يا مالِكَ الخَيرِ عَلَيكَ السَلام

يا مالِكَ الخَيرِ عَلَيكَ السَلام

أَتاكَ شَيخٌ مِن أَضَلِّ الأَنام

أَتاكَ شَيخٌ مِن أَضَلِّ الأَنام

O Malik of goodness, peace be upon you.

O owner of good, upon you be peace

An old man has come to you, among the most misguided of humankind.

An old man came to you, the most misguided of people

فَأجِّجِ النارَ وَاِفتح لَهُ

فَأجِّجِ النارَ وَاِفتح لَهُ

أَبوابَها وَاِنعم لَهُ بِالقِيام

أَبوابَها وَاِنعم لَهُ بِالقِيام

So stoke the fire and open for him

So stoke the fire and open its doors for him

its gates, and honor him by rising.

And allow him the honor of standing

وَاِجعَلهُ بِالتابُوتِ مِن خَلفِهِ

وَاِجعَلهُ بِالتابُوتِ مِن خَلفِهِ

إِبليسُ يَمشي حافِياً في فِئام

إِبليسُ يَمشي حافِياً في فِئام

And place him in the coffin; behind him

And put him behind the coffin

Iblis walks barefoot amid throngs.

With Satan walking barefoot in gloom beside him

وَقُل لَهُ يَختارُ في جَوفِهِ

وَقُل لَهُ يَختارُ في جَوفِهِ

بَيتاً وَزَيِّنهُ بِغَبنٍ وَلام

بَيتاً وَزَيِّنهُ بِغَبنٍ وَلام

And tell him to choose inside it

And tell him to choose within himself

a dwelling, and adorn it with loss and blame.

A house, and adorn it with deceit and blame

وَزُفَّهُ تَرقُصُ مِن حَولِهِ

وَزُفَّهُ تَرقُصُ مِن حَولِهِ

عَقارِبٌ كَالبُختِ أَو كَالنَعام

عَقارِبٌ كَالبُختِ أَو كَالنَعام

And lead him in procession; around him dance

And parade him as scorpions dance around him

scorpions like Bactrian camels or ostriches.

Like luck or ostriches

وَقُل لِأَهلِ النارِ حُفّوا بِهِ

وَقُل لِأَهلِ النارِ حُفّوا بِهِ

فَهوَ لِمَن سَنَّ المَعاصي إِمام

فَهوَ لِمَن سَنَّ المَعاصي إِمام

And tell the inhabitants of the Fire: 'Gather around him,

And tell the people of the fire to shelter him

for he is a leader to those who instituted sins.'

For he is the imam for those who established sins

حَتّى إِذا أَكمَلَ في قَعرِها

حَتّى إِذا أَكمَلَ في قَعرِها

مِنَ المَدى يا مالِكاً أَلفَ عام

مِنَ المَدى يا مالِكاً أَلفَ عام

When at last he has spent in its depths

Until when he completes a thousand years, O Malik

a span of a thousand years, O Malik,

Of eternity in its depths

فَأمُر بِهِ يَخرُجُ لَو مُكرَهاً

فَأمُر بِهِ يَخرُجُ لَو مُكرَهاً

مِنها إِلى الخُلدِ وَدارِ السَلام

مِنها إِلى الخُلدِ وَدارِ السَلام

then order him to come out, even against his will,

Then command him to exit it, even if unwilling

from it to everlasting life and the Abode of Peace.

From it to eternity and the abode of peace