مِنْ فَدَمِ
So she has no cup but the spirit of the spirit,
Nor any strainer but the secret of the secret.
بَيْناwhile تُرىshe is seen فيin أكُفِّthe palms of الشَّاربينَthe drinkers طِلاًwine
بَيْنا تُرى في أكُفِّ الشَّاربينَ طِلاً
إذْsuddenly تَسْتحيلُshe turns into شُعاعاًradiance فيin خُدودِهمِtheir cheeks
إذْ تَسْتحيلُ شُعاعاً في خُدودِهمِ
While she is seen as wine in the drinkers' palms,
Suddenly she turns to radiance in their cheeks.
كَذاكَlikewise منone whose كَتَمتْconcealed سِرّاًa secret ضَمائِرُهُhis inmost thoughts
كَذاكَ من كَتَمتْ سِرّاً ضَمائِرُهُ
كَساهُclothed him منهfrom it رداءٌa robe غيرُnot مُنْكَتِمِconcealed
كَساهُ منه رداءٌ غيرُ مُنْكَتِمِ
So too, one whose inmost thoughts have concealed a secret:
A robe of that secret clothes him, itself unconcealed.
قُمrise هاتِهاbring her فرياضُfor the gardens of الكونِcreation قدindeed جُليتhave been unveiled
قُم هاتِها فرياضُ الكونِ قد جُليت
وقامَand arose للْحُسنfor beauty ترتيبٌan ordered array علىupon قَدمِa foot
وقامَ للْحُسن ترتيبٌ على قَدمِ
Rise, bring her, for creation's gardens have been unveiled,
And beauty's array has risen to its feet.
ولاحَتِand gleamed الشُّهبُthe stars كالأكواسِlike cups دائِرةًcircling
ولاحَتِ الشُّهبُ كالأكواسِ دائِرةً
تُغْريكَentices you بالسُّكرto drunkenness مِنْfrom صَهباءِthe tawny wine of حُبِّهمِtheir love
تُغْريكَ بالسُّكر مِنْ صَهباءِ حُبِّهمِ
And the stars shine out like circling cups,
Enticing you to drunkenness with the tawny wine of their love.
وساجَلَتْand vied with أدْمعُthe tears of السُّحبthe clouds الحمامَthe doves بُكاًin weeping
وساجَلَتْ أدْمعُ السُّحب الحمامَ بُكاً
عَلىover الرِّياضِthe gardens فأضْحَىso it became جدَّexceedingly مُبْتسِمِsmiling
عَلى الرِّياضِ فأضْحَى جدَّ مُبْتسِمِ
And the clouds' tears vied with the doves in weeping
Over the gardens, till they were all smiles.
فَسَلْso ask أزاهيرَthe blossoms of رَوضِthe garden of الحُسنbeauty غِبَّafter ندىًdew
فَسَلْ أزاهيرَ رَوضِ الحُسن غِبَّ ندىً
هَلْhave ...? نَبَّهتawakened وَقعاتُthe falling drops of الطَّلِّthe dew عينَthe eye of عَمِa blind man
هَلْ نَبَّهت وَقعاتُ الطَّلِّ عينَ عَمِ
Then ask the blossoms of beauty's garden, after the dew:
Have the falling dewdrops awakened a blind man's eye?
فيin كُلِّevery حُسنٍbeauty لهُbelonging to him مَعنىًa meaning تشاهدُهbeholds it
في كُلِّ حُسنٍ لهُ مَعنىً تشاهدُه
عينُthe eye of الصَّفِيِّthe pure-hearted one وقلبُand the heart of الحاضرِthe attentive one الفَهِمِthe discerning
عينُ الصَّفِيِّ وقلبُ الحاضرِ الفَهِمِ
In every beauty lies a meaning of his, beheld
By the pure-hearted one's eye and the heart of the attentive, discerning one.
ياO لامعَgleam of البَرْقِlightning بلrather بالناظرينin the beholders عَشىًdimness of sight
يا لامعَ البَرْقِ بل بالناظرين عَشىً
وهوyet it is الصَّباحُthe dawn تَفرَّىhas burst forth عنthrough دُجاthe gloom of الظُّلَمِdarkness
وهو الصَّباحُ تَفرَّى عن دُجا الظُّلَمِ
O lightning's gleam—no, the beholders' sight is dim;
Yet it is dawn, breaking through the gloom of darkness.
أَعِدْrepeat علىupon مُقلتيmy eye لَمْحاًa flash يؤنِّقُهاthat delights it
أَعِدْ على مُقلتي لَمْحاً يؤنِّقُها
عسَىperhaps يَراكَmay see you مُحِبٌّa lover عنto سَناكَyour radiance عَمِblind
عسَى يَراكَ مُحِبٌّ عن سَناكَ عَمِ
Cast upon my eye again a flash that delights it,
Perhaps a lover blind to your radiance will see you.
ياواديَO valley of الحَيِّthe tribe والأمْواهُwhile the waters ثاعِبةٌgushing
ياواديَ الحَيِّ والأمْواهُ ثاعِبةٌ
واحرَّah, the burning of قَلْبيmy heart لِذاكَfor that المَوردِwatering place الشَّبمِcool
واحرَّ قَلْبي لِذاكَ المَوردِ الشَّبمِ
O valley of the tribe, with waters gushing,
How my heart burns for that cool watering place!
بلbut هَلْwill ...? يُبَلِّغُنيbring me وَخْدthe swift stride of المَطِيِّthe riding camels عَلىdespite
بل هَلْ يُبَلِّغُني وَخْد المَطِيِّ عَلى
شَحْطِthe remoteness of المزارِthe place sought إلىto رَبْعٍa dwelling بذيat Dhu سَلَمِSalam
شَحْطِ المزارِ إلى رَبْعٍ بذي سَلَمِ
But will the camels' swift stride bring me, however
Distant the place, to a dwelling at Dhu Salam?
لِمَعْهدٍto an abode طالَماso often حَلَّalighted القُلوبُthe hearts بهِin it
لِمَعْهدٍ طالَما حَلَّ القُلوبُ بهِ
مُخَيِّمينَpitching their tents وبانُواand they parted عَنْfrom جُسومِهمِtheir bodies
مُخَيِّمينَ وبانُوا عَنْ جُسومِهمِ
To an abode where hearts have so often alighted,
Pitching their tents and leaving their bodies behind;
لِعُمدةِto the pillar of الدِّينِfaith والدُّنْياand the world وقُطبهماand the axis of both
لِعُمدةِ الدِّينِ والدُّنْيا وقُطبهما
ومُنْتهىand the pinnacle of الشَّرَفِnobility الأصليِّinnate والكَرمِand generosity
ومُنْتهى الشَّرَفِ الأصليِّ والكَرمِ
To the pillar of faith and the world, and the axis of both,
And the pinnacle of innate nobility and generosity;
لأَفضلِto the best of النَّاسِhumankind منfrom حافٍone barefoot لمُنْتَعِلٍto one shod
لأَفضلِ النَّاسِ من حافٍ لمُنْتَعِلٍ
وأكرمِand the noblest of الرُّسلِthe messengers منfrom بادٍthe first لِمُخْتَتِمِto the last
وأكرمِ الرُّسلِ من بادٍ لِمُخْتَتِمِ
To the best of humankind, from the barefoot to the shod,
And the noblest of messengers, from the first to the last;
لأحمدٍto Ahmad سَيِّدِmaster of الأرسالthe messengers قاطِبةًall without exception
لأحمدٍ سَيِّدِ الأرسال قاطِبةً
مُحَمَّدٍMuhammad خيرِthe best of خَلْقِthe creation of اللهِGod كُلِّهمِall of them
مُحَمَّدٍ خيرِ خَلْقِ اللهِ كُلِّهمِ
To Ahmad, master of all the messengers,
Muhammad, the best of all God's creation.
ياO حاديَdriver of العيسthe pale camels نَحْوَtoward القومِthe people مُرتَهناًheld captive
يا حاديَ العيس نَحْوَ القومِ مُرتَهناً
يرميflings بهِhim الشَّوقُlonging منfrom غَوْرٍa valley إلىto تَهمِlowland
يرمي بهِ الشَّوقُ من غَوْرٍ إلى تَهمِ
O driver of the pale camels toward those folk, held captive,
Whom longing flings from valley to lowland,
رفقاًbe gentle بناwith us فيwith regard to بقاياthe remnants of أنفُسٍsouls خَفِيَتْlay hidden
رفقاً بنا في بقايا أنفُسٍ خَفِيَتْ
عَنِfrom المَناياdeath فلمand so did not تَمْتزbe distinguished منfrom العَدمِnonexistence
عَنِ المَنايا فلم تَمْتز من العَدمِ
Be gentle with us, with the remnants of souls that hid
From death, and so were indistinguishable from nothingness.
لأُلحِفَI shall surely clothe الجسمَthe body ثَوبَthe garment of السُّقْمِsickness مُمْتَهناًabased
لأُلحِفَ الجسمَ ثَوبَ السُّقْمِ مُمْتَهناً
وأذرفَand make ... shed العَيْنَthe eye صوبَa torrent of الأدْمُعtears السُّجمِstreaming
وأذرفَ العَيْنَ صوبَ الأدْمُع السُّجمِ
I shall surely clothe my body, abased, in a robe of sickness,
And make my eye shed a torrent of streaming tears,
وأُشربَand make ... drink الوجدَlonging قَلبيmy heart والجوىand burning grief كَبديmy liver
وأُشربَ الوجدَ قَلبي والجوى كَبدي
والسُّهدَand sleeplessness جَفْنيmy eyelid وأنواعَand every kind of الشجونsorrow دَميmy blood
والسُّهدَ جَفْني وأنواعَ الشجون دَمي
And make my heart drink longing, and my liver burning grief,
And my eyelid sleeplessness, and my blood every kind of sorrow,
إنif لمnot أَحُطّI halt ركابيmy riding camels فيupon أبرِّthe most blessed ثَرىًsoil
إن لم أَحُطّ ركابي في أبرِّ ثَرىً
حتَّىuntil أُعفرِّI rub in dust فيهِin it وَجْنَتيmy cheek وفَميand my mouth
حتَّى أُعفرِّ فيهِ وَجْنَتي وفَمي
If I do not halt my mounts upon the most blessed soil,
Until I rub my cheek and mouth in its dust,
ذُلّاًin abasement وخَوفاًand fear وإشْفاقاًand apprehension ومَنْدمَةًand remorse
ذُلّاً وخَوفاً وإشْفاقاً ومَنْدمَةً
عَلىfor مساوئَmisdeeds قدindeed زلَّتْslipped بهاthrough them قَدميmy foot
عَلى مساوئَ قد زلَّتْ بها قَدمي
In abasement and fear, in apprehension and remorse,
For the misdeeds through which my foot has slipped.
ياO طَيْبَةَTaybah of الطَّيِّبينthe pure اللهَby God أنشُدكمI implore you all
يا طَيْبَةَ الطَّيِّبين اللهَ أنشُدكم
أماhas not ...? سَرَتْwafted by night نسمةٌa breeze منfrom جانبthe side of العَلَمthe mountain
أما سَرَتْ نسمةٌ من جانب العَلَم
O Taybah of the pure, I implore you by God:
Has no breeze wafted by night from the mountain's side?
عَساكُمُmay you all أنْthat تُوالُوهاkeep bestowing upon it سَلامَكُمُyour greetings
عَساكُمُ أنْ تُوالُوها سَلامَكُمُ
حتَّىuntil يَبينَbecomes clear الرِّضاfavor مِنْهاfrom it لِمُنْتَسِمِto one who breathes it in
حتَّى يَبينَ الرِّضا مِنْها لِمُنْتَسِمِ
May you keep bestowing your greetings upon it,
Till favor is plain in it to one who breathes it in.
وإنْand if تَعُدْكُمit revisits you فَحيُّوهاthen greet it فَعَوْدَتُهاfor its return
وإنْ تَعُدْكُم فَحيُّوها فَعَوْدَتُها
مِنِّيfrom me بردِّwith a return of سلامٍa greeting غَيْرِnot مُنْصَرِمِending
مِنِّي بردِّ سلامٍ غَيْرِ مُنْصَرِمِ
And if it revisits you, greet it, for it returns
From me with an answering greeting that never ends.