كلُّ من قاس نبيّاً بسواه

كلُّ من قاس نبيّاً بسواه

في سجاياه ففضَّ الله فاه

في سجاياه ففضَّ الله فاه

Whoever compares a prophet with anyone else

Whoever compares a prophet to others

in his qualities—may God shatter his mouth!

God will rip open their mouth

أبت العصمة أن يشتبها

أبت العصمة أن يشتبها

ليس بين النّجم والشّمس اشتباه

ليس بين النّجم والشّمس اشتباه

Infallibility forbids the two to be alike;

Infallibility refuses to be confused

there is no confusing the star with the sun.

There is no similarity between a star and the sun

ليس غاد في سنا عصمته

ليس غاد في سنا عصمته

مثل سار في دياجير هواه

مثل سار في دياجير هواه

One traveling at dawn in his infallibility’s radiance is not

Ghadeer did not lack in protecting his infallibility

like one traveling by night through his desire’s deep darkness.

Like one who roams freely in the valleys of desire

أنبياءُ الله أنوار الهدى

أنبياءُ الله أنوار الهدى

من رأى نورهم نال هداه

من رأى نورهم نال هداه

God’s prophets are lights of guidance;

The prophets of God are the lights of guidance

whoever sees their light gains guidance for himself.

Whoever saw their light obtained guidance

كيف لا يهدي نبيٌّ أمةً

كيف لا يهدي نبيٌّ أمةً

لصفاء الورد والله اصطفاه

لصفاء الورد والله اصطفاه

How could a prophet fail to guide a people

How could a prophet not guide a nation

to pure waters, when God has chosen him?

For the purity of roses, and God chose him

ظهرت أسرارهم عن كَدَرٍ

ظهرت أسرارهم عن كَدَرٍ

فهي في نوم النّهي ذاتُ انتباه

فهي في نوم النّهي ذاتُ انتباه

Their inner secrets stood revealed, free of murk;

Their secrets appeared without turbidity

so they stay awake while minds sleep.

As if in the sleep of prohibition, fully alert

حفظ الله لهم أنفسَهُم

حفظ الله لهم أنفسَهُم

فهي لا تطمح إلاَّ لرضاه

فهي لا تطمح إلاَّ لرضاه

God has safeguarded their souls for them,

God protected their souls

so they aspire only to His pleasure.

Which aspire only for His satisfaction

وكسا أفكارهم معرفةً

وكسا أفكارهم معرفةً

عَظُمَت هِمَّتُهَا عمَن سواه

عَظُمَت هِمَّتُهَا عمَن سواه

And He clothed their thoughts in knowledge;

And clothed their thoughts with knowledge

their aspiration rose above all but Him.

Their ambition grew beyond others

والذي نرويه في أخبارهم

والذي نرويه في أخبارهم

كان قد صدقه من قد رواه

كان قد صدقه من قد رواه

And what we relate in accounts of them

What we narrate of their stories

had already been confirmed by the one who transmitted it.

Is what the truthful narrator related

من حماه الله أكدار الهوى

من حماه الله أكدار الهوى

لا يراه أبداً حيث نهاه

لا يراه أبداً حيث نهاه

One whom God has shielded from desire’s dregs

Whoever God protected from the turbidity of desire

is never seen by Him where He has forbidden him to be.

Will never see what He forbade

أثبت الإِجماع فينا طهرهم

أثبت الإِجماع فينا طهرهم

فهل المخطىء إلاَّ من نفاه

فهل المخطىء إلاَّ من نفاه

Consensus among us has established their purity;

Scholars unanimously confirmed their purity

so who is mistaken but one who denies it?

So who denies except the mistaken

وحديث الهمِّ في تأويله

وحديث الهمِّ في تأويله

أوجه قد سفرت عن مجتلاه

أوجه قد سفرت عن مجتلاه

And in interpreting the account of the impulse,

And interpreting their concerns

there are readings that have unveiled its meaning.

Has aspects beyond the reach of minds

ذاك طور جلَّ أن يدركه

ذاك طور جلَّ أن يدركه

غير معصوم فدع قول الشِّفاه

غير معصوم فدع قول الشِّفاه

That is a station too exalted to be grasped

That is a level none can attain

by anyone fallible; so leave aside mere talk of lips.

Except the infallible, so hush your mouths

تتعب الأرجل في إحضارها

تتعب الأرجل في إحضارها

ثمّ لا تبلغ مقدار الجباه

ثمّ لا تبلغ مقدار الجباه

Legs grow weary in their swift running,

Legs grow tired fetching answers

yet never reach the height of foreheads.

Yet cannot reach the level of minds