ما للسُّيوفِ أما تَثوبُ فَتعطِفُ

ما للسُّيوفِ أما تَثوبُ فَتعطِفُ

وَلِمَنْ قُوىً في غيرِ حقٍّ تَزْحَفُ

وَلِمَنْ قُوىً في غيرِ حقٍّ تَزْحَفُ

What ails the swords? Will they not return and relent?

Why are the swords silent, not stirring restlessly?

And for whom do forces advance without right?

Why creep to those whose right is not just?

جَهجاهُ مالك هِجتهَا مذمومةً

جَهجاهُ مالك هِجتهَا مذمومةً

هوجاءَ لولا اللَّهُ ظلّتْ تَعصفُ

هوجاءَ لولا اللَّهُ ظلّتْ تَعصفُ

Jahjah, why did you stir it up, so blameworthy,

The clamor of Malik was condemned

So wild? But for God, it would have kept raging.

When it roared wildly, had it not been for Allah.

الخزرجُ انطلقوا لنصرِ حليفهِم

الخزرجُ انطلقوا لنصرِ حليفهِم

ومضى لنصرتك الكُماةُ الدُّلَّفُ

ومضى لنصرتك الكُماةُ الدُّلَّفُ

The Khazraj rushed to aid their ally,

The Khazraj set forth to aid their ally

And the armored warriors marched slowly to your aid.

While the well-armed Kuma came rushing to your aid.

لَسِنانُ إذ تُؤذيهِ منكَ بضربةٍ

لَسِنانُ إذ تُؤذيهِ منكَ بضربةٍ

أولى وأخلقُ من تحبُّ وتألفُ

أولى وأخلقُ من تحبُّ وتألفُ

Surely Sinan, when you hurt him with your blow,

When Sinan hurts you with a blow

Is most worthy and deserving of your love and friendship.

He is more noble and friendlier than the one you love and befriend

هَفَتِ السُّيوفُ إلى السُّيوفِ وأوشكت

هَفَتِ السُّيوفُ إلى السُّيوفِ وأوشكت

صُمُّ الرماح على الرماحِ تقَصَّفُ

صُمُّ الرماح على الرماحِ تقَصَّفُ

The swords flew toward swords, and almost

The swords clash against swords and the spears

The solid spears splintered against spears.

Are on the verge of colliding with spears.

ومشى النبيُّ يقول يا قومُ اسكنوا

ومشى النبيُّ يقول يا قومُ اسكنوا

أكذاكَ تضطربُ الجبالُ وترجف

أكذاكَ تضطربُ الجبالُ وترجف

The Prophet stepped forward, saying, 'My people, be still!

And the Prophet walked saying: "O people, be calm."

Is this how mountains sway and tremble?

Do mountains thus tremble and quake?

تدعون دعوى الجاهليّة جهرةً

تدعون دعوى الجاهليّة جهرةً

فَمن الدُّعاةُ من الهُداةِ الهُتَّف

فَمن الدُّعاةُ من الهُداةِ الهُتَّف

You openly raise the rallying cry of the Age of Ignorance;

You loudly cry out the call of ignorance

Who, then, are the callers among the loud-voiced guides?

Who then are the callers and who are the guided ones?

أوَ لستُمُ النفر الذين بنورهم

أوَ لستُمُ النفر الذين بنورهم

يجد السَّبيلَ الحائرُ المتعسّف

يجد السَّبيلَ الحائرُ المتعسّف

And are you not the men by whose light

Are you not the people whose light

The bewildered, straying wanderer finds the way?

Shows the lost and straying the path?

رُدّوا السُّيوفَ إلى جماجمِ معشرٍ

رُدّوا السُّيوفَ إلى جماجمِ معشرٍ

فيهم مَرَدٌّ للسُّيوفِ ومصرف

فيهم مَرَدٌّ للسُّيوفِ ومصرف

Turn the swords toward the skulls of a people

Return the swords to the heads of a folk

Among whom swords find a destination and an outlet.'

Amongst whom are those who wield and turn away the swords

هدأ الرجالُ وراح ظالمُ نفسِهِ

هدأ الرجالُ وراح ظالمُ نفسِهِ

يَهْذي فَيُمْعِنُ أو يظنُّ فيسرف

يَهْذي فَيُمْعِنُ أو يظنُّ فيسرف

The men grew calm, and the man who wronged himself went on

The men fell silent and the wronger of himself

Raving and persisting, or surmising and going to excess.

Went on raving or thought and transgressed.

لجَّ النفاقُ فقائلٌ لا يستحي

لجَّ النفاقُ فقائلٌ لا يستحي

ممّا يقولُ وسامعٌ لا يأنف

ممّا يقولُ وسامعٌ لا يأنف

Hypocrisy persisted: a speaker felt no shame

Hypocrisy crept in, so one who feels no shame

At what he said, and a listener felt no revulsion.

Says what he says while a listener feels no aversion.

ما بالُ من جمحت به أهواؤُه

ما بالُ من جمحت به أهواؤُه

أفما يزالُ على الغَوايةِ يعكف

أفما يزالُ على الغَوايةِ يعكف

What ails the man whose passions have run away with him?

What ails the one whom his passions have confused?

Does he then not still cling to error?

Does he still persist in misguidance?

يُؤذِي رسولَ اللهِ يزعمُ أنّه

يُؤذِي رسولَ اللهِ يزعمُ أنّه

في قومِهِ منه أعزُّ وأشرف

في قومِهِ منه أعزُّ وأشرف

He offends God's Messenger, claiming that he

Hurting the Messenger of God, he claims

Is mightier and nobler than the Messenger among his people.

He is the most honorable and noble among his people.

ويقول موعدُنا المدينةُ إذ يُرَى

ويقول موعدُنا المدينةُ إذ يُرَى

أيُّ الفريقينِ الأذلُّ الأضعف

أيُّ الفريقينِ الأذلُّ الأضعف

And he says, 'Our meeting place is Medina; then it will be seen

And he says: "Our appointment is Medina, where it will be seen

Which of the two parties is more abased and weaker.

Which of the two hosts is most abject and weak."

فَلنُخرجَنَّ مُحمداً منها غَداً

فَلنُخرجَنَّ مُحمداً منها غَداً

وليعلمنَّ الأمرَ ساعةَ يأزف

وليعلمنَّ الأمرَ ساعةَ يأزف

Then we shall surely expel Muhammad from it tomorrow,

"We will drive Muhammad out of it tomorrow

And he shall surely grasp the matter the moment it draws near.'

And the matter will be known at the moment of agony."

سمع ابنُ أرقمَ ما يقول فهاجه

سمع ابنُ أرقمَ ما يقول فهاجه

غَضبٌ يضيق به التّقيُّ الأحنف

غَضبٌ يضيق به التّقيُّ الأحنف

Ibn Arqam heard what he was saying, and was stirred

Ibn Arqam heard what he said and was seized

By anger that even the pious al-Ahnaf could scarcely bear.

By a rage that distressed the God-fearing and gentle one.

ومضى يقصّ على النبيِّ حديثَهُ

ومضى يقصّ على النبيِّ حديثَهُ

فيكاد عنه من الكراهةِ يصدف

فيكاد عنه من الكراهةِ يصدف

He went to recount the man's words to the Prophet,

He went and told the Prophet what he had said

Who nearly turned away from them in disgust.

And could barely speak from loathing of him.

قال اتّئد فلقد يُغانُ على الفتى

قال اتّئد فلقد يُغانُ على الفتى

فيزلُّ منه السَّمعُ أو يتحرّف

فيزلُّ منه السَّمعُ أو يتحرّف

He said, 'Be deliberate; a young man's mind may grow clouded,

He said: "Restrain yourself, for passions will be aroused in the lad

So his hearing may err or become distorted.'

And hearing will slip away from him or be distorted."

فمضى على أسفٍ يلوذُ بعمّهِ

فمضى على أسفٍ يلوذُ بعمّهِ

فُيلامُ غيرَ مكذَّبٍ ويُعنَّف

فُيلامُ غيرَ مكذَّبٍ ويُعنَّف

So he went off in sorrow, seeking refuge with his uncle,

So he left in sorrow, seeking refuge with his uncle,

Where he was blamed and rebuked, though not called a liar.

And was blamed though not called a liar or reprimanded.

قال اقتصد يا عمّ ما أنا بالذي

قال اقتصد يا عمّ ما أنا بالذي

يُغضي إذا اغتابَ الرسولَ مُجَدِّفُ

يُغضي إذا اغتابَ الرسولَ مُجَدِّفُ

He said, 'Be measured, uncle; I am not one

He said: "Be moderate, my uncle! I am not one

Who turns a blind eye when a blasphemer slanders the Messenger.

Who is angered when the Messenger is maligned by the vituperative."

ثَقُلَتْ عليَّ من الغبيِّ مقالةٌ

ثَقُلَتْ عليَّ من الغبيِّ مقالةٌ

جَلَلٌ تُهَدُّ بها الجبالُ وتُنْسَفُ

جَلَلٌ تُهَدُّ بها الجبالُ وتُنْسَفُ

An utterance from that fool weighed heavily upon me,

"I am heavily burdened by the fool's talk,

So grievous that mountains are crushed and blasted away.

Though it can move mountains and cause them to collapse."

واللّهِ لو ألقَى صَواعِقَها أبي

واللّهِ لو ألقَى صَواعِقَها أبي

لحملتُها وذهبتُ لا أتخفَّف

لحملتُها وذهبتُ لا أتخفَّف

By God, had my father hurled its thunderbolts,

"By God, if my father called down his thunderbolts

I would have borne them and gone, without lightening my burden.'

I would bear them and go, not lightening my load."

رُوِيَ الحديثُ وَغِيظَ من مكروهه

رُوِيَ الحديثُ وَغِيظَ من مكروهه

عُمَرٌ فَغِيظَ المشرفيُّ المُرهَفُ

عُمَرٌ فَغِيظَ المشرفيُّ المُرهَفُ

The account was told, and its hateful content enraged

The story was reported, and 'Umar was enraged

Umar; then the keen-edged Mashrafi sword was enraged.

By its hatefulness, as was the noble and perceptive one.

أغرى بقائِلهِ مخوفَ غرارِهِ

أغرى بقائِلهِ مخوفَ غرارِهِ

ما كان يَعلمُ من أذاه ويعرف

ما كان يَعلمُ من أذاه ويعرف

Its dreaded edge was roused against the speaker

He incited the speaker of it to fear his rashness

By what he knew and recognized of the man's offense.

Not knowing he had hurt him or realizing it.

سأل الرسولَ الإذنَ فيه لعلَّه

سأل الرسولَ الإذنَ فيه لعلَّه

يَشفيه من دمِه بما يترشَّف

يَشفيه من دمِه بما يترشَّف

He asked the Messenger for permission against him, hoping

He asked the Messenger's leave to act against him, hoping

To soothe the sword with what it might sip of his blood.

To heal him of his blood, ennobled by what he shed.

فأبى وقال أليس من أصحابنا

فأبى وقال أليس من أصحابنا

دعه فتلك أشدُّ ما أتخوَّفُ

دعه فتلك أشدُّ ما أتخوَّفُ

He refused and said, 'Is he not one of our companions?

But he refused, saying: "Is he not one of our Companions?

Leave him; that is what I fear most.'

Leave him be! That is what I fear most."

وأتى ابنُه فدعا أبي أنا خصمه

وأتى ابنُه فدعا أبي أنا خصمه

فدعوه لي إنّي به لَمُكلَّف

فدعوه لي إنّي به لَمُكلَّف

And his son came and cried, 'My father—I am his adversary;

And his son came and summoned Abū to be his adversary,

So leave him to me; I am surely devoted to him.

So summon him for me as I am charged with him.

مُرْنِي رسولَ اللَّهِ أكْفِكَ أمرَه

مُرْنِي رسولَ اللَّهِ أكْفِكَ أمرَه

فلقد عَهدتُكَ راحماً تتلطّف

فلقد عَهدتُكَ راحماً تتلطّف

Command me, Messenger of God; I will handle his affair for you,

Allow me, Messenger of God, to control his affair,

For I have known you to be merciful and gentle.

For I know you as merciful and gentle.

إنّي أحِبُّ أبي وأعرف حقَّه

إنّي أحِبُّ أبي وأعرف حقَّه

ولأنتَ بي وبه أبرُّ وأرأف

ولأنتَ بي وبه أبرُّ وأرأف

I love my father and know what is due to him,

I love my father and know his due,

And you are surely kinder and more compassionate to him and me.

And you are more compassionate and kinder to me and him.

سيفي أحقُّ بهِ فإن يك غيره

سيفي أحقُّ بهِ فإن يك غيره

عَظُمَ الأسى فيه وهالَ الموقف

عَظُمَ الأسى فيه وهالَ الموقف

My sword has the greater claim on him; if it is another sword,

My sword has more right to him, but if another preempts me

Grief for him will be great, and the scene will be dreadful.

The agony in it will be great and the situation dire.

إنّي لأخشى أن أرى دَمَ مُؤمنٍ

إنّي لأخشى أن أرى دَمَ مُؤمنٍ

بيدي لأجلِ أبي يُراقُ وينزف

بيدي لأجلِ أبي يُراقُ وينزف

I truly fear that I may see a believer's blood

I fear that I would see the blood of a believer spilled

Shed and poured out by my hand for my father's sake.'

By my hand, on my father's account, poured out and flowing.

قال النبيُّ ارفِقْ بشيخكَ وارْعَهُ

قال النبيُّ ارفِقْ بشيخكَ وارْعَهُ

إنّ العُقوقَ من البنينَ لَمَتْلَفُ

إنّ العُقوقَ من البنينَ لَمَتْلَفُ

The Prophet said, 'Be gentle with your aged father and care for him;

The Prophet said: "Deal gently with your elder and protect him,

Sons' mistreatment of their parents is surely ruinous.'

For undutifulness in children is pernicious."

القاذفُ الجبّارُ زُلزِلَ قلبُه

القاذفُ الجبّارُ زُلزِلَ قلبُه

بالرُّعبِ يُلقَى والمخافةِ تُقذفُ

بالرُّعبِ يُلقَى والمخافةِ تُقذفُ

The tyrannical slanderer's heart was shaken;

The arrogant slanderer's heart was shaken

It was assailed with terror, and fear was hurled into it.

With fear cast at him, and terror thrown.

ضَاقتْ مذاهبُه فأقبل ضارعاً

ضَاقتْ مذاهبُه فأقبل ضارعاً

وأخو الهوانِ الضَّارعُ المستعطف

وأخو الهوانِ الضَّارعُ المستعطف

His avenues narrowed, so he came pleading;

His paths grew narrow, so he came in surrender,

And humiliation's brother is the pleading seeker of pity.

And the lowly suppliant is the brother of disgrace.

جَحَدَ الحديثَ وراح يَحلفُ ما جرى

جَحَدَ الحديثَ وراح يَحلفُ ما جرى

صَدَقَ المُنَبِّئُ وافترى من يحلف

صَدَقَ المُنَبِّئُ وافترى من يحلف

He denied the account and went on swearing it had not happened;

He denied the story and swore it did not happen;

The reporter spoke truth, and the one who swore invented lies.

The truthful informer spoke truthfully and the swearer lied.

إنّ ابن أرقمَ لم تكن لتخونه

إنّ ابن أرقمَ لم تكن لتخونه

أُذُنٌ تَعِي وتصونُ ما تتلقّفُ

أُذُنٌ تَعِي وتصونُ ما تتلقّفُ

Surely Ibn Arqam could never have been betrayed

Ibn Arqam's ears would not betray him

By an ear that grasps and safeguards what it catches.

And guard what they pick up like an inscription

يبقى بها نقشُ الكلامِ كأنّما

يبقى بها نقشُ الكلامِ كأنّما

نُقِشَتْ على الصّخرِ الأصَمِّ الأحرف

نُقِشَتْ على الصّخرِ الأصَمِّ الأحرف

The imprint of speech remains within it, as though

Carved into deaf rock, with letters

The letters had been carved upon solid rock.

That when the tongue turns to dictating them

صُوَرٌ إذا وَلِيَ اللِّسَانُ أداءَها

صُوَرٌ إذا وَلِيَ اللِّسَانُ أداءَها

فالزُّورُ من أعدائها والزخرف

فالزُّورُ من أعدائها والزخرف

Images which, when the tongue undertakes to render them,

Falsehood is from their enemies, as is idle fancy.

Have falsehood and embellishment among their enemies.

I did not aim in describing Zayd's merit that he

ما رُمْتُ وصفاً حَسْبُ زيدٍ أنّه

ما رُمْتُ وصفاً حَسْبُ زيدٍ أنّه

بفرائِدِ الوحْيِ المنظَّم يُوصف

بفرائِدِ الوحْيِ المنظَّم يُوصف

I sought no description; it is enough for Zayd that he

Can be described with the scattered pearls of revelation.

Is described by the peerless jewels of well-ordered revelation.

God sent it down as a compelling proof.

اللَّهُ أنزله بياناً صادعاً

اللَّهُ أنزله بياناً صادعاً

كبَتَ الألى قلبوا الأمورَ وزيَّفوا

كبَتَ الألى قلبوا الأمورَ وزيَّفوا

God sent it down as a clear, forceful declaration;

They ruined affairs and altered them.

He humbled those who twisted matters and falsified them.

It uncovered hypocrisy in a chapter

كشفَ الغطاءَ عن النِّفاقِ بسورةٍ

كشفَ الغطاءَ عن النِّفاقِ بسورةٍ

نزلتْ وكان غطاؤُه لا يُكشَف

نزلتْ وكان غطاؤُه لا يُكشَف

He lifted the veil from hypocrisy through a surah

That was revealed when its covering could not be removed.

That came down, though its veil had remained unlifted.

A crime, when it hides fearing a censor,

جُرْمٌ إذا استخفى مَخافةَ ذاكرٍ

جُرْمٌ إذا استخفى مَخافةَ ذاكرٍ

نادى الزمانُ به وضَجَّ المصحف

نادى الزمانُ به وضَجَّ المصحف

A crime that, if it hides for fear of someone mentioning it,

The age proclaims it, and the Preserved Scripture declaims.

Time proclaims it, and the Qur'an cries aloud.