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Learn, for God is not like His creation

تعلم فإن الله ليس كصنعه

1. Learn, for God is not like His creation
A creation, and no atheist is hidden from God

١. تَعَلَّم فَإِنَّ اللَهَ لَيسَ كَصُنعِهِ
صَنيعٌ وَلا يَخفى عَلى اللَهِ مُلحَدُ

2. In every abomination He has another
Virtue over the eye with what he intends

٢. في كُلِ مُنكَرَةٍ لَهُ مَعروفَةٌ
أُخرى عَلى عَينٍ بِما يَتَعَمَّدُ

3. Novelties and diagrams and drawing symbols
And open treasuries that do not run out

٣. جُدَدٌ وَتَوشيمٌ وَرَسمُ عَلامَةٍ
وَخَزائِنٌ مَفتوحَةٌ لا تَنفَدُ

4. For whoever wanted them and controlled their reins
The Creator who gives excess does not straighten

٤. عَمَّن أَرادَ بِها وَجابَ عَنانَها
لا يَستَقيمُ لِخالِقٍ يَتَزَيَّدُ

5. Cloud and darkness and rain of clouds
Days shrouded and the hoopoe sought shelter

٥. غَيمٌ وَظَلماءٌ وَغَيثُ سَحابَةٍ
أَيّامَ كَفَّنَ وَاِستَرادَ الهُدهُدُ

6. He wants stability for his mother to nest her
So he built on her back in her nape a bed

٦. يَبغي القَرارَ لِأُمِّهِ لِيُجِنَّها
فَبَنى عَلَيها في قَفاها يَمهَدُ

7. A soft and narrow bed, so he took on his burden
Among the birds carrying her and not lingering

٧. مَهداً وَطِيّاً فَاِستَقَلَّ بِحَملِهِ
في الطَيرِ يَحمِلُها وَلا يَتَأَوَّدُ

8. From his mother, so his carrying was good
And saddled his back what she misses

٨. مِن أُمِّهِ فَجَرى لِصالِحٍ حَملِها
وَلَداً وَكَلَّف ظَهرَهُ ما تَفقِدُ

9. So he keeps carrying the deceased of what has passed
And the new supported does not differ

٩. فَيَزالُ يَدلَحُ ما مَضى بِجَنازَةٍ
مِنها وَما اِختَلَفَ الجَديدُ المُسنَدُ

10. And God kneaded the earth with hollows
For the water until every braid is combed

١٠. وَالأَرضُ نَوَّخَها الإِلَهُ طَروقَةً
لِلماءِ حَتّى كُلُّ زَندٍ مُسفَدُ

11. And the earth is our fortress and was our mother
In it are our graves and in it we will be buried

١١. وَالأَرضُ مَعقِلُنا وَكانَت أُمَّنا
فيها مَقابِرُنا وَفيها نوأَدُ

12. In it are pupils over its bumps
Standing, so religious duties are thundered

١٢. فيها تَلامِذَةٌ عَلى قُذُفاتِها
حُسُراً قياماً فَالفَرائِصُ تُرعَدُ

13. So God built over them an unwearing
Creation that does not perish or linger

١٣. فَبَنى الآلَهُ عَليهُمُ مَخصوفَةً
خلقاءَ لا تَبلى وَلا تَتأَوَّدُ

14. If it contained the meadows with its expanse
It would moo, and meet what does not low

١٤. فَلَو أَنَّهُ يَحدو البُرامَ بِمَتنِها
لَنَبا وَأَلفاها الَتي لا تُقرَدُ

15. So it completed six and its layers leveled
And brought a seventh, so how can it flow?

١٥. فَأَتَمَّ سِتاً فاِستَوتَ أَطباقُها
وَأَتى بِسابِعَةٍ فأَنَّى تورَدُ

16. As if it and the angels around it
Were lotus trees supported by bare poles

١٦. فَكَأَنَّ بِرقِعَ واّلمَلائِكُ حَولَها
سَدِرٌ تَواكَلُهُ القَوائِمُ أَجرَدُ

17. A second greenness shading their heads
Above the forelocks, leveled, not harvested

١٧. خَضراءُ ثانيَةٌ تُظِلُّ رُؤُوسَهُم
فَوقَ الذَوائِبِ فاِستَوتَ لا تُحصَدُ

18. Like the washer's jar, best is its making
When our Lord made it, stripped

١٨. كَزُجاجَةِ الغَسّولِ أَحسَنَ صَنعُها
لَما بَناها رَبُنا يَتَجَرَّدُ

19. For those shackled upon them a deaf
Third that bellows and freezes

١٩. لِمُصَفَّدين عَليهِمُ صاقورَةٌ
صَمّاءُ ثالِثَةٌ تُماعُ وَتُجمَدُ

20. As if it has a lake for a fourth
Next to a fifth, rebellious cliffs

٢٠. وَكَأَنَّ رابِعَةً لَها حاقورَةٌ
في جَنبِ خامِسَةٍ عَناصٍ تَمَرَدُ

21. In it the stars obey without hesitation
What the Trustworthy and Guided said is true

٢١. فيها النُجومُ تُطيعُ غَيرَ مُراحَةٍ
ما قالَ صَدَّقَها الأَمينُ الأَرشَدُ

22. It tied the Pleiades so its color became
Among the covering as if it is blackened

٢٢. رَسَخَ المَها فيها فأَصبَحَ لَونُها
في الوارِساتِ كأَنَهُنَّ الإِثمَدُ

23. Tied the horses to the saddles, our Lord
Each with the blessings of God is restricted

٢٣. شَدَّ القُطوعَ عَلى المَطايا رَبُّنا
كُلٌّ بِنَعماءِ الآلِهَ مُقَيَّدُ

24. So it dawned and the camels knelt down
Bellowing tied down over their mounts

٢٤. فَأَصَحنَ وَاِفتَرَشَ الرَحائِلَ شَرجَعٌ
نُفُجٌ عَلى أَثباجِهِنَّ مُؤَكَّدُ

25. With ruby ornaments, and He scowled with His throne
Awe and fire beneath it burning

٢٥. بِفُصوصِ ياقوتٍ وَكَظَّ بِعَرشِهِ
هَولٌ وَنارٌ دونَهُ تَتَوَقَدُ

26. So the heights of the poles became even
Above eternity, and whoever wants to last

٢٦. فَعَلا طِوالاتِ القَوائِمِ فاِستَوى
فَوقَ الخُلودِ وَمَن أَرادَ مُخَلَّدُ

27. And you see devils fleeing scattered
And their fleeing diverse when expelled

٢٧. وَتَرى شَياطيناً تَروغُ مُضاعَةً
وَرواغُها شَتّى إِذا ما تُطرَدُ

28. Humiliation is cast upon them in the sky
And planets thrown at them so they shatter

٢٨. تُلقى عَلَيها في السَماءِ مَذَلَّةٌ
وَكَواكِبٌ تُرمى بِها فَتَعرَّدُ

29. A King on the throne of the sky dominant
Faces bow down out of reverence and prostrate

٢٩. مَلِكٌ عَلى عَرشِ السَماءِ مُهَيمِنٌ
تَعنو لِعِزَّتِهِ الوجوهُ وَتَسجُدُ

30. If not for God's pact we would have strayed
And we would have been happy if we withered and buried

٣٠. لَولا وِثاقُ اللَهِ ضَلَّ ضَلالُنا
وَلسَرَّنا أَنّا نُتَلُّ فَنوأَدُ

31. With the foremost of might so the afflicted and sprawled
Are attended by mediators with sorcerers

٣١. بِأُولي قِوى فَمُبتَّلٌ وَمُتَلمَدُ
يَنتاَبُهُ المُتَنَصِّفونَ بِسُحرَةٍ

32. In a thousand thousand of angels gathered
Messengers traverse the sky by His order

٣٢. في أَلفِ أَلفٍ مِن مَلائِكَ تُحشَدُ
رُسُلٌ يَجوبونَ السَماءَ بِأَمرِهِ

33. They do not look upon the tracks of the aimed
So they are like the returning winds when it leaves

٣٣. لا يَنظُرونَ ثَواءَ مَن يَتَقَصَّدُ
فَهُمُ كَأَوبِ الريحِ بيَنا أَدبَرَت

34. The fronts of its direction returned, not resisted
Slung on their shoulders over their shoulders

٣٤. رَجَعَت بَوادِرُ وَجهِها لا تُكرَدُ
خَذٌّ مَناكِبُهُم عَلى أَكتافِهِم

35. Commotion that moves them when they call for help
And when God's pupils cooperated

٣٥. زَفُّ يَزِفُّ بِهِم إِذا ما اِستُنجِدوا
وَإِذا تَلامِذَةُ الآلِهِ تَعاوَنوا

36. They overpowered, and a ready wing stirred them
They rose up with wings and did not hesitate

٣٦. غَلَبوا وَنَشَّطَهُم جَناحٌ مُعتَدُ
نَهَضوا بِأَجنِحَةٍ فَلَم يَتَواكَلوا

37. No delayer among them or procrastinator
Alive or dead, no decline for you, but

٣٧. لا مُبطِئٌ مِنهُم وَلا مُستَوغِدُ
حَيّاً وَمَيتاً لا أَبا لَكَ إِنَّما

38. The longevity of life is like supplies that run out
And the month between its crescent and darkness

٣٨. طولُ الحَياةِ كَزادِ غادٍ يَنفَدُ
وَالشَهرُ بَينَ هِلالِهِ وَمُحاقِهِ

39. Is a term for people's knowledge to be counted
We do not pick in it other than its hiding is

٣٩. أَجلٌ لِعِلمِ الناسِ كَيفَ يُعَدَّدُ
لا نَقسَ فيهِ غَيرَ أَنَّ خَبيئَهُ

40. A moon and sheathed sword put away and sheathed
A hole wandering like a sleeper in his sleep

٤٠. قَمَرٌ وَساهورٌ يُسَلُّ وَيُغمَدُ
خَرِقٌ يَهيمُ كَهاجِعٍ في نَومِهِ

41. Has not dispelled the doubt of his drowsiness to wake
So when two nights pass behind him

٤١. لَم يَقضِ رَيبَ نُعاسِهِ فَيُهَجَّدُ
فَإِذا مَرَتهُ لَيلَتانِ وَراءَهُ

42. His happiness or sadness is fulfilled, he rests
For seats the stars walk before him

٤٢. فَقَضى سُراهُ أَو كَراهُ يَسأَدُ
لِمَواعِدٍ تَجري النُجومُ أَمامَهُ

43. And turbaned with their shoes blackened
Hiding, and Pleiades around him

٤٣. وَمُعَمَّمٌ بِحِذائِهِنَّ مُسَوَّدُ
مُستَخفياً وَبَناتُ نَعشٍ حَولَهُ

44. And from the right when the chicken star sets
The pigeons prevented him and covered him

٤٤. وَعَنِ اليَمينِ إِذا يَغيبُ الفَرقَدُ
حالَ الدَراري دونَهُ فَتَجِنُّهُ

45. Without anyone seeing him who lingers
The noble writers were confined beneath him

٤٥. لا أَن يَراهُ كُلُّ مَن يَتَلَدَّدُ
حُبِسَ السَرافيلُ الصَوافي تَحتَهُ

46. With no weak or hesitant among them
Saturn and Taurus under his right foot

٤٦. لا واهِنٌ مِنهُم وَلا مُستَوعِدُ
زُحلٌ وَثَورٌ تَحتَ يُمنى رِجلِهِ

47. And the eagle to his left and a lion lying in wait
And the sun rises every last night

٤٧. وَالنَسرُ لِليُسرى وَلَيثٌ مُرصِدُ
وَالشَمسُ تَطلُعُ كُلَّ آخِرِ لَيلَةٍ

48. Red its color becomes in the morning, blushing
It refuses so it does not show us among its messengers

٤٨. حَمراءَ يُصبِحُ لَونُها يَتَوَرَّدُ
تأَبى فَلا تَبدو لَنا في رِسلِها

49. Except tortured or else whipped
It cannot shorten an hour

٤٩. إِلّا مُعَذَّبَةً وَإِلّا تُجلَدُ
لا تَستَطيعُ أَن تُقَصِّرَ ساعَةً

50. And with that tends to its day and roams
And groups will forget what I say

٥٠. وَبِذاكَ تَدأَبُ يَومَها وَتَشَرَّدُ
وَلَسوفَ يَنسى ما أَقولُ مَعاشِرٌ

51. And what one who does not abandon will remember
So forgive a slave whose first sin is

٥١. وَلَسوفَ يُذَكُرُهُ الَذي لا يَزهَدُ
فَاِغفِر لِعَبدٍ إِنَّ أَوَّلَ ذَنبِهِ

52. Drinking and affluence he shares with worms
A house he rolled flat then lived in

٥٢. شُربٌ وَإِيسارٌ يُشارِكُها دَدُ
دارٌ دَحاها ثُمَّ أَعمَرَنا بِها

53. And stayed in the other one which is more glorious
And we avert the flood, we are its ransom

٥٣. وَأَقامَ بِالأُخرى الَّتي هِيَ أَمجَدُ
وَيُنَفِّدُ الطوفانَ نَحنُ فِداؤُهُ

54. And he led his camels, Badah the unique guided
And we plant cotton, its boldness enriches

٥٤. وَاِقتادَ شَرجَعَهُ بَداحٌ بَديَدُ
وَالطوطَ نَزرَعُهُ أَغَنَّ جِراؤُهُ

55. In it clothes for every docked year
So listen to the tongue of God, how His complaint

٥٥. فيهِ اللِباسُ لِكُلِّ حَولٍ يُعَضَدُ
فَاِسمَع لِسانَ اللَهِ كَيفَ شُكولُهُ

56. Wondrous, and the one you reference informs you
And the wildlife and cattle, how their languages are

٥٦. عَجَبٌ وَيُنبِئكَ الَذي تَستَشهِدُ
وَالوَحشَ وَالأَنعامَ كَيفَ لُغاتُها

57. And knowledge is distributed among them and scattered
To God belongs our blessing, blessed is our Lord

٥٧. وَالعِلمَ يُقسَمُ بينَهُم وَيُبَدَّدُ
لِلَّهِ نِعمَتُنا تَباركَ رَبُّنا

58. Lord of mankind and Lord of whoever lasts
So this is my attempt at translating the poem from Arabic to English while preserving the poem's content and form to the best of my ability. Let me know if you need any clarification or have feedback on the translation.

٥٨. رَبُّ الأَنامِ وَرَبُّ مَن يتَأَبَّدُ