نَهجِ حَقّ سَلَكتُم أَيّ نَهج

نَهجِ حَقّ سَلَكتُم أَيّ نَهج

وَحَجَجتُم مَكانَكُم أَيّ حَجِّ

وَحَجَجتُم مَكانَكُم أَيّ حَجِّ

A path of justice you have trodden—what a path!

You have followed a path of truth—what a path!

And without leaving your place, you made the pilgrimage—what a pilgrimage!

And made a pilgrimage where you were—what a pilgrimage!

وَنَفيتُم عَنكُم ظُنون أُناسٍ

وَنَفيتُم عَنكُم ظُنون أُناسٍ

صَيَّرتُهُم ما بَينَ هَرجٍ وَمَرجِ

صَيَّرتُهُم ما بَينَ هَرجٍ وَمَرجِ

You banished from yourselves the suspicions of people

And dispelled people's suspicions about you,

whom I had left amid tumult and confusion,

People whom I had plunged into tumult and confusion,

إِذ قَضَيتُم بِالحَقِّ في ثُلثِ مالٍ

إِذ قَضَيتُم بِالحَقِّ في ثُلثِ مالٍ

لَم يَكُن مُغنياً عَن اِبنِ النَشانجي

لَم يَكُن مُغنياً عَن اِبنِ النَشانجي

when you ruled justly concerning a third of an estate

When you ruled justly on a third of an estate,

that could not avail al-Nashanji’s son

Which had not shielded al-Nishanji's son

مِن وَصِيّ قَدِ اِقتَدى بِأَبيهِ

مِن وَصِيّ قَدِ اِقتَدى بِأَبيهِ

حينَ أَخفى ثلث النَشانجي بدُرجِ

حينَ أَخفى ثلث النَشانجي بدُرجِ

against an executor who followed his father’s example

From an executor who had followed his father's example,

when he hid al-Nashanji’s third in a drawer.

When he hid al-Nishanji's third in a drawer.

حَسِبَ المال مُخلِداً لِحياة

حَسِبَ المال مُخلِداً لِحياة

أَو مِنَ النارِ في القيامَةِ يُنجي

أَو مِنَ النارِ في القيامَةِ يُنجي

He thought the money would grant him immortal life

He thought the wealth would make him live forever,

or save him from the Fire on Resurrection Day.

Or save him from the Fire at the Resurrection.

كَدّ فيهِ أَبٌ وَتابَعَهُ اِبنٌ

كَدّ فيهِ أَبٌ وَتابَعَهُ اِبنٌ

وَغَدا الآنَ بَينَ عُرج وَفُلجِ

وَغَدا الآنَ بَينَ عُرج وَفُلجِ

A father toiled for it, and a son followed him;

A father toiled over it, and a son followed him,

now it has passed among the lame and the palsied.

And now it is among the lame and the palsied.

كادَ لَولا عِنايَةٌ مِنكَ يُلقى

كادَ لَولا عِنايَةٌ مِنكَ يُلقى

بَينَ شِدقي فمٍ دَريسٍ وَفَرجِ

بَينَ شِدقي فمٍ دَريسٍ وَفَرجِ

But for your solicitude, it would nearly have been cast

It was nearly cast—but for your care—

between the consuming jaws of Durays and Faraj.

Between the corners of a worn-out mouth and a crotch.

فَاِخرجوهُ لِتُخرِجوهُ وَيَأتي

فَاِخرجوهُ لِتُخرِجوهُ وَيَأتي

لَكُم شُكر ذَاكَ مِن كُلِّ فَجِّ

لَكُم شُكر ذَاكَ مِن كُلِّ فَجِّ

So bring it forth, that you may rescue it, and there shall come

So bring it out to disburse it, and there will come

thanks to you for that from every mountain pass.

To you thanks for that from every mountain pass.

ثُم خُصُّوا قاضي العَساكر مِنهُ

ثُم خُصُّوا قاضي العَساكر مِنهُ

ثُمَّ عُمّوا الفَقير مِنهُ بِخَرجِ

ثُمَّ عُمّوا الفَقير مِنهُ بِخَرجِ

Then set aside a share of it for the Judge of the Armies;

Then favor the judge of the armies with some of it,

then include this poor man with a payment from it.

Then give the poor man, too, an allowance from it.

لا بَرحتُم في دَولَةٍ وَسموٍّ

لا بَرحتُم في دَولَةٍ وَسموٍّ

مِنهُما الفَضل كُلَّ حينٍ يُرَجِّي

مِنهُما الفَضل كُلَّ حينٍ يُرَجِّي

May you never cease to enjoy power and eminence,

May you ever remain in prosperity and eminence,

your bounty, through both, inspiring hope at every hour.

From both, bounty is hoped for at all times.