قالَ النَبِيُّ ولَم أَجزَع يُوَقِّرُني

قالَ النَبِيُّ ولَم أَجزَع يُوَقِّرُني

وَنَحنُ في سُدفَةٍ مِن ظُلمَةِ الغارِ

وَنَحنُ في سُدفَةٍ مِن ظُلمَةِ الغارِ

The Prophet spoke; I did not lose heart, and he treated me with honor:

The Prophet said, honoring me—though I had not panicked—

while we were amid veils of the cave’s darkness,

while we were in the gloom of the cave's darkness:

لا تَخشَ شَيئاً فَإِنَّ اللَهَ ثالِثُنا

لا تَخشَ شَيئاً فَإِنَّ اللَهَ ثالِثُنا

وَقَد تَوَكَّلَنا مِنهُ بِإِظهارِ

وَقَد تَوَكَّلَنا مِنهُ بِإِظهارِ

“Fear nothing, for God is the third of us,

“Fear nothing, for God is the third of us,

and we have placed our trust in Him for victory.

and we have put our trust in Him for victory.

وَإِنَّما الكَيدُ لا تُخشى بَوادِرُهُ

وَإِنَّما الكَيدُ لا تُخشى بَوادِرُهُ

كَيدُ الشَياطينِ كادَتهُ لِكُفّارِ

كَيدُ الشَياطينِ كادَتهُ لِكُفّارِ

It is only a plot whose first onslaughts need not be feared—

It is only a plot whose sudden attacks need not be feared—

a plot the devils devised for the unbelievers.

the devils' plot, devised by them for unbelievers.

وَاللَهُ مُهلِكُهُم طُرّاً بما كَسَبوا

وَاللَهُ مُهلِكُهُم طُرّاً بما كَسَبوا

وَجاعِلُ المُنتَهى مِنهُم إِلى النارِ

وَجاعِلُ المُنتَهى مِنهُم إِلى النارِ

God will destroy them all for what they have earned

And God will destroy them all for what they have earned,

and make the Fire their final destination.

and make the Fire their final destination.

وَأَنتَ مُرتَحِلٌ عَنهُم وَتارِكُهُم

وَأَنتَ مُرتَحِلٌ عَنهُم وَتارِكُهُم

إِمّا غُدُوّاً وَإِمّا مُدلِجٌ سارِ

إِمّا غُدُوّاً وَإِمّا مُدلِجٌ سارِ

You shall depart from them and leave them behind,

And you will depart from them, leaving them behind,

whether setting out at dawn or journeying by night,

either in the morning or traveling by night,

وَهاجِرٌ أَرضَهُم حَتّى يَكونُ لَنا

وَهاجِرٌ أَرضَهُم حَتّى يَكونُ لَنا

قَومٌ عَلَيهِم ذَوو عِزٍّ وَأَنصارِ

قَومٌ عَلَيهِم ذَوو عِزٍّ وَأَنصارِ

and emigrate from their land, until there arise for us

and emigrate from their land, until we have

a people among whom are men of might and helpers.”

a people with might and allies against them.”

حَتّى إِذا اللَيلُ وَاِرَتنا جَوانِبُهُ

حَتّى إِذا اللَيلُ وَاِرَتنا جَوانِبُهُ

وَسَدَّ مِن دونِ ما نَخشى بِأَستارِ

وَسَدَّ مِن دونِ ما نَخشى بِأَستارِ

At last, when night enfolded us within its folds

At last, when night's flanks had concealed us,

and screened with curtains all we feared from view,

and barred off what we feared with veils,

سارَ الأُرَيقِطُ يَهدينا وَأَينُقُهُ

سارَ الأُرَيقِطُ يَهدينا وَأَينُقُهُ

يَنعَبنَ بِالقَومِ نَعباً تَحتَ أَكوارِ

يَنعَبنَ بِالقَومِ نَعباً تَحتَ أَكوارِ

al-ʿUrayqiṭ journeyed on as our guide, while his she-camels

al-Urayqit set out guiding us, while his she-camels

carried the party swiftly, necks outstretched beneath their saddles.

bore the company at a swift stride beneath their saddles,

يَعسِفنَ عَرضَ الثَنايا بَعدَ أَطوُلِها

يَعسِفنَ عَرضَ الثَنايا بَعدَ أَطوُلِها

وَكُلَّ سَهبٍ دُقاقِ التُربِ مَوّارِ

وَكُلَّ سَهبٍ دُقاقِ التُربِ مَوّارِ

They pressed across the breadth of the mountain passes, beyond their longest reaches,

forcing their way across the passes, beyond the longest of them,

and every open plain of fine, shifting dust,

and every open plain of fine, swirling dust.

حَتّى إِذا قُلتُ قَد أَنجَدنَ عارَضَنا

حَتّى إِذا قُلتُ قَد أَنجَدنَ عارَضَنا

مِن مُدلِجِ فارِسٌ في مَنصِبٍ وارِ

مِن مُدلِجِ فارِسٌ في مَنصِبٍ وارِ

until, just as I said, “They have reached the highlands,” there confronted us

Then, when I said, “They have reached the uplands,” we were met

a horseman riding by night from a lofty lookout.

by a horseman of Mudlij, of illustrious lineage.

يَردي بِهِ مُشرِفُ الأَقطارِ مُعتَرِضاً

يَردي بِهِ مُشرِفُ الأَقطارِ مُعتَرِضاً

كَالسيدِ ذي اللِبدَةِ المُستَأسِدِ الضاري

كَالسيدِ ذي اللِبدَةِ المُستَأسِدِ الضاري

He came galloping on his mount, surveying the horizons and cutting across our path,

A steed of towering frame galloped with him across our path,

like a maned lion, lion-fierce and ravening.

like a maned lion, fierce and ravening.

فَقالَ كُرّوا فَقُلنا إِنَّ كَرَّتَنا

فَقالَ كُرّوا فَقُلنا إِنَّ كَرَّتَنا

مِن دونِها لَكَ نَصرُ الخالِقِ الباري

مِن دونِها لَكَ نَصرُ الخالِقِ الباري

He cried, “Turn back!” We answered, “Indeed, our countercharge

He said, “Turn back!” We replied, “Our turning back

against you has the aid of the Creator, the Maker:

is barred to you by the help of the Creator, the Maker:

أَن يَخسِفَ الأَرضَ بِالأَحوى وَفارِسِهِ

أَن يَخسِفَ الأَرضَ بِالأَحوى وَفارِسِهِ

فَاِنظُر إِلى أَربَعٍ في الأَرضِ غُوّارِ

فَاِنظُر إِلى أَربَعٍ في الأَرضِ غُوّارِ

that He make the earth swallow the dark steed and its rider.”

He will make the earth swallow the dark bay and its rider.

It plunged into the earth on all four legs, sinking deep.

Look, then, at four hooves sinking deep into the earth!”

فَهيلَ لَمّا رَأى أَرساغَ مُهرَتِهِ

فَهيلَ لَمّا رَأى أَرساغَ مُهرَتِهِ

قَد سُخنَ في الأَرضِ لَم تُحفَر بِمِحفارِ

قَد سُخنَ في الأَرضِ لَم تُحفَر بِمِحفارِ

He panicked when he saw his mare’s fetlocks

He was terrified when he saw his filly's pasterns

had sunk into earth untouched by any digging tool.

had sunk into earth that no spade had dug.

فَقالَ هَل لَكُم أَن تُطلِقوا فَرَسي

فَقالَ هَل لَكُم أَن تُطلِقوا فَرَسي

وَتَأخُذوا مَوثِقي في نُصحِ أَشرارِ

وَتَأخُذوا مَوثِقي في نُصحِ أَشرارِ

He said, “Would you release my horse

He said, “Will you set my horse free

and accept my solemn pledge to deal faithfully, even among wicked men?

and take my pledge to counsel the wicked sincerely?

فَأَصرِفَ الحَيَّ عَنكُم إِن لَقيتُهُمُ

فَأَصرِفَ الحَيَّ عَنكُم إِن لَقيتُهُمُ

وَأَن أُعَوِّرُ مِنهُم كُلَّ عُوّارِ

وَأَن أُعَوِّرُ مِنهُم كُلَّ عُوّارِ

I shall turn the two tribal hosts away from you if I meet them

I will turn the tribe away from you if I meet them,

and mislead every prying scout among them.

and foil every assailant among them.

فَاِدعوا الَّذي هُوَ عَنكُم كَفَّ عَدوَتَنا

فَاِدعوا الَّذي هُوَ عَنكُم كَفَّ عَدوَتَنا

يُطلِق جَوادي فَأَنتُم خَيرُ أَبرارِ

يُطلِق جَوادي فَأَنتُم خَيرُ أَبرارِ

Then call upon the One who restrained our attack from you

So call upon Him who held our assault back from you,

to release my steed—for you are the best of the righteous.”

to free my steed, for you are the best of the righteous.”

فَقالَ قَولاً رَسولُ اللَهِ مُبتَهِلاً

فَقالَ قَولاً رَسولُ اللَهِ مُبتَهِلاً

يا رَبِّ إِن كانَ يَنوي غَيرَ إِخفاري

يا رَبِّ إِن كانَ يَنوي غَيرَ إِخفاري

Then God’s Messenger uttered these words in humble supplication:

Then God's Messenger spoke in earnest supplication:

“My Lord, if he intends no betrayal of my protection,

“O Lord, if he intends anything but betraying me,

فَنَجِّهِ سالِماً مِن شَرِّ دَعوَتِنا

فَنَجِّهِ سالِماً مِن شَرِّ دَعوَتِنا

وَمُهرَهُ مُطلَقاً مِن كَلمِ آثارِ

وَمُهرَهُ مُطلَقاً مِن كَلمِ آثارِ

deliver him safely from the harm our invocation might bring,

then save him unharmed from the harm of our prayer,

and free his colt from every wound that leaves a scar.”

and his colt set free, without a trace of injury.”

فَأَظهَرَ اللَهُ إِذ يَدعو حَوافِرَهُ

فَأَظهَرَ اللَهُ إِذ يَدعو حَوافِرَهُ

وَفازَ فارِسُهُ مِن هَولِ أَخطارِ

وَفازَ فارِسُهُ مِن هَولِ أَخطارِ

Then God brought forth its hooves as the Prophet prayed,

Then God, as he prayed, made its hooves emerge,

and its rider escaped the terror of those perils.

and its rider escaped the terror of those perils.