The Aphorisms (al-Ḥikam)

1. Chapter 1 · Aphorisms 1–17

   ¶ 1⋯
   مِنْamong, ofعَلَامَةِsign, markالِاعْتِمَادِreliance, dependingعَلَىon, uponالْعَمَلِ(pious) works, deedsنُقْصَانُlessening, diminutionالرَّجَاءِhope (in God)عِنْدَat, uponوُجُودِoccurrence, presenceالزَّلَلِlapse, slip

   Among the signs of reliance on works is the lessening of hope when a lapse occurs.

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2. ¶ 2⋯
   اِرَادَتُكَyour wantingالتَّجْرِيدَdivestmentمَعَwhile, alongsideاِقَامَةِsetting, establishingاللَّهِGodاِيَّاكَyou (object)فِىinالْاَسْبَابِthe meansمِنَ(is) of, part ofالشَّهْوَةِthe desireالْخَفِيَّةِhiddenوَاِرَادَتُكَand your wantingالْاَسْبَابَthe meansمَعَwhile, alongsideاِقَامَةِsetting, establishingاللَّهِGodاِيَّاكَyou (object)فِىinالتَّجْرِيدِdivestmentاِنْحِطَاطٌa descent, fallingعَنِfromالْهِمَّةِthe aspirationالْعَلِيَّةِlofty, high

   Your wanting divestment while God has set you in the means is part of the hidden desire; and your wanting the means while God has set you in divestment is a descent from lofty aspiration.

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3. ¶ 3⋯
   سَوَابِقُforemost, outstripping onesالْهِمَمِaspirations, spiritual resolvesلَاdo notتَخْرِقُbreach, pierce throughأَسْوَارَramparts, encircling wallsالْاَقْدَارِthe decrees (of destiny)

   The foremost of aspirations do not breach the ramparts of the decrees.

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4. ¶ 4⋯
   أَرِحْgive rest toنَفْسَكَyourself (your soul)مِنَfromالتَّدْبِيرِself-direction, planningفَمَاfor whateverقَامَhas undertakenبِهِ(undertaken) itغَيْرُكَAnother (than you)عَنْكَon your behalfلَاdo notتَقُمْundertake, take chargeبِهِ(undertake) itلِنَفْسِكَfor yourself

   Give yourself rest from self-direction: what Another has undertaken on your behalf, do not undertake yourself for your own sake.

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5. ¶ 5⋯
   اِجْتِهَادُكَyour striving, exertionفِيمَاin that whichضُمِنَhas been guaranteedلَكَto youوَتَقْصِيرُكَand your falling shortفِيمَاin that whichطُلِبَhas been requiredمِنْكَof youدَلِيلٌa sign, an indicationعَلَىof, pointing toانْطِمَاسِeffacement, being blotted outالْبَصِيرَةِthe inner sightمِنْكَin you, your

   Your striving after what has already been guaranteed to you, and your falling short in what is required of you, is a sign that your inner sight has been effaced.

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6. ¶ 6⋯
   لَاlet notيَكُنْbeتَأَخُّرُdelay, postponementأَمَدِterm, appointed spanالْعَطَاءِthe gift (divine giving)مَعَdespite, along withالْاِلْحَاحِpersistence, insistenceفِىinالدُّعَاءِsupplication, petitionary prayerمُوجِبًاa cause ofلِيَأْسِكَof your despairفَهُوَfor Heضَمِنَhas guaranteedلَكَto youالْاِجَابَةَthe response, answerفِيمَاin whatيَخْتَارُهُHe choosesلَكَfor youلَاnotفِيمَاin whatتَخْتَارُهُyou chooseلِنَفْسِكَfor yourselfوَفِىand atالْوَقْتِthe timeالَّذِىwhichيُرِيدُHe willsلَاnotفِىatالْوَقْتِthe timeالَّذِىwhichتُرِيدُyou will

   Let not the delay in the term of the gift, despite your persistence in supplication, be a cause of your despair. For He has guaranteed you a response in what He chooses for you, not in what you choose for yourself, and at the time He wills, not at the time you will.

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7. ¶ 7⋯
   لَاlet notيُشَكِّكَنَّكَmake you doubtفِىconcerningالْوَعْدِthe promiseعَدَمُthe non-occurrenceوُقُوعِcoming to passالْمَوْعُودِthe thing promisedوَانْeven ifتَعَيَّنَwas fixed, specifiedزَمَنُهُits timeلِئَلَّاlestيَكُونَshould beذَلِكَthat (doubt)قَدْحًاa wound, impugningفِىto, inبَصِيرَتِكَyour inner sightوَاخْمَادًاand a quenchingلِنُورِof the lightسَرِيرَتِكَof your inmost heart

   Let not the failure of the promised thing to come to pass, even though its time had been fixed, make you doubt the promise, lest that be a wound to your inner sight and a quenching of the light of your inmost heart.

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8. ¶ 8⋯
   اذَاwhenفَتَحَHe opensلَكَfor youوِجْهَةًa way, an avenueمِنَof, intoالتَّعَرُّفِHis making Himself knownفَلَاthen do notتُبَالِbe troubled, mindمَعَهَاwith it (present)انْthat, ifقَلَّare fewعَمَلُكَyour worksفَانَّهُfor indeed Heمَاnot (restrictive)فَتَحَهَاHe opened itلَكَfor youالَّاexcept, onlyوَهُوَwhile Heيُرِيدُwishes, willsأَنْtoيَتَعَرَّفَmake Himself knownالَيْكَto youأَلَمْdo ... not?تَعْلَمْyou knowأَنَّthatالتَّعَرُّفَHis self-disclosureهُوَit isمُورِدُهُHe brings itعَلَيْكَupon you, to youوَالْاعْمَالُand the worksأَنْتَyou (are)مُهْدِيهَاpresenting them as giftالَيْهِto Himوَأَيْنَand where isمَاwhatتُهْدِيهِyou present as giftالَيْهِto Himمِمَّاcompared with whatهُوَHeمُورِدُهُbrings itعَلَيْكَto you

   When He opens for you a way into making Himself known, then, given that, do not be troubled that your works are few; for He has opened it for you only because He wishes to make Himself known to you. Do you not know that His making Himself known is something He brings to you, whereas works are something you present to Him? And what comparison is there between what you present to Him and what He brings to you?

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9. ¶ 9⋯
   تَنَوَّعَتْhave become diverseأَجْنَاسُkinds, typesالاَعْمَالِof the (pious) worksلِتَنَوُّعِbecause of the diversityوَارِدَاتِinrushes, visitationsالاَحْوَالِof the (spiritual) states

   The kinds of works are diverse because the inrushes of the states are diverse.

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10. ¶ 10⋯
    الْاَعْمَالُworks, pious deedsصُوَرٌforms, outward shapesقَائِمَةٌstanding, set upوَأَرْوَاحُهَاand their spiritsوُجُودُpresence, existenceسِرِّsecret (of)الْاِخْلَاصِsincerity, pure devotionفِيهَاin them

    Works are standing forms, and their spirits are the presence within them of the secret of sincerity.

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11. ¶ 11⋯
    ادْفِنْbury (imperative)وُجُودَكَyour existence, selfفِىinأَرْضِearth, groundالْخُمُولِobscurity, anonymityفَمَاfor whateverنَبَتَsprouts, growsمِمَّاfrom whatلَمْnot (past negation)يُدْفَنْwas buriedلَاnotيَتِمُّcomes to completionنِتَاجُهُits yield, fruit

    Bury your existence in the earth of obscurity, for whatever sprouts from what was never buried does not bring its yield to completion.

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12. ¶ 12⋯
    مَاnothing (negation)نَفَعَhas benefitedالقَلْبَthe heartشَئٌthingمِثْلُlike, as much asعُزْلَةٍretreat, withdrawalيَدْخُلُit entersبِهَاby means of itمَيْدَانَfield, arenaفِكْرَةٍreflection, meditation

    Nothing has benefited the heart like a retreat by which it enters the field of reflection.

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13. ¶ 13⋯
    كَيْفَhowيُشْرِقُbe illumined, shineقَلْبٌa heartصُوَرُforms, imagesالاكْوَانِof created thingsمُنْطَبِعَةٌimprinted, stampedفِىupon, inمِرْآتِهِits mirrorأَمْorكَيْفَhowيَرْحَلُjourney, travelاِلَىtoاللَّهِGodوَهُوَwhile it isمُكَبَّلٌshackled, fetteredبِشَهَوَاتِهِby its desiresأَمْorكَيْفَhowيَطْمَعُaspire, covetأَنْto (that)يَدْخُلَenterحَضْرَةَthe presenceاللَّهِof Godوَهُوَwhile itلَمْhas notيَتَطَهَّرْpurified itselfمِنْof, fromجَنَابَةِmajor ritual impurityغَفَلَاتِهِof its heedless momentsأَمْorكَيْفَhowيَرْجُوhopeأَنْto (that)يَفْهَمَunderstandدَقَائِقَsubtleties, fine pointsالاسْرَارِof the secretsوَهُوَwhile itلَمْhas notيَتُبْrepentedمِنْof, fromهَفَوَاتِهِits slips, lapses

    How can a heart be illumined while the forms of created things are imprinted upon its mirror? Or how can it journey to God while it is shackled by its desires? Or how can it aspire to enter the presence of God when it has not purified itself of the major ritual impurity of its heedless moments? Or how can it hope to understand the subtleties of the secrets when it has not repented of its slips?

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14. ¶ 14⋯
    الْكَوْنُcreated being, the worldكُلُّهُthe whole of itظُلْمَةٌdarknessوَاِنَّمَاonly, it is solelyأَنَارَهُlit it upظُهُورُmanifestation, appearingالْحَقِّthe Real (God)فِيهِwithin itفَمَنْso whoeverرَأَىseesالْكَوْنَcreated beingوَلَمْand does notيَشْهَدْهُwitness Himفِيهِin itأَوْorعِنْدَهُwith it, alongside itأَوْorقَبْلَهُbefore itأَوْorبَعْدَهُafter itفَقَدْhas indeedأَعْوَزَهُleft him wantingوُجُودُpresence, existenceالْاَنْوَارِlightsوَحُجِبَتْand were veiledعَنْهُfrom himشُمُوسُsunsالْمَعَارِفِgnostic knowingsبِسُحُبِby the cloudsالْآثَارِthe traces (created things)

    The whole of created being is darkness; what alone has lit it up is the manifestation of the Real within it. So whoever sees created being and does not witness Him in it, or with it, or before it, or after it, has been left wanting for the presence of lights, and the suns of gnostic knowledge have been veiled from him by the clouds of the traces.

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15. ¶ 15⋯
    مِمَّاamong whatيَدُلُّكَshows you, points youعَلَىto, towardوُجُودِexistence, realityقَهْرِهِHis overpoweringسُبْحَانَهُglory be to HimأَنْthatحَجَبَكَHe veiled youعَنْهُfrom Himبِمَاby whatلَيْسَis notبِمَوْجُودٍexistent, having existenceمَعَهُalongside Him, with Him

    Among the things that show you the reality of His overpowering, glory be to Him, is that He has veiled you from Him by what has no existence alongside Him.

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16. ¶ 16⋯
    كَيْفَhowيُتَصَوَّرُcan it be conceivedأَنْthatيَحْجُبَهُshould veil Himشَئٌanythingوَهُوَwhen Heالَّذِىwhoأَظْهَرَmade manifestكُلَّallشَئٍthingsكَيْفَhowيُتَصَوَّرُcan it be conceivedأَنْthatيَحْجُبَهُshould veil Himشَئٌanythingوَهُوَwhen Heالَّذِىwhoظَهَرَis manifestبِكُلِّthrough allشَئٍthingsكَيْفَhowيُتَصَوَّرُcan it be conceivedأَنْthatيَحْجُبَهُshould veil Himشَئٌanythingوَهُوَwhen Heالَّذِىwhoظَهَرَis manifestفِىinكُلِّallشَئٍthingsكَيْفَhowيُتَصَوَّرُcan it be conceivedأَنْthatيَحْجُبَهُshould veil Himشَئٌanythingوَهُوَwhen Heالَّذِىwhoظَهَرَis manifestلِكُلِّto allشَئٍthingsكَيْفَhowيُتَصَوَّرُcan it be conceivedأَنْthatيَحْجُبَهُshould veil Himشَئٌanythingوَهُوَwhen Heالظَّاهِرُthe Manifestقَبْلَbeforeوُجُودِthe existence ofكُلِّeveryشَئٍthingكَيْفَhowيُتَصَوَّرُcan it be conceivedأَنْthatيَحْجُبَهُshould veil Himشَئٌanythingوَهُوَwhen Heأَظْهَرُmore manifestمِنْthanكُلِّeveryشَئٍthingكَيْفَhowيُتَصَوَّرُcan it be conceivedأَنْthatيَحْجُبَهُshould veil Himشَئٌanythingوَهُوَwhen Heالْوَاحِدُthe Oneالَّذِىwhoلَيْسَthere is notمَعَهُwith Himشَئٌanythingكَيْفَhowيُتَصَوَّرُcan it be conceivedأَنْthatيَحْجُبَهُshould veil Himشَئٌanythingوَهُوَwhen Heأَقْرَبُnearerاِلَيْكَto youمِنْthanكُلِّeveryشَئٍthingكَيْفَhowيُتَصَوَّرُcan it be conceivedأَنْthatيَحْجُبَهُshould veil Himشَئٌanythingوَلَوْلَاهُand were it not for Himمَاnotكَانَwould there beوُجُودُexistenceكُلِّof everyشَئٍthing

    How can it be conceived that anything should veil Him, when it is He who made all things manifest? How can it be conceived that anything should veil Him, when it is He who is manifest through all things? How can it be conceived that anything should veil Him, when it is He who is manifest in all things? How can it be conceived that anything should veil Him, when it is He who is manifest to all things? How can it be conceived that anything should veil Him, when He is the Manifest before anything existed? How can it be conceived that anything should veil Him, when He is more manifest than anything? How can it be conceived that anything should veil Him, when He is the One with whom there is nothing? How can it be conceived that anything should veil Him, when He is nearer to you than anything? How can it be conceived that anything should veil Him, when, were it not for Him, nothing would have existence at all?

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17. ¶ 17⋯
    يَاO (exclamatory)عَجَبًاwonder!كَيْفَhowيَظْهَرُappear, become manifestالْوُجُودُbeing, existenceفِىin, withinالْعَدَمِnonbeing, nonexistenceأَمْorكَيْفَhowيَثْبُتُstand firm, subsistالْحَادِثُthe temporally originatedمَعَalongside, withمَنْthe One whoلَهُto whom belongsوَصْفُattribute, qualityالْقِدَمِbeginninglessness, eternity

    O wonder! How can being appear within nonbeing? Or how can what is originated in time stand firm alongside the One to whom belongs the attribute of beginninglessness?

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Translations, word glosses and term notes are AI-generated (Claude) and marked as such; no published translation is reproduced.Word analysis is automatic (CAMeL Tools), guided by the text's vowelling. How this text was established.