باحيا علوم الدين أفنيت مدةً

باحيا علوم الدين أفنيت مدةً

من العمر حتى نلت فنا من الدين

من العمر حتى نلت فنا من الدين

Researching the sciences of religion, I spent a span

With the Revival of the Religious Sciences, I spent a span

of my life, until I mastered one of religion’s disciplines.

of my life, until I acquired a branch of religious learning.

فكيف رضيت الطعن في ولم تكن

فكيف رضيت الطعن في ولم تكن

مبرأ شاني مثلما أنت تدريني

مبرأ شاني مثلما أنت تدريني

How, then, could you consent to attacks upon me, yet fail

How, then, could you accept slander against me and not

to clear my name, knowing me as you do?

vindicate my character, knowing me as you do?

إذا جاء يروي فاسق نبأ فما

إذا جاء يروي فاسق نبأ فما

تقول له قل لي فذلك يكفيني

تقول له قل لي فذلك يكفيني

When an iniquitous man comes bearing a report, what

If a sinner comes relating a report, what, then,

do you say to him? Tell me; that alone will suffice me.

do you say to him? Tell me; that will suffice for me.

وما القصد أن تدري براءة ذمتي

وما القصد أن تدري براءة ذمتي

وعفة طبعي أن ربي مبريني

وعفة طبعي أن ربي مبريني

Nor is my purpose that you should know my freedom from blame

And my aim is not for you to know my blamelessness

and the purity of my nature; for my Lord vindicates me.

and the purity of my nature; my Lord vindicates me.

وإني محفوظ الجناب وهمتي

وإني محفوظ الجناب وهمتي

علية شأن أسست حال تكويني

علية شأن أسست حال تكويني

My honor is inviolate, and my aspiration is

And my honor is safeguarded, and my aspiration

lofty in rank, established when I first was formed.

is lofty in rank, established when I was formed.

وخلقي أثواب المروءة قد كسى

وخلقي أثواب المروءة قد كسى

ونال الوفا بالفضل من عالم الطين

ونال الوفا بالفضل من عالم الطين

My character has arrayed me in the robes of chivalry

And my character has clothed me in the robes of noble virtue,

and, through grace, won faithfulness from the world of clay.

and attained fidelity through grace from the world of clay.

ولكنني عتبى عليك بأن ترى

ولكنني عتبى عليك بأن ترى

ببيتك نهجاً من رفاقك يؤذيني

ببيتك نهجاً من رفاقك يؤذيني

Yet this is my reproach against you: that you see

But my reproach to you is that you see

in your own house, among your companions, a practice that hurts me.

in your house a course of conduct by your companions that harms me.

أيا يوسف الصديق باللَه أفتنا

أيا يوسف الصديق باللَه أفتنا

أذلك خلق الأقربا والمحبين

أذلك خلق الأقربا والمحبين

O Joseph the Truthful, by God, give us your ruling:

O Yusuf, the truthful one, by God, give us your ruling:

Is that the conduct of close kin and loving friends?

is that the conduct of kinsfolk and those who love?

محبتنا للَه كانت وأنها

محبتنا للَه كانت وأنها

به دائماً تجري لوضع الموازين

به دائماً تجري لوضع الموازين

Indeed, our love was for God, and it

Our love was for God's sake, and it

ever flows through Him to set the scales aright.

ever flows through Him to set the scales.

سلام على الدنيا فقد مات من يفي

سلام على الدنيا فقد مات من يفي

بحفظ وداد الصالحين ذوي الدين

بحفظ وداد الصالحين ذوي الدين

Farewell to the world—for dead are those who remain true

Farewell to the world, for dead is he who keeps faith

to preserving affection for the righteous, the people of faith.

by preserving affection for the righteous, the people of faith.