1. نحمد مولانا الّذي قد اصطفى

    من خلقه قوماً لحان الاصطِفا

    We praise our Master, who has chosen

    From His creation a people for the tavern of election.

  2. ألبسهم ملابس التوفيقِ

    فنهجوا بأقوم الطريقِ

    He clothed them in garments of divine aid,

    So they followed the straightest path.

  3. قلّدهم عقدَ الرشاد والهدى

    أجلسهم على موائد الندى

    He adorned them with the necklace of right direction and guidance,

    And seated them at the tables of bounty.

  4. قاموا على الأقدام في الأسحارِ

    لخدمة الأوراد والأذكارِ

    They stood upon their feet in the predawn hours

    To tend the litanies and invocations.

  5. أحمده جلّ على ما أنعما

    من انتساب نحو بابٍ قد سما

    I praise Him, exalted is He, for the blessings He bestowed:

    Affiliation with a gate that has risen high,

  6. باب الرسول المصطفى كنز الصفا

    رمز الخفا درّ الوفا بحر الشفا

    The gate of the chosen Messenger, treasure of purity,

    Symbol of the hidden, pearl of fidelity, sea of healing.

  7. صلّى عليه الله ذو الجلالِ

    مسلّماً وصحبِه والآلِ

    May God, the Lord of Majesty, bless him,

    And grant peace to him, his companions, and his family,

  8. ما قد سرى نفح النسيم السحري

    من روض فتح أقدسيّ عطر

    As long as the waft of the predawn breeze drifts

    From the fragrant garden of a most-holy opening.

  9. وبعده أهدي لآلِ ودّي

    تحيّةً تزري بدرّ العقدِ

    And afterward I offer to my circle of loved ones

    A greeting that puts a necklace's pearls to shame,

  10. معَ سلامٍ عبهريٍّ ندٍّ

    يفوق معناه عبير الوردِ

    Along with peace scented with narcissus and blended incense,

    Whose meaning surpasses the perfume of roses.

  11. وطيبه يسري بذاك الربعِ

    دام بلطف الله دوماً مرعي

    And its fragrance wafts through that dwelling;

    May it remain forever guarded by God's kindness.

  12. هذا وأوصي سائر الإخوانِ

    بالصدق في الإسرار والإعلانِ

    Now I counsel all the brothers

    To be truthful in secret and in public,

  13. حيث التواصي بيننا قد وردا

    شرعاً لنا ممّن أتانا بالهدى

    For mutual counsel among us has been prescribed

    As sacred law for us by him who brought us guidance.

  14. وكيف لا والدين كلّه جُمِعْ

    فيه ويا طالب نصحي فاستمعْ

    And how could it not, when all religion is gathered

    Within it? O seeker of my counsel, listen:

  15. إنّ الطريق وعِرُ المسالكِ

    على غبيٍّ بالحجاب هالكِ

    The path has rugged ways

    For the ignorant one who perishes behind the veil.

  16. قد قيّدته النفس في سجن الهوى

    عن منهج الطريق ضلّ وغوى

    His ego has bound him in the prison of desire;

    He has strayed from the path's course and fallen into error.

  17. لكنّه يسهل بالتوفيقِ

    مع الخلوص فيه والتصديقِ

    But it becomes easy through divine aid,

    With sincerity upon it and belief.

  18. فاسلك إذاً منهاجَه بالذلِّ

    والفقر والفاقة ثمّ الشغلِ

    So follow its course in humility,

    With poverty and need, then diligent work

  19. بحرفة الكمال في السلوكِ

    تدنو بذا من ملك الملوكِ

    At the craft of perfection in spiritual wayfaring;

    Through this you draw near the King of kings.

  20. وألبس أخي ملابس الآدابِ

    تجنِ الهدى من روضِ الاقترابِ

    And wear, my brother, the garments of proper conduct;

    You will reap guidance from the garden of nearness.

  21. حيث الطريق ليس بالأذكارِ

    ولا بأورادٍ لدى الأسحارِ

    For the path does not consist of invocations,

    Nor of litanies in the predawn hours,

  22. ولا بصومٍ لا ولا قيامِ

    بالليل أو بصلة الأرحامِ

    Nor of fasting—no—nor of standing in prayer

    By night, or maintaining ties of kinship.

  23. بل الطريق أنفسٌ مهذّبهْ

    بالخلق المحمّدي مطيّبهْ

    Rather, the path is souls refined,

    Perfumed with Muhammadan character,

  24. مكسبها من أدب الرسولِ

    بدون ذا لم تحظ بالوصولِ

    Their gain drawn from the Messenger's conduct;

    Without this, you do not attain the goal.

  25. قال الإمام السيّد الجيلاني

    ذو القدم العالي على الأعيان

    The imam, the master al-Jilani, said—

    He whose lofty foot is above the eminent—

  26. بأنّني ما فزت بالوصولِ

    من حضرة التقريب والقبولِ

    “I did not win attainment

    From the Presence of nearness and acceptance

  27. بمحض أورادٍ ولا أذكارِ

    ولا بصومٍ طال في النهارِ

    Through mere litanies or invocations,

    Nor through fasting long throughout the day.

  28. نعم بذلّي ثمّ بانكسارِ

    وحمية الصدر من الأكدارِ

    Yes, through my humility, then brokenness,

    And guarding the breast against impurities.”

  29. وكلّ مسجونٍ بحبس النفسِ

    لم تأته أسرار فتح القدسِ

    And everyone imprisoned in the ego's confinement

    Has not received the mysteries of holy opening,

  30. ولو أتى بكلّ أذكار الورى

    بل سيره بنفسه إلى ورا

    Even if he performs all humankind's invocations;

    Rather, his journey with his ego goes backward.

  31. فخندريسُ أكؤسِ العروسِ

    لا يرشفنّها أولو النفوس

    For the aged wine in the bride's cups

    Is never sipped by those bound to their egos.

  32. ولا ينال خمرة الأذكارِ

    صبّ حجاب البعد بالأغيارِ

    Nor does the wine of invocations reach

    An ardent lover veiled in remoteness through other-than-God.

  33. إنّ المراد الذكر بالنفوسِ

    فافهم لتسقَى صافي الكؤوسِ

    The aim is remembrance with the souls;

    So understand, that you may be served the cups' clear wine.

  34. وذكر مولانا هو المطيّهْ

    في سيرنا للحضرة القدسيّهْ

    And remembrance of our Master is the mount

    On our journey to the holy Presence.

  35. فادأب عليه وامش بالآدابِ

    تدنُ به من حضرة الوهّابِ

    So persevere in it, and walk with proper conduct;

    Through it you draw near the Presence of the Bestower.

  36. وسر به إلى العلا وسِربِهِ

    تعط المنا من شُربه وشَربهِ

    And journey through it to the heights and its company;

    You will be granted your wishes through its drink and its drinkers.

  37. واركب به على رخاخ العزمِ

    مجتهداً واطلق عنان الحزمِ

    And mount with it the rocs of resolve,

    Striving hard, and loose the reins of determination,

  38. مقلّداً بسيف ذكر الوردِ

    لتجتني من زهر روض الوردِ

    Girded with the sword of reciting the litany,

    To gather blossoms from the garden of roses,

  39. وتستقي صافيَ كاسات الحمى

    برشفها ينفي على القلب الظما

    And draw the clear draught of the sanctuary's cups;

    Sipping them dispels the heart's thirst.

  40. إن رمت في السلوك للمزيد

    فانحُ إذاً لبلغة المريد

    If you seek more in spiritual wayfaring,

    Then turn to Bulghat al-Murid, the Seeker's Provision,

  41. أُرجوزة الأستاذ في السلوكِ

    تشفي الظما بتبرها المسبوكِ

    The master's rajaz poem on spiritual wayfaring;

    It quenches thirst with its cast gold.

  42. فإنّ فيها جُلَّ ما قد يَلزمُ

    لسالكٍ على الطريق يعزمُ

    For it contains most of what is needed

    By a wayfarer resolved upon the path.

  43. فكحّل الأعينَ من سناها

    ففيه للأرواح مشتهاها

    So apply its radiance as kohl to your eyes;

    For within it lies what spirits desire.

  44. لكن ولا بدّ من الموقّفِ

    ومرشدٍ لنهجها معرّفِ

    But an instructor is indispensable,

    And a guide who explains its course,

  45. كالفاضل الواصل ذي التقرُّبِ

    يوسف مصر ذي الجمال الطيّبِ

    Such as the excellent one who has attained and drawn near,

    Yusuf of Egypt, possessed of pleasing beauty.

  46. فإنّه القدوة والحبر الّذي

    يهدي لروضٍ في طريقنا شَذِي

    For he is the exemplar and the scholar who

    Leads to a fragrant garden on our path.

  47. فالزم أخي بالذلّ طيبَ مجلسهْ

    وانشق لطيب طيبه من أنفسِهْ

    So keep to his pleasant gathering, my brother, in humility,

    And inhale the choicest essence of his sweet perfume.

  48. هذا وأوصيكم بترك الجدلِ

    فذو الجدال لم يفز بالأملِ

    Now I counsel you to abandon disputation;

    The disputant does not attain his hope.

  49. لا تسمعوا وعوعة الكلابِ

    من الوشاة أهلِ الارتيابِ

    Do not listen to the barking of dogs

    From talebearers, the people of doubt.

  50. فقد يقال هؤلاء الأوليا

    بالاحتقار في السلوك أغبيا

    For it may be said, “These saints

    Are fools in wayfaring,” contemptuously.

  51. فاحتملوا لو قذفوا وأَسهبوا

    بالقول ثمّ شنّعوا وضربوا

    So endure, even if they slander you and go on at length

    In speech, then vilify and strike you.

  52. فليس في ذا للفتى من باس

    بل يستقي به سلاف الكاس

    For there is no harm in this for the young man;

    Rather, through it he draws the cup's choicest wine.

  53. وهذه سنة ربٍّ منعمِ

    على أحبّاء له من قِدَمِ

    This is the way of a generous Lord

    Toward His loved ones since ancient times.

  54. هذا إذا رمتم طريقَ الاهتدا

    ليحسن النهج لكم والاقتدا

    This is so, if you desire the path of guidance,

    That your course and emulation may be sound.

  55. وفي سواه لا يكون مقصدُ

    كفعل قومٍ في المسير أُقعدوا

    In anything else there is no goal,

    As in the conduct of people halted in their journey.

  56. قد جعلوا الطريق بالمسابحِ

    بقصد ذكر العبد بالقبائح

    They have made the path a matter of prayer beads,

    Seeking to make the servant known through shameful things,

  57. كلبس صوفٍ جعلُهُ عمامهْ

    وقد علاها بالنوى علامهْ

    Such as wearing wool fashioned into a turban,

    With a mark of fruit stones set upon it.

  58. وكتبوا إجازةً في الوَرَقِ

    والمقصد الأسنى اصطيادُ الوَرِقِ

    And they have written a license on paper,

    While their loftiest aim is to snare silver.

  59. حيث غدت أوراقُهم كالشبكهْ

    بصيد دنيا نفسهم منهمكهْ

    For their papers have become like a net,

    Their ego engrossed in hunting worldly gain.

  60. فبينهم وبين نهج القربِ

    لا شكّ مثل مشرقٍ وغربِ

    Thus between them and the course of nearness

    There lies, beyond doubt, the distance of east from west,

  61. أو مثل بونٍ بين أرضٍ وسما

    فهم وايمُ الله قومٌ في عمى

    Or a gulf like that between earth and heaven;

    By God, they are a people in blindness.

  62. وليس ذا يا ذا النهى طريقنا

    وليس من يفعل ذا رفيقنا

    This, O possessor of understanding, is not our path,

    And whoever does this is not our companion.

  63. نعم طريقنا بصدق الحالِ

    وحسن الاجتهاد لا بالقالِ

    Indeed, our path lies in sincerity of spiritual state,

    And sound striving, not mere talk.

  64. وفي غدٍ يا قومنا يشاهدُ

    فتح التداني والّذين جاهدوا

    And tomorrow, our people, there will be witnessed

    The opening of nearness and those who have striven.

  65. أسأل ربّي جلّ شانه بأنْ

    ينهج بالأحباب أبهجَ السننْ

    I ask my Lord—exalted is His majesty—to

    Lead the loved ones along the most delightful ways,

  66. ويمنح القبول بالوصولِ

    بسرّ سر السيّد الرسولِ

    And grant acceptance through attainment,

    By the secret of the secret of the master, the Messenger.

  67. صلّى عليه الله ثمّ سلّما

    ما سالكٌ في نهجه لقد سما

    May God bless him and grant him peace,

    As long as a wayfarer rises high upon his path,

  68. وآلهِ وصحبِه أولى التقى

    من رشفوا من كأسه خمرَ البقا

    And his family and companions, possessors of piety,

    Who sipped the wine of abiding from his cup.

  69. هذا وأرجو منكمُ لي الدعا

    بكلِّ خيرٍ عند ما الفتحُ سعى

    Now I ask you to pray for me

    For every good, whenever spiritual opening comes.

  70. ومثل ذا منّي لكم على المدى

    به تنالون الأمان والندى

    And I offer you the same throughout time;

    Through it you gain safety and bounty.

  71. وكلّ من قد جاءنا من حمص

    عن حالكم أسأل بل أستقصي

    And everyone who comes to us from Homs—

    I ask about your condition, indeed inquire thoroughly.

  72. وهذه عجالةُ المحبِّ

    رسالةٌ منّي لكلّ صبِّ

    This is the lover's hastily written note,

    A letter from me to every ardent lover,

  73. جرت هنا على لسان القلمِ

    بإذن مولانا وليّ النعمِ

    That flowed here upon the pen's tongue,

    By leave of our Master, the Patron of blessings.

  74. والحمد لله على الدوامِ

    في مبدأ القول وفي الختام

    And praise be to God forever,

    At the beginning of speech and at its close.