مَحيصةُ بلّغْ ما أُمِرتَ فإنّما

مَحيصةُ بلّغْ ما أُمِرتَ فإنّما

هو الدينُ دينُ المسلمِينَ أو القتلُ

هو الدينُ دينُ المسلمِينَ أو القتلُ

Muhayyisa, convey what you were commanded, for it is either

Mahaysa, convey what you have been commanded,

the faith—the faith of the Muslims—or death.

For it is the religion of Muslims or death.

إلى فَدَكٍ فَاحْمِلْ بَلاَغ مُحمّدٍ

إلى فَدَكٍ فَاحْمِلْ بَلاَغ مُحمّدٍ

وأَنْذِرْ بها قوماً أضلَّهمُ الجَهْلُ

وأَنْذِرْ بها قوماً أضلَّهمُ الجَهْلُ

Then carry Muhammad's message to Fadak,

Go to Fadak and convey the message of Muhammad,

and warn a people there whom ignorance has led astray.

And warn its people whom ignorance has led astray.

أَبَوْا أن يُجِيبوا دَاعِيَ اللَّهِ وَابْتَغُوا

أَبَوْا أن يُجِيبوا دَاعِيَ اللَّهِ وَابْتَغُوا

سَبِيْلَ الألى أعماهُمُ الحِقْدُ والغِلُّ

سَبِيْلَ الألى أعماهُمُ الحِقْدُ والغِلُّ

They refused to answer God's caller, and sought

They refused to answer the caller of Allah, and sought

the path of those whom rancor and malice had blinded.

The way of ruin, blinded by rancour and hatred.

يَقولون لن يَسْطِيعَ جيشُ مُحمّدٍ

يَقولون لن يَسْطِيعَ جيشُ مُحمّدٍ

بخيبرَ نصراً إنّها مَطلبٌ بَسْلُ

بخيبرَ نصراً إنّها مَطلبٌ بَسْلُ

They say, "Muhammad's army will not be able to win

They say the army of Muhammad will not

victory at Khaybar; it is a forbidding goal.

Achieve victory in Khaybar, it is an unachievable desire.

يُدافِعُ عنها من صَنَادِيْدِ أهلِها

يُدافِعُ عنها من صَنَادِيْدِ أهلِها

رِجالٌ إذا خاضوا الوَغَى بَطَلَ الهَزْلُ

رِجالٌ إذا خاضوا الوَغَى بَطَلَ الهَزْلُ

Champions from among its people defend it—

It is defended by the champions of its people,

men who, when they plunge into battle, leave no room for jest.

Men, when they enter the fray, jesting ceases.

لها عامرٌ عِنْدَ البلاءِ وياسرٌ

لها عامرٌ عِنْدَ البلاءِ وياسرٌ

لها مَرْحَبٌ والحارثُ البطلُ الفَحْلُ

لها مَرْحَبٌ والحارثُ البطلُ الفَحْلُ

It has Amir in the hour of trial, and Yasir;

It has Amir steadfast in trials, and Yasir,

it has Marhab and al-Harith, the mighty hero.

It has Marhab and Al-Harith the brave hero.

وإنَّ بها من كُلِّ رامٍ وَضَارِبٍ

وإنَّ بها من كُلِّ رامٍ وَضَارِبٍ

أُلوفاً هُم السُّمُّ الذُّعافُ لمن يَبْلو

أُلوفاً هُم السُّمُّ الذُّعافُ لمن يَبْلو

And within it, of every kind of archer and swordsman,

In it are thousands of archers and warriors,

are thousands—deadly poison to anyone who tests them.

They are lethal poison for whoever tries them.

على أنّنا لا نكرهُ السّلمَ فانتظِرْ

على أنّنا لا نكرهُ السّلمَ فانتظِرْ

مَحيصةُ واصبِرْ إنّها خُطّةٌ فَصْلُ

مَحيصةُ واصبِرْ إنّها خُطّةٌ فَصْلُ

Yet we do not dislike peace, so wait,

Yet we do not dislike peace, so wait,

Muhayyisa, and be patient: this is a decisive course."

Mahaysa, and be patient, for it is the perfect plan.

كذَلِكَ قالوا يمكرون كَدَأْبِهِمْ

كذَلِكَ قالوا يمكرون كَدَأْبِهِمْ

وماذا يُفيْدُ المكرُ أو يَنفعُ الخَتْلُ

وماذا يُفيْدُ المكرُ أو يَنفعُ الخَتْلُ

Thus they spoke, scheming as was their habit.

Thus they spoke, scheming as is their habit,

And what use is scheming, or what good is deceit?

But what does scheming avail, or trickery benefit?

أطالوا المدَى حَتَّى يَروا جَدَّ قومِهم

أطالوا المدَى حَتَّى يَروا جَدَّ قومِهم

وَجَدَّ رسولِ اللَّهِ أيُّهما يَعْلُو

وَجَدَّ رسولِ اللَّهِ أيُّهما يَعْلُو

They drew out the delay until they could see their people's fortune

They prolonged the term until they saw the seriousness of his people,

and the fortune of God's Messenger—which of the two would prevail.

And the seriousness of the Messenger of Allah - which would prevail.

فلمَّا رُمُوا بالحقِّ من حِصْنِ نَاعمٍ

فلمَّا رُمُوا بالحقِّ من حِصْنِ نَاعمٍ

وَقِيْلَ لهم ضاقت بقومِكمُ السُّبْلُ

وَقِيْلَ لهم ضاقت بقومِكمُ السُّبْلُ

Then, when they were struck by the truth from the fortress of Na'im,

When they were driven with truth from the fortress of Na'im,

and were told, "The paths have narrowed for your people,"

And were told, "For your people, the ways have narrowed."

مَشتْ رُسْلُهم للصّلحِ تَهوِي أمامَها

مَشتْ رُسْلُهم للصّلحِ تَهوِي أمامَها

قُلوبٌ هِيَ الكُتْبُ الحثيثةُ والرُّسْلُ

قُلوبٌ هِيَ الكُتْبُ الحثيثةُ والرُّسْلُ

their envoys set out for peace; rushing ahead of them

Their messengers walked to make peace, with hearts before them

were hearts, themselves the swift letters and messengers.

That were agitated scrolls and messages.

يَظَلُّ عَمِيْدُ القومِ نُونُ بنُ يُوشَعٍ

يَظَلُّ عَمِيْدُ القومِ نُونُ بنُ يُوشَعٍ

يَقولُ هَلُمُّوا ذَلِكَ المركبُ السَّهْلُ

يَقولُ هَلُمُّوا ذَلِكَ المركبُ السَّهْلُ

The people's leader, Nun son of Yusha, keeps

The chief of the people, Nu'n son of Yu'sha remains

saying, "Come! That is the easy mount."

Saying, "Come, that is the easy ship."

ولاذُوا بأكنافِ النبيِّ فصادفوا

ولاذُوا بأكنافِ النبيِّ فصادفوا

كرِيماً يُرجَّى عنده العفوُ والفَضْلُ

كرِيماً يُرجَّى عنده العفوُ والفَضْلُ

And they took refuge at the Prophet's side, and found

And take refuge in the wings of the Prophet, where they found

a generous man from whom pardon and bounty were hoped for.

A generous one whose forgiveness and grace are hoped for.

أحلَّ لهم صُلحاً وإنّ دِماءَهم

أحلَّ لهم صُلحاً وإنّ دِماءَهم

وَأمْوَالَهم إن رَدَّهُمْ خُيَّباً حِلُّ

وَأمْوَالَهم إن رَدَّهُمْ خُيَّباً حِلُّ

He granted them peace, though their blood

He made peace permitted for them, and their

and their wealth, had he sent them back disappointed, would have been lawful to take.

Blood and wealth - if he let them be - were permissible.

لئن خُلِقوا لِلُّؤمِ أهلاً فإنّه

لئن خُلِقوا لِلُّؤمِ أهلاً فإنّه

لكلِّ الذي يسمو الكِرامُ به أَهْلُ

لكلِّ الذي يسمو الكِرامُ به أَهْلُ

If they were created fit for baseness, he is surely

If they were created for villainy, yet he

worthy of all through which the noble rise.

Is worthy of all magnanimity attributed to the noble.

له النِّصْفُ من تِلْكَ الحُقولِ يُعِدُّهُ

له النِّصْفُ من تِلْكَ الحُقولِ يُعِدُّهُ

لِكُلِّ فقيرٍ عضَّهُ البؤسُ والأزْلُ

لِكُلِّ فقيرٍ عضَّهُ البؤسُ والأزْلُ

His is half of those fields; he sets it aside

For him is half of those fields, he counts them

for every poor person whom misery and want have bitten.

For every poor one, whom misery and poverty have bitten.

كذلكَ مَوْلَى القومِ يَرْجُونَ ظِلَّهُ

كذلكَ مَوْلَى القومِ يَرْجُونَ ظِلَّهُ

وما خيرُ مولىً لا يَكونُ له ظِلُّ

وما خيرُ مولىً لا يَكونُ له ظِلُّ

Such is the people's patron: they hope for his shade.

Thus the protector of the people, whose shade they hope for,

And what good is a patron who has no shade?

For what good is a protector without shade?