نَظَرُ المُحِبِّ إِلَى المُحِبِّ سَلَامُ

نَظَرُ المُحِبِّ إِلَى المُحِبِّ سَلَامٌوَالصَّمْتُ بَيْنَ العَارِفِينَ كَلَامُ

Naẓaru al-muḥibbi ilā al-muḥibbi salāmun, Wa-aṣ-ṣamtu bayna al-ʿārifīna kalāmu

The lover's glance at the beloved is a greeting, and silence among the gnostics is speech.

جَمَعُوا العِبَارَةَ بِالإِشَارَةِ بَيْنَهُمْوَتَوَافَقَتْ مِنْهُمْ بِهَا الأَفْهَامُ

Jamaʿū al-ʿibārata bi-al-ʾishārati baynahum, Watawāfaqat minhum bihā al-ʾafhāmu

They have joined expression with allusion among themselves, and their understandings agree upon it.

يَتَرَاجَعُونَ بِلَحْظِهِمْ لَا لَفْظِهِمْفَلَذَا بِمَا فِي نَفْسِ ذَا إِلْهَامُ

Yatarājaʿūna bilaḥẓihim lā lafẓihim, Faladhā bimā fī nafsi dhā ilhāmu

They converse with their glances, not their words, so each is inspired with what is in the other's soul.

هَذَا هُنَاكَ وَذَا هُنَاكَ إِذَا تَرَىوَلِسِرِّ ذَاكَ بِسِرِّ ذَا إِلْمَامُ

Hadhā hunāka wadhā hunāka idhā tarā, Walisirri dhāka bisirri dhā ilmāmu

This one is here and that one there, as you see, yet the secret of one is acquainted with the secret of the other.

وَتَقَابَلَتْ وَتَعَاشَقَتْ وَتَعَانَقَتْأَسْرَارُهُمْ وَتَفَرَّقَتْ أَجْسَامُ

Wataqābalat wataʿāshaqat wataʿānaqat, Asrāruhum watafarraqat ajsāmu

Their secrets have met, loved and embraced, while their bodies are apart.

فَيَقُولُ ذَا عَنْ ذَا وَذَا عَنْ ذَا بِمَايُلْقَى إِلَيْهِ وَتَكْتُبُ الأَقْلَامُ

Fayaqūlu dhā ʿan dhā wadhā ʿan dhā bimā, Yulqā ilayhi wataktubu al-ʾaqlāmu

This one speaks for that, and that for this, with what is cast to him, and the pens write.

سَقَطَ الخِلَافُ وَحَرْفُهُ عَنْ لَفْظِهِمْفَلَهُمْ بِحَرْفِ الِائْتِلَافِ غَرَامُ

Saqaṭa al-khilāfu waḥarfuhu ʿan lafẓihim, Falahum biḥarfi al-āʾtilāfi gharāmu

Disagreement and its very letter have fallen from their speech; they are in love with the letter of harmony.

أَلِفُوا نَعَمْ لَبَّيْكَ وَأْتَلَفُوا بِهَاإِذْ لَا وَلَيْسَ عَلَى الكِرَامِ حَرَامُ

Alifū naʿam labbayka waʾtalafū bihā, Idh lā walaysa ʿalā al-kirāmi ḥarāmu

They grew used to "Yes" and "Here I am," and were united by them, for "no" and "not" are forbidden to the noble.

أَعْرَافُهُمْ جَنَوِيَّةٌ أَخْلَاقُهُمْنَبَوِيَّةٌ رَبَّانِيُّونَ كِرَامُ

Aʿrāfuhum janawiyyatun akhlāquhum, Nabawiyyatun rabbāniyyūna kirāmu

Their scents are of Paradise, their characters prophetic; they are divine and noble.

شَهَوَاتُهُمْ وَنُفُوسُهُمْ وَحُظُوظُهُمْخَلْفٌ وَفِعْلُ الصَّالِحَاتِ أَمَامُ

Shahawātuhum wanufūsuhum waḥuẓūẓuhum, Khalfun wafiʿlu aṣ-ṣāliḥāti amāmu

Their desires, their selves and their pleasures are behind them, and righteous deeds before them.

بُسِطَتْ بِهِنَّ لَهُمْ أَكُفُّ بِالعَطَاءقَامَتْ بِوَاجِبِهَا لَهُمْ أَقْدَامُ

Busiṭat bihinna lahum akuffu bi-al-ʿaṭāʾ, Qāmat biwājibihā lahum aqdāmu

With these their hands are stretched out in giving, and their feet stand to fulfil their duty.

فَالسَّيْرُ عِلْمٌ وَالعُقُولُ أَدِلَّةٌوَالرَّبُّ قَصْدٌ وَالرَّسُولُ إِمَامُ

Fa-as-sayru ʿilmun wa-al-ʿuqūlu adillatun, Wa-ar-rabbu qaṣdun wa-ar-rasūlu imāmu

The journey is knowledge, minds are guides, the Lord is the goal, and the Messenger the imam.