مَا لَذَّةُ العَيْشِ إِلَّا صُحْبَةُ الفُقَرَا
هُمُ السَّلَاطِينُ وَالسَّادَاتُ وَالأُمَرَا
mā ladhdhatul ʿayshi illā ṣuḥbatul fuqarā
humus salāṭīnu was sādātu wal umarā
What delight is there in life other than the companionship of the fuqara?
They are the sultans, lords, and princes.
فَاصْحَبْهُمُو وَتأدَّبْ فِي مَجَالِسِهِمْ
وخَلِّ حَظَّكَ مَهْمَا قَدَّمُوكَ وَرَا
faṣ ḥabhumū watāddab fī majālisihim
wkhalli ḥaẓẓaka mahmā qaddamūka warā
So befriend them and learn the ways of their assemblies,
And keep your obligations, even if they ignore you.
وَاسْتَغْنِمِ الوَقْتَ وَاحْضُرْ دَائِمًا مَعَهُمْ
وَاعْلَمْ بِأنَّ الرِّضَا يَخْتَصُّ مَنْ حَضَرَا
was taghnimil waqta waḥ ḍur dā’iman maʿahum
waʿ lam bi annar riḍā yakhtaṣṣu man ḥaḍarā
Profit from your time and participate always with them,
And know that Divine satisfaction distinguishes one who is present
وَلَازِمِ الصَّمْتَ إِلَّا إِنْ سُئِلْتَ فَقُلْ
لَا عِلْمَ عِنْدِي وَكُنْ بِالجَهْلِ مُسْتَـتِرَا
walāzimiṣ ṣamta illā in su’ilta faqul
lā ʿilma ʿindī wakun bil jahli mustatirā
Make silence obligatory unless you are questioned, then say:
‘No knowledge have I’, and conceal yourself with ignorance.
وَلَا تَرَ العَيْبَ إِلَّا فِيكَ مُعْتَقِدًا
عَيْبًا بَدَا بَيِّنًا لَكِنَّـهُ اسْتَتَرَا
walā taral ʿayba illā fīka muʿtaqidan
ʿayban badā bayyinan lakinnahus tatarā
Regard not any fault, but that acknowledged within yourself
As a manifest, clearly apparent fault, though it be concealed.
وَحُطَّ رَأْسَكَ وَاسْتَغْفِرْ بِلَا سَبَبٍ
وَقُمْ عَلَى قَدَمِ الإِنْصَافِ مُعْتَذِرَا
waḥuṭṭa ra’saka was taghfir bilā sababin
waqum ʿalā qadamil inṣāfi muʿtadhirā
Lower your head and seek forgiveness without apparent cause,
And stand at the feet of Justice, making excuses in your own behalf.
وَإِنْ بَدَا مِنْكَ عَيْبٌ فَاعْتَرِفْ وَأَقِمْ
وَجْهَ اعْتِذَارِكَ عَمَّا فِيكَ مِنْكَ جَرَى
wa in badā minka ʿaybun faʿ tarif wa aqim
wajhaʿ tidhārika ʿammā fīka minka jarā
If a fault appears in you, acknowledge it, and direct
Your pleas toward that within you which comes from you.
وَقُلْ عُبَيْدُكُمُ أَوْلَى بِصَفْحِكُمُ
فَسَامِحُوا وَخُذُوا بِالرِّفْقِ يَا فُقَرَا
waqul ʿubaydukumu awlā biṣafḥikumu
fasāmiḥū wakhudhū bir rifqi yā fuqarā
Say: ‘Your slaves are more worthy than ourselves of your forgiveness
So excuse us and be kind to us, Oh Fuqara
هُمْ بِالتَّفَضُّلِ أَوْلَى وَهْوَ شِيمَتُهُمْ
فَلَا تَخَفْ دَرَكًا مِنْهُمْ وَلَا ضَرَرَا
hum bit tafaḍḍuli awlā wahwa shīmatuhum
falā takhaf darakan minhum walā ḍararā
By giving preference to others they are exalted, for it is in their nature,
So do not fear that they will punish or harm you
وَبِالتَّفَتِّي عَلَى الإِخْوَانِ جُدْ أَبَدًا
حِسًّا وَمَعْنًى وَغُضَّ الطَّرْفَ إِنْ عَثَرَا
wabil ttafattī ʿalal ikhwāni jud abadan
ḥissan wamaʿnan waghuḍḍaṭ ṭarfa in ʿatharā
And in magnanimity toward the brothers be forever limitless,
Out of feeling or understanding, and avert your gaze if one of them stumbles.
وَرَاقِبِ الشَّيْخَ فِي أَحْوَالِهِ فَعَسَى
يُرَى عَلَيْكَ مِنَ اسْتِحْسَانِهِ أَثَرَا
warāqibish shaykha fī aḥwālihi faʿasā
yurā ʿalayka minas tiḥsānihi atharā
Observe the Shaykh attentively in his states, for perhaps
A trace of his approval will be seen upon you.
وَقَدِّمِ الجِدَّ وَانْهَضْ عِنْدَ خِدْمَتِهِ
عَسَاهُ يَرْضَى وَحَاذِرْ أَنْ تَكُنْ ضَجِرَا
waqaddimil jidda wan haḍ ʿinda khidmatihi
ʿasāhu yarḍā waḥādhir an takun ḍajirā
Display earnestness and be eager in his service;
Perhaps he will be pleased, but beware lest you see annoyance.
فَفِي رِضَاهُ رِضَى البَارِي وَطَاعَتِهِ
يَرْضَى عَلَيْكَ وَكُنْ مِنْ تَرْكِهَا حَذِرَا
fafī riḍāhu riḍal bārī waṭāʿatihi
yarḍā ʿalayka wakun min tarkihā ḥadhirā
For in his satisfaction is that of the Creator and obedience toward Him,
He has granted you His good pleasure, so beware lest you forsake it!
وَاعْلَمْ بِأنَّ طَرِيقَ القَوْمِ دَارِسَةٌ
وَحَالُ مَنْ يَدَّعِيهَا اليَوْمَ كَيْفَ تَرَى
waʿ lam bi anna ṭarīqal qawmi dārisatun
waḥālu man yaddaʿīhal yawma kayfa tarā
Know that the Way of the Folk is now decadent,
And that the state of the one who preaches it today is as you see.
مَتَى أَرَاهُمْ وَأَنَّـى لِي بِرُؤْيَتِهِمْ
أَوْ تَسْمَعُ الأُذْنُ مِنِّي عَنْهُمُ خَبَرَا
matā arāhum wa annā lī biru’yatihim
aw tasmaʿul udhnu minnī ʿanhumu khabarā
When shall I see the true Folk of God, and how am I to have sight of them,
Or my ears to hear news of them?
مَنْ لِي وَأَنَّـى لِمِثْلِي أَنْ يُزَاحِمَهُمْ
عَلَى مَوَارِدَ لَمْ أُلْفِ بِهَا كَدَرَا
man lī wa annā limithlī an yuzāḥimahum
ʿalā mawārida lam ulfi bihā kadarā
How can I or one like me dispute with them
Over spiritual experiences about which I am not familiar?
أُحِبُّهُمْ وَأُدَارِيهِمْ وَأُوثِرُهُمْ
بِمُهْجَتِي وَخُصُوصًا مِنْهُمُ نَفَرَا
uḥibbuhum wa udārīhim wa ūthiruhum
bimuhjatī wakhuṣūṣan minhumu nafarā
I love them, am courteous to them, and follow them,
With my innermost soul- especially one person among them.
قَوْمٌ كِرَامُ السَّجَاَيَا حَيْثُمَا جَلَسُوا
يَبْقَى المَكَانُ عَلَى آثَارِهِمْ عَطِرَا
qawmun kirāmus sajāayā ḥaythumā jalasū
yabqal makānu ʿalā āthārihim ʿaṭirā
They are a folk noble in character; wherever they sit,
That place remains fragrant from their traces.
يُهْدِي التَّصَوُّفُ مِنْ أَخَلَاقِهِمْ طُرَفًا
حُسْنُ التَّأَلُّفِ مِنْهُمْ رَاقِنِي نَظَرَا
yuhdīt taṣawwufu min akhalāqihim ṭurafan
ḥusnut ta’allufi minhum rāqinī naẓarā
Sufism guides one quickly by means of their conduct;
A fitting harmony is theirs, delightful to my sight.
هُمْ أَهْلُ وُدِّي وَأَحْبَابِي الَّذِينَ هُمُ
مِمَّنْ يَجُرُّ ذُيُولَ العِزِّ مُفْتَخِرَ
hum ahlu wuddī wa aḥbābīl ladhīna humu
mimman yajurru dhuyūlal ʿizzi muftakhira
They are my loved ones, my family, who
Are among those who proudly hold up the Helms of Glory.
لَا زَالَ شَمْلِي بِهِمْ فِي اللهِ مُجْتَمِعًا
وَذَنْبُنَا فِيهِ مَغْفُورًا وَمُغْتَفَرَا
lā zāla shamlī bihim fī Allahi mujtamiʿan
wadhanbunā fīhi maghfūran wamughtafarā
I am united with them still, brought together in God,
And through Him our transgressions are pardoned and forgiven.
ثمَُّ الصَّلَاةُ عَلَى المُخْتَارِ سَيِّدِنَا
مُحَمَّدٍ خَيْرِ مَنْ أَوْفَى وَمَنْ نَذَرَا
thmmauṣ ṣalātu ʿalal mukhtāri sayyidinā
muḥammadin khayri man awfā waman nadharā
So may blessings be upon the Chosen One, our Lord
Muhammad, the best of those who fulfill their vows.