1. When God willed that guidance be revived
The angel diverted from this and entrusted it to John

2. He aided the Creator so He brought his enemy near
And made the people of God into the utmost enmity

3. The angel only diverted from it after he had come
With a mighty command not curable by remedies

4. To remove the apostate—the debauched in his disbelief—
And elevate the glorious and people of guidance are sated?

5. And Ishmael is not at fault, because he
Strengthened His commands with his hands, most strongly

6. And it was nothing but an image they attributed
To some of what they desired, not some of what He desires

7. So the angel's command arranged, for one who did not have
The traits of kings, deception and lofty ambitions

8. And the angel is only God's deputy in creation
Commanded by the Creator in resemblance to revelation

9. If the archer shares his arrows with a hand
Equal to his hand, it will miss and be unable to shoot well

10. Does one hope for the angel's rectitude while the matter has become
For one who did not have the costume of kings, no costume

11. I was nothing but a God-sent raid that came
To save Islam from this tribulation

12. The Merciful selected you from among His creation
So when He banished darkness, He granted you its purity

13. You revived, O John, guidance and its men
And you did not refrain today from your sweeping raid

14. You strengthened the guidance-aiding kingdom through him
A victory that erased its mention like an erasure

15. And the king of the land became one
Though the angel's command had been in five that wrapped

16. Each dragged fire for his morsel
They lived and left the morsels of others uneaten

17. And they spent the night as fattened advisors while others
Slept threadbare, shrouded by folds

18. So rise up, promoting the kingship, not defending
For your Lord has set right the affairs—it has become ready

19. The disobedient have submitted, and the distinguished ones of tyranny have been abased
By your magnificent awe, and the sorrows have passed

20. Have you not seen God’s making—they plotted against you with harm
Yet you attained with what they plotted against you that which you desire

21. So do not praise other than God, for His best
For you today is an eve whose evil they shroud

22. If you were in an army in your place, you would not be
In your distance from the sanctuary, like your nearness to the dwelling

23. They are not praiseworthy in what they did
Because reward comes according to the intention

24. Fortune is but this—it can turn sorrows
To joy and avert harm from its companions

25. If you knew what was in the breasts of those who rebelled
And corrupted, you would have hastened with that which you resolved

26. And they said, “Beware, not every white spot is fat
Nor everything brought low by fates, prey.”

27. As for the subjects—their souls are reassured
And they slept, not sleeping is one accustomed to enmity

28. Remaining only are those exceeding in their disbelief
Saying what is not said or reported

29. Formerly, there was fear of rejection
So he feigned Islam, intending survival

30. He was suspicious, so he shunned the people of guidance
For a time until it was said he who you desire has stood

31. So he came attacking us with his disbelief
Manifesting it until he pelted us with throws

32. And he judged among those who deemed him an unbeliever
From among the righteous scholars, people of piety

33. And he advanced upon their causes and deemed them lawful
Expelling them from them and from where they studied, an affliction

34. Those frightened by the ill omen of his disbelief
Did not feel fear or heed prohibition

35. So take the hand of Islam and kill its enemy
And ask those of discernment about the permissibility of killing him

36. They have shocked the Muslims with innovations
To God—the likes of them raise complaint

37. Men in their rebellion have transgressed against the Creator
And equated Him to those leveled in the land from leveling

38. And they said, “Worship whom you wish, for that is your Lord
Be it the sun, idols, rock, or passions.”

39. Their books have openly declared this and they supported each other
Wishing to extinguish the light of guidance out of hatred

40. My God, empower John and take him
As a head for those who disobey You in this life

41. And revive through John those under his rule
And destroy through him the people of misguidance and divergences

42. He is but a mercy You have sent
Through which we have attained the ultimate goal