Since the full translation is elusive, how does an English-speaking student benefit?
Hilyatul Awliya wa Tabaqat al-Asfiya (The Ornament of God's Friends and Generations of Pure Ones) is a monumental biographical encyclopedia authored by the 10th-century scholar Abu Nu’aym al-Isfahani
If you do locate a legitimate , here are the chapters you should prioritize reading:
If you see a “free PDF” online claiming to be the full English translation, it is either:
While a complete and perfectly formatted remains a "white whale" for many digital Islamic libraries, the treasure is not lost. The abridged versions and the widespread Arabic scans ensure that the light of the saints continues to reach the West.
Purchase the physical set or access it via academic libraries (many universities have it in their Islamic studies collections).