يَا زَائِرِي حِينَ لَا وَاشٍ مِنَ البَشَرِ

يَا زَائِرِي حِينَ لَا وَاشٍ مِنَ البَشَرِوَاللَّيْلُ يَخْطُرُ فِي بُرْدٍ مِنَ السَّحَرِ

Yā zāʾirī ḥīna lā wāshin mina al-bashari, Wa-al-laylu yakhṭuru fī burdin mina as-saḥari

O you who visited me when no slanderer was near, and the night was strutting in a mantle of dawn,

فَقُلْتُ يَا غَايَةَ الآمَالِ مَا سَبَقَتْمِنْكَ المَوَاعِيدُ بِالتَّقْرِيبِ فِي الخَبَرِ

Faqultu yā ghāyata al-ʾāmāli mā sabaqat, Minka al-mawāʿīdu bi-at-taqrībi fī al-khabari

I said: "O goal of all hopes, no promises of nearness had come from you beforehand in any news.

وَلَوْ بَعَثْتَ رَسُولاً مِنْكَ يَأْمُرُنِيبِالسَّعْيِ نَحْوَكَ لَاسْتَبْشَرْتُ بِالظَّفَرِ

Walaw baʿathta rasūlan minka yaʾmurunī, Bi-as-saʿyi naḥwaka lastabshartu bi-aẓ-ẓafari

Had you sent a messenger from you commanding me to strive toward you, I would have rejoiced in success;

فَكَيْفَ إِذْ جِئْتَ يَا سُولِي وَيَا أَمَلِيفَالحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ ذَا فَوْزٌ بِلَا خَطَرِ

Fakayfa idh jiʾta yā sūlī wayā amalī, Fa-al-ḥamdu lillāhi dhā fawzun bilā khaṭari

So how much more now that you have come, O my desire and my hope! Praise be to Allah, this is a triumph without risk.

مَا كُنْتُ أَحْسَبُ أَنِّي مِنْكَ مُقْتَرِبٌلِمَا لَدَيَّ مِنَ الأَوْزَارِ يَا وَزَرِي

Mā kuntu aḥsabu annī minka muqtaribun, Limā ladayya mina al-ʾawzāri yā wazarī

I never thought I would be near you, because of the burdens I carry, O my shelter,

حَتَّى دَنَوْتَ وَصَارَ الوَصْلُ يَجْمَعُنَاوَالسِّرُّ مِنْكَ وَمِنِّي غَيْرُ مُسْتَتِرِ

Ḥattā danawta waṣāra al-waṣlu yajmaʿunā, Wa-as-sirru minka waminnī ghayru mustatiri

Until you drew near and union brought us together, and the secret between you and me was no longer hidden,

عَلَى الكَثِيبِ مِنَ الوَادِي سَقَاهُ حَياًمِنَ الغَمَائِمِ بِالآصَالِ وَالبُكَرِ

ʿalā al-kathībi mina al-wādī saqāhu ḥayan, Mina al-ghamāʾimi bi-al-ʾāṣāli wa-al-bukari

On the dune in the valley; may the rain of the clouds water it in the evenings and the mornings."

لِلَّهِ بَارِقَةٌ لِلْقَلْبِ قَدْ لَمَعَتْمِنْ عَالَمِ الأَمْرِ لَا مِنْ عَالَمِ الصُّوَرِ

Lillāhi bāriqatun lilqalbi qad lamaʿat, Min ʿālami al-ʾamri lā min ʿālami aṣ-ṣuwari

How wondrous a flash of lightning that gleamed for the heart from the world of the command, not the world of forms!

أَنْسَتْكَ إِيَّاكَ وَالأَكْوَانَ أَجْمَعَهَاوَأَوْقَفَتْكَ عَلَى المَطْلُوبِ وَالوَطَرِ

Ansatka iyyāka wa-al-ʾakwāna ajmaʿahā, Waʾawqafatka ʿalā al-maṭlūbi wa-al-waṭari

It made you forget yourself and all creation, and stopped you at the goal and the desire.

هَذَا الحَدِيثُ وَمَا يَخْفَى عَلَى فَطِنٍأَنِّي أَرَدْتُ بِهِ التَّنْبِيهَ فَاعْتَبِرِ

Hadhā al-ḥadīthu wamā yakhfā ʿalā faṭinin, Annī aradtu bihi at-tanbīha faʿtabiri

This is the tale, and it is not hidden from the discerning that I meant it as a reminder; so take heed.

يَا أَيُّهَا الجَوْهَرُ المَحْصُورُ فِي صَدَفٍمُخَلْوَلَقٍ غَرَضِ التَّغْيِيرِ وَالكَدَرِ

Yā ayyuhā al-jawharu al-maḥṣūru fī ṣadafin, Mukhalwalaqin gharaḍi at-taghyīri wa-al-kadari

O jewel enclosed in a shell worn out, subject to change and impurity,

مُثَبَّطٍ فِي حَضِيضِ الحَظِّ هِمَّتُهُفِي لَذَّةِ البَطْنِ وَالمَنْكُوحِ وَالنَّظَرِ

Muthabbaṭin fī ḥaḍīḍi al-ḥaẓẓi himmatuhu, Fī ladhdhati al-baṭni wa-al-mankūḥi wa-an-naẓari

Its aspiration held down in the lowlands of pleasure, in the delights of the belly, of marriage and of sight,

تَقُودُهُ شَهَوَاتٌ فِيهِ جَامِحَةٌحَتَّى تَزُجَّ بِهِ فِي لُجَّةِ الخَطَرِ

Taqūduhu shahawātun fīhi jāmiḥatun, Ḥattā tazujja bihi fī lujjati al-khaṭari

Led by wild desires within it until they hurl it into the depths of danger:

يَا أَيُّهَا الرُّوحُ هَلْ تَرْضَى مُجَاوَرَةًعَلَى الدَّوَامِ لِهَذَا المُظْلِمِ الكَدِرِ

Yā ayyuhā ar-rūḥu hal tarḍā mujāwaratan, ʿalā ad-dawāmi lihadhā al-muẓlimi al-kadiri

O spirit, are you content to be the neighbour forever of this dark and turbid thing?

فَأَيْنَ كُنْتَ وَلَا جِسْمٌ تُسَاكِنُهُأَلَسْتَ فِي حَضَرَاتِ القُدْسِ فَادَّكِرِ

Faʾayna kunta walā jismun tusākinuhu, Alasta fī ḥaḍarāti al-qudsi faddakiri

Where were you when you had no body to dwell in? Were you not in the presences of holiness? So remember.

تَأْوِي مَعَ المَلَإِ الأَعْلَى وَتَكْرَعُ مِنْحِيَاضِ أُنْسٍ كَمَا تَجْنِي مِنَ الثَّمَرِ

Taʾwī maʿa al-malaʾi al-ʾaʿlā watakraʿu min, Ḥiyāḍi unsin kamā tajnī mina ath-thamari

You found shelter with the Highest Assembly and drank from the pools of intimacy, as you gathered fruit,

تَأْتِي إِلَيْكَ نَسِيمُ القُرْبِ مُهْدِيَةًعَرْفَ الجَمَالِ كَعَرْفِ المَنْدَلِ العَطِرِ

Taʾtī ilayka nasīmu al-qurbi muhdiyatan, ʿarfa al-jamāli kaʿarfi al-mandali al-ʿaṭiri

And the breeze of nearness came to you bearing the fragrance of beauty like the scent of perfumed sandalwood,

حَتَّى جُعِلْتَ بِأَمْرِ اللهِ فِي قَفَصٍلِيَبْتَلِيكَ فَكُنْ مِنْ خَيْرِ مُخْتَبَرِ

Ḥattā juʿilta biʾamri Allāhi fī qafaṣin, Liyabtalīka fakun min khayri mukhtabari

Until by Allah's command you were placed in a cage, that He might test you; so be the best of those tested.

فَحِينَ أَبْصَرْتَ هَذَا الجِسْمَ قَدْ بَرَزَتْبِهِ العَجَائِبُ مِنْ بَادٍ وَمُسْتَتِرِ

Faḥīna abṣarta hadhā al-jisma qad barazat, Bihi al-ʿajāʾibu min bādin wamustatiri

But when you saw this body, in which there appeared wonders, manifest and hidden,

أَنْسَتْكَ بَهْجَتُهُ مَا كُنْتَ تَشْهَدُهُمِنْ قُدْسِ رَبِّكَ فَاعْرِفْ ضَيْعَةَ العُمُرِ

Ansatka bahjatuhu mā kunta tashhaduhu, Min qudsi rabbika faʿrif ḍayʿata al-ʿumuri

Its splendour made you forget what you used to witness of your Lord's holiness; so recognise how your life is being wasted.

رَضِيتَ بِالفِكْرِ عَنْ كَشْفٍ وَأَيْنَكَ مِنْجَلِيَّةِ الحَقِّ إِنْ أَخْلَدْتَ لِلْفِكَرِ

Raḍīta bi-al-fikri ʿan kashfin waʾaynaka min, Jaliyyati al-ḥaqqi in akhladta lilfikari

You are content with reasoning instead of unveiling; but how far you are from the clear light of the Real if you cling to thoughts!

لَا تَقْنَعَنَّ بِدُونِ العَيْنِ مَنْزِلَةًفَالخَبُّ مَنْ يَكْتَفِي بِالظِّلِّ وَالأَثَرِ

Lā taqnaʿanna bidūni al-ʿayni manzilatan, Fa-al-khabbu man yaktafī bi-aẓ-ẓilli wa-al-ʾathari

Never be content with any station short of direct sight, for the fool is the one content with shadow and trace.

وَعُدْ هُدِيتَ فَقَدْ نُودِيتَ مُطَّرِحاًهَذَا الوُجُودَ وَمَا فِيهِ مِنَ الغِيَرِ

Waʿud hudīta faqad nūdīta muṭṭariḥan, Hadhā al-wujūda wamā fīhi mina al-ghiyari

Return, may you be guided, for you have been called to cast aside this existence and all its changes,

وَاسْلُكْ سَبِيلاً إِلَى الرَّحْمَنِ قَيِّمَةًبِهَا أَتَاكَ إِمَامُ البَدْوِ وَالحَضَرِ

Wasluk sabīlan ilā ar-raḥmani qayyimatan, Bihā atāka imāmu al-badwi wa-al-ḥaḍari

And take an upright path to the Most Merciful, which the imam of nomads and townsfolk brought you,

مَشْرُوحَةً فِي كِتَابِ اللهِ وَاضِحَةًفَسِرْ عَلَيْهَا وَكُنْ بِالصِّدْقِ مُتَّزِرِ

Mashrūḥatan fī kitābi Allāhi wāḍiḥatan, Fasir ʿalayhā wakun bi-aṣ-ṣidqi muttaziri

Set out clearly in the Book of Allah; so travel upon it and gird yourself with truthfulness,

وَبِالرِّيَاضَةِ مِنْ صَمْتٍ وَمَخْمَصَةٍمَعَ التَّخَلِّي عَنِ الأَضْدَادِ وَالسَّهَرِ

Wabi-ar-riyāḍati min ṣamtin wamakhmaṣatin, Maʿa at-takhallī ʿani al-ʾaḍdādi wa-as-sahari

And with discipline: silence and hunger, withdrawal from what opposes it, and night vigil.

وَدُمْ عَلَى الذِّكْرِ لَا تَسْأَمْهُ مُعْتَقِداًأَنَّ التَّوَجُّهَ رُوحُ القَصْدِ فِي السَّفَرِ

Wadum ʿalā adh-dhikri lā tasʾamhu muʿtaqidan, Anna at-tawajjuha rūḥu al-qaṣdi fī as-safari

Persist in remembrance and do not tire of it, believing that turning to Him is the spirit of purpose on the journey.

وَاعْلَمْ بِأَنَّكَ لَا تُفْضِي إِلَى غَرَضٍبِدُونِ أَنْ تَقْتَفِي فِي الوِرْدِ وَالصَّدَرِ

Waʿlam biʾannaka lā tufḍī ilā gharaḍin, Bidūni an taqtafī fī al-wirdi wa-aṣ-ṣadari

And know that you will not reach any goal unless you follow, in coming and in going,

خَيْرَ النَّبِيِّينَ هَادِينَا وَمُرْشِدَنَابِمَا أَتَانَا مِنَ الآيَاتِ وَالسُّوَرِ

Khayra an-nabiyyīna hādīnā wamurshidanā, Bimā atānā mina al-ʾāyāti wa-as-suwari

The best of the prophets, our guide and our director, with what he brought us of verses and suras.

صَلَّى عَلَيْهِ إِلَهِي كُلَّمَا سَجَعَتْحَمَامَةٌ فَوْقَ مَيَّاسٍ مِنَ الشَّجَرِ

Ṣallā ʿalayhi ilahī kullamā sajaʿat, Ḥamāmatun fawqa mayyāsin mina ash-shajari

May my God bless him whenever a dove coos upon a swaying tree.