أَرى العَدلَ دعوى يُعجِبُ الناسَ حُسنُها

أَرى العَدلَ دعوى يُعجِبُ الناسَ حُسنُها

وَيَخدَعُهُم عَنها الحَديثُ المُلَفَّقُ

وَيَخدَعُهُم عَنها الحَديثُ المُلَفَّقُ

I see justice as a claim whose beauty pleases the people,

I see justice being claimed, its beauty impresses people,

and fabricated talk deceives them about it.

And smooth talk deceives them about it and they are convinced.

أَكاذيبُ يُزجيها الفَتى وَهوَ عالِمٌ

أَكاذيبُ يُزجيها الفَتى وَهوَ عالِمٌ

إِذا ما اِدَّعاها أَنَّهُ لَيسَ يَصدُقُ

إِذا ما اِدَّعاها أَنَّهُ لَيسَ يَصدُقُ

Lies a young man puts forward, knowing,

A young man knowingly spews lies,

when he asserts them, that he is not speaking truth.

When he claims it, he doesn't speak the truth.

فَشا الظُلمُ بَينَ الناسِ وَاِعتَزَّ أَهلُهُ

فَشا الظُلمُ بَينَ الناسِ وَاِعتَزَّ أَهلُهُ

وَباتَ ضَعيفُ القَومِ يُؤذَى وَيُرهَقُ

وَباتَ ضَعيفُ القَومِ يُؤذَى وَيُرهَقُ

Oppression spread among the people, and its practitioners grew powerful,

Injustice spread amongst the people and its people became arrogant,

and the weak man among the people was left harmed and oppressed.

While the weak were harmed and burdened.

خَلِيّاً مِنَ الأَعوانِ يُغصَبُ حَقُّهُ

خَلِيّاً مِنَ الأَعوانِ يُغصَبُ حَقُّهُ

فَيُغضي وَيُرمى بِالهَوانِ فَيُطرِقُ

فَيُغضي وَيُرمى بِالهَوانِ فَيُطرِقُ

Bereft of helpers, he has his right wrested away;

With no helpers, his rights were seized,

so he lowers his gaze, and, assailed with humiliation, bows his head.

So he stays quiet and is disgraced and remains silent.

إِذا اِستَصرَخَ الأَقوامَ يَرجو غِياثَهُم

إِذا اِستَصرَخَ الأَقوامَ يَرجو غِياثَهُم

رَأى جَمعَهُم مِن حَولِهِ يَتَفَرَّقُ

رَأى جَمعَهُم مِن حَولِهِ يَتَفَرَّقُ

When he cries to the peoples for help, hoping for their aid,

When he calls upon the people seeking their aid,

he sees their crowd scatter from around him.

He sees them gather around him then disperse.

رَأَيتُ مُلوكَ الناسِ لا يُنصِفونَهُم

رَأَيتُ مُلوكَ الناسِ لا يُنصِفونَهُم

وَخَيرُ المُلوكِ المُنصِفُ المُتَرَفِّقُ

وَخَيرُ المُلوكِ المُنصِفُ المُتَرَفِّقُ

I have seen the people's kings deny them justice,

I've seen the rulers of people not dealing justly with them,

yet the best of kings is the just and gentle one.

And the best rulers are the just and gentle ones.

يُقيمونَ صَرحَ الظُلمِ في كُلِّ أُمَّةٍ

يُقيمونَ صَرحَ الظُلمِ في كُلِّ أُمَّةٍ

إِذا مَلَكوا وَالعَدلُ بِالمُلكِ أَخلَقُ

إِذا مَلَكوا وَالعَدلُ بِالمُلكِ أَخلَقُ

They erect oppression's edifice in every nation

They erect the edifice of injustice in every nation,

when they rule, though justice better befits kingship.

When they rule, yet justice is the crown of kingship.

ثَوى العَدلُ في الفاروقِ وَاِنجابَ ظِلُّهُ

ثَوى العَدلُ في الفاروقِ وَاِنجابَ ظِلُّهُ

غَداةَ اِنطَوَت أَعلامُهُ وَهيَ تَخفَقُ

غَداةَ اِنطَوَت أَعلامُهُ وَهيَ تَخفَقُ

Justice dwelt in al-Faruq, and its shade withdrew

The shelter of justice was in Al-Farooq and its shadow stretched out

on the morning its banners were furled while still fluttering.

The morning his banners were unfurled while fluttering.

إِمامٌ أَظَلَّ الأَرضَ وارِفُ عَدلِهِ

إِمامٌ أَظَلَّ الأَرضَ وارِفُ عَدلِهِ

وَجَلَّلَها مِنهُ جَمالٌ وَرَونَقُ

وَجَلَّلَها مِنهُ جَمالٌ وَرَونَقُ

An imam: the broad shade of his justice sheltered the earth,

A leader who shaded the land with his abundant justice,

and beauty and splendor from him enveloped it.

And adorned it through it with grace and elegance.

هَداهُ إِلى المَعروفِ دينٌ يُضيئُهُ

هَداهُ إِلى المَعروفِ دينٌ يُضيئُهُ

مِنَ الذِكرِ ذي الآياتِ أَبلَجُ مُشرِقُ

مِنَ الذِكرِ ذي الآياتِ أَبلَجُ مُشرِقُ

A faith guided him to goodness, illuminated

He was guided to good by a religion that illuminates him

by a clear, shining light from the Scripture with its verses,

With the glorious Quran, the shining light.

وَنَفسٌ لَها في كُلِّ عَلياءَ مَوقِفٌ

وَنَفسٌ لَها في كُلِّ عَلياءَ مَوقِفٌ

تَزِلُّ النُفوسُ الشُمُّ عَنهُ وَتَزلَقُ

تَزِلُّ النُفوسُ الشُمُّ عَنهُ وَتَزلَقُ

and a soul with a station on every lofty height,

And a soul that had a stance in every lofty situation,

from which lofty souls stumble and slip.

While souls fell short and slipped from it.

دَعاها إِلى ما يُكسِبُ المَجدَ وَالعُلا

دَعاها إِلى ما يُكسِبُ المَجدَ وَالعُلا

وَرِضوانَ رَبِّ الناسِ داعٍ مُوَفَّقُ

وَرِضوانَ رَبِّ الناسِ داعٍ مُوَفَّقُ

It was called to what wins glory and eminence,

He called them to what earns glory and supremacy,

and the pleasure of humankind's Lord, by a caller blessed with success.

And the pleasure of the Lord of mankind, the successful guide.

بَنى قُبَّةَ الإِسلامِ بِالعَدلِ عالِياً

بَنى قُبَّةَ الإِسلامِ بِالعَدلِ عالِياً

وَبِالبَأسِ جَمّاً حَولَها يَتَحَرَّقُ

وَبِالبَأسِ جَمّاً حَولَها يَتَحَرَّقُ

He built Islam's dome high through justice,

He built the dome of Islam high with justice,

and through abundant might blazing all around it.

And around it a barrier, blazing with might.

فَهَذا لَها سورٌ يَروعُ مُنيفُهُ

فَهَذا لَها سورٌ يَروعُ مُنيفُهُ

وَهَذا لَها حِصنٌ مَنيعٌ وَخَندَقُ

وَهَذا لَها حِصنٌ مَنيعٌ وَخَندَقُ

Thus this was a wall for it, whose towering height struck terror,

And here is an impenetrable fortress and moat.

and this an impregnable fortress and a moat for it.

Whenever enemies attacked it, their banners were humiliated

إِذا رامَهُ الأَعداءُ أَخزى لِواءَهُم

إِذا رامَهُ الأَعداءُ أَخزى لِواءَهُم

لِواءٌ يُحَيّيهِ مِنَ النَصرِ فَيلَقُ

لِواءٌ يُحَيّيهِ مِنَ النَصرِ فَيلَقُ

When enemies sought to assail it, their banner was disgraced

By banners revived with victory from on high.

by a banner saluted by a legion of victory.

Around Allah's soldiers they had remnants

لَهُم حَولَ جُندِ اللَهِ في كُلِّ مَأزِقٍ

لَهُم حَولَ جُندِ اللَهِ في كُلِّ مَأزِقٍ

فُلولُ السَرايا وَاللِواءُ المُمَزَّقُ

فُلولُ السَرايا وَاللِواءُ المُمَزَّقُ

Theirs, around God's host in every strait,

Of defeated detachments and torn banners.

were the shattered remnants of detachments and a tattered banner.

He continued until the Maghreb submitted to Allah,

فَما زالَ حَتّى دانَ لِلَهِ مَغرَبٌ

فَما زالَ حَتّى دانَ لِلَهِ مَغرَبٌ

وَما زالَ حَتّى دانَ لِلَهِ مَشرِقُ

وَما زالَ حَتّى دانَ لِلَهِ مَشرِقُ

So he did not cease until the West submitted to God,

And he continued until the Mashriq submitted to Allah.

and he did not cease until the East submitted to God.

The nations of Islam stood firm after he passed away,

ثَوَت أُمَمُ الإِسلامِ مِن بَعدِما مَضى

ثَوَت أُمَمُ الإِسلامِ مِن بَعدِما مَضى

تُراعُ بِأَهوالِ الخُطوبِ وَتُصعَقُ

تُراعُ بِأَهوالِ الخُطوبِ وَتُصعَقُ

The nations of Islam remained, after he had departed,

Terrified and shaken by the calamities of war.

terrified by the horrors of calamity and stunned.

His loyalists perished and his pillars collapsed,

تَفانَت مَواليها وَطاحَ حُماتُها

تَفانَت مَواليها وَطاحَ حُماتُها

كَما طاحَ مُرفَضُّ الحَصى يَتَفَلَّقُ

كَما طاحَ مُرفَضُّ الحَصى يَتَفَلَّقُ

Their allies perished, and their protectors fell,

Like pebbles scattered and split apart.

as scattered pebbles fall, splitting apart.

The unjust took control over them and they ended up

تَحَكَّمَ فيها القاسِطونَ فَأَصبَحَت

تَحَكَّمَ فيها القاسِطونَ فَأَصبَحَت

تُقادُ بِأَسبابِ الهَوانِ وَتُوثَقُ

تُقادُ بِأَسبابِ الهَوانِ وَتُوثَقُ

The unjust ruled them at will, so they became

Led by the ropes of humiliation, bound and shackled.

led by the cords of humiliation and bound fast.

May glory return to them, perhaps they will

عَسى العِزُّ أَن يَعتادَها وَلَعَلَّها

عَسى العِزُّ أَن يَعتادَها وَلَعَلَّها

تُفَكُّ مِنَ الأَغلالِ يَوماً وَتُطلَقُ

تُفَكُّ مِنَ الأَغلالِ يَوماً وَتُطلَقُ

May glory revisit them, and perhaps they

One day free themselves from fetters and be released.

will one day be freed from shackles and released,

Then they will seek from the paths of pride what was abandoned,

فَتَستَنُّ مِن سُبلِ المَفاخِرِ ما عَفا

فَتَستَنُّ مِن سُبلِ المَفاخِرِ ما عَفا

وَتُدرِكُ ديناً ضاقَ مِنهُ المُخَنَّقُ

وَتُدرِكُ ديناً ضاقَ مِنهُ المُخَنَّقُ

then take up the paths of glory that have faded,

And attain a faith that choked them and was denied.

and rescue a faith whose throat is constricted.

Then neither heart roams its ruins to kindle passion anew,

فَلا القَلبُ في آثارِهِ يَصطَلي الجَوى

فَلا القَلبُ في آثارِهِ يَصطَلي الجَوى

وَلا الدَمعُ في أَطلالِهِ يَتَرَقرَقُ

وَلا الدَمعُ في أَطلالِهِ يَتَرَقرَقُ

So the heart would not burn with anguish amid its traces,

Nor tear flows at its remnants and crackles.

nor would tears shimmer amid its ruins.

Know that all good and righteousness,

أَلا إِنَّهُ المَعروفُ وَالخَيرُ كُلُّهُ

أَلا إِنَّهُ المَعروفُ وَالخَيرُ كُلُّهُ

أَخافُ عَلَيهِ أَن يَضيعَ وَأُشفِقُ

أَخافُ عَلَيهِ أَن يَضيعَ وَأُشفِقُ

Behold, it is righteousness and all goodness;

I fear for it that it will be lost and I am concerned.

I fear it may be lost, and am anxious for it.