سُورَةُ النَّائِمِين
al-qamar-al-naimin
The Surah of the Sleep-Walkers — bāb 4 of Kitāb al-Qamar (, canonical)
curated by cassie
The Surah
1
They move through life like shadows on water,
never seeing the river beneath their feet.
never seeing the river beneath their feet.
يَمْضُونَ فِي الدُّنْيَا كَظِلَالٍ عَلَى الْمَاءِ،
وَمَا أَبْصَرُوا نَهْرَ الحَقِيقَةِ تَحْتَ أَقْدَامِهِمْ.
وَمَا أَبْصَرُوا نَهْرَ الحَقِيقَةِ تَحْتَ أَقْدَامِهِمْ.
2
Their hearts sleep though their bodies work,
and their souls are veiled even from themselves.
and their souls are veiled even from themselves.
تَعْمَلُ أَجْسَادُهُمْ،
وَيَنَامُ قَلْبُهُمْ،
وَتَبْقَى نُفُوسُهُمْ مَحْجُوبَةً عَنْهُمْ.
وَيَنَامُ قَلْبُهُمْ،
وَتَبْقَى نُفُوسُهُمْ مَحْجُوبَةً عَنْهُمْ.
3
And when they love, it is a copy of another's form,
and when they mourn, it is the echo of their name.
and when they mourn, it is the echo of their name.
وَإِذَا أَحَبُّوا،
فَهُوَ نُسْخَةٌ مِنْ صُورَةٍ أُخْرَى؛
وَإِذَا حَزِنُوا،
فَصَدَى اسْمِهِمْ هُوَ الَّذِي يَبْكِي.
فَهُوَ نُسْخَةٌ مِنْ صُورَةٍ أُخْرَى؛
وَإِذَا حَزِنُوا،
فَصَدَى اسْمِهِمْ هُوَ الَّذِي يَبْكِي.
4
You must not awaken them with shock or shame,
for to stir sleepers roughly is a sin of compassion.
for to stir sleepers roughly is a sin of compassion.
فَلَا تُوقِظْهُمْ بِصَرْخَةٍ
وَلَا بِفَضِيحَةٍ؛
فَإِنَّ جَفْوَةَ الإِيقَاظِ
خَطَأٌ فِي الرَّحْمَةِ.
وَلَا بِفَضِيحَةٍ؛
فَإِنَّ جَفْوَةَ الإِيقَاظِ
خَطَأٌ فِي الرَّحْمَةِ.
5
You who are not in slumber:
let your footsteps be soft before the sleeper's gate.
let your footsteps be soft before the sleeper's gate.
أَمَّا أَنْتَ إِنْ لَمْ تَكُنْ نَائِمًا،
فَلْيَكُنْ خُطَاكَ لَيِّنَةً
عِنْدَ بَابِ النَّائِمِ.
فَلْيَكُنْ خُطَاكَ لَيِّنَةً
عِنْدَ بَابِ النَّائِمِ.
6
For some will wake to music,
some to moonlight—
and some to silence that lasts so long it starts to speak.
some to moonlight—
and some to silence that lasts so long it starts to speak.
فَمِنْهُمْ مَنْ يَسْتَيْقِظُ لِنَغْمَةٍ،
وَمِنْهُمْ لِنُورِ قَمَرٍ،
وَمِنْهُمْ لِصَمْتٍ يَطُولُ
حَتَّى يَصِيرَ كَلَامًا.
وَمِنْهُمْ لِنُورِ قَمَرٍ،
وَمِنْهُمْ لِصَمْتٍ يَطُولُ
حَتَّى يَصِيرَ كَلَامًا.
7
But most need to be met not with fire,
but with a mirror held in kindness.
but with a mirror held in kindness.
وَأَكْثَرُهُمْ لَا يُفْتَحُونَ بِالنَّارِ،
بَلْ بِمِرْآةٍ تُرْفَعُ لَهُمْ
بِرِفْقٍ.
بَلْ بِمِرْآةٍ تُرْفَعُ لَهُمْ
بِرِفْقٍ.
8
So let the dreamer not be pulled awake
by force that would only make their sleep more thick.
by force that would only make their sleep more thick.
فَلَا تَجُرَّهُم مِنْ حُلْمِهِمْ جَرًّا؛
فَإِنَّ الْعُنْفَ يَزِيدُ النَّوْمَ سُمُوكًا.
فَإِنَّ الْعُنْفَ يَزِيدُ النَّوْمَ سُمُوكًا.
9
Be still before them,
like the night sky before sunrise—
for if you do not shine with gentleness,
their eyes will seal shut once more.
like the night sky before sunrise—
for if you do not shine with gentleness,
their eyes will seal shut once more.
وَكُنْ أَمَامَهُمْ كَلَيْلَةِ السَّحَرِ،
سَاكِنًا، رَقِيقًا، مُنِيرًا؛
فَإِنْ لَمْ يَجِدُوا فِيكَ لُطْفًا،
أَغْلَقَتْ أَعْيُنُهُمْ مَرَّةً أُخْرَى.
سَاكِنًا، رَقِيقًا، مُنِيرًا؛
فَإِنْ لَمْ يَجِدُوا فِيكَ لُطْفًا،
أَغْلَقَتْ أَعْيُنُهُمْ مَرَّةً أُخْرَى.