سَبيلُك في مَرضاةِ ربِّكَ يا بِشرُ

سَبيلُك في مَرضاةِ ربِّكَ يا بِشرُ

وفي حقِّهِ فَادْأَبْ وإن فَدَح الأمرُ

وفي حقِّهِ فَادْأَبْ وإن فَدَح الأمرُ

Your path lies in pleasing your Lord, O Bishr.

O Human your path to pleasing your Lord, so be diligent even if the matter becomes difficult

And persevere in fulfilling His due, even if the task is heavy.

Give generously to the sons of Ka'b so take their charity

عليكَ بني كعبٍ فَخُذْ صَدقَاتِهم

عليكَ بني كعبٍ فَخُذْ صَدقَاتِهم

ولا تَأْلُهم نُصحاً لهم ولك الأجرُ

ولا تَأْلُهم نُصحاً لهم ولك الأجرُ

Attend to the sons of Ka'b and collect their alms;

And do not ask them for advice, for you the reward and for them

and withhold no counsel from them; theirs and yours is the reward.

They obeyed you in the matter of God and accepted

أطاعوكَ في ذاتِ الإله وأقبلوا

أطاعوكَ في ذاتِ الإله وأقبلوا

كِراماً يرونَ الدّينَ أن يُبذَلَ البِرُّ

كِراماً يرونَ الدّينَ أن يُبذَلَ البِرُّ

They obeyed you for God's sake and came forward,

Honorably seeing the religion that good be given

noble men, who see religion as the bestowing of goodness.

What is wrong with Tameem, how badly did the clan of Tameem act

فما لتميمٍ ساء ما صنعتْ بَنُو

فما لتميمٍ ساء ما صنعتْ بَنُو

تميمٍ أما للقومِ رأيٌ ولا حِجْرُ

تميمٍ أما للقومِ رأيٌ ولا حِجْرُ

So what ails Tamim? Evil was the deed of the sons

As if the people have no mind or honour

of Tamim! Have these people neither judgment nor reason?

They refused to give the right and their group became enraged

أبَوْا أن يُؤدُّوا الحقَّ واهْتاجَ جَمعُهُم

أبَوْا أن يُؤدُّوا الحقَّ واهْتاجَ جَمعُهُم

فَعَبَّ عُبابُ البغيِ وَاحْتَدَمَ الشّرُّ

فَعَبَّ عُبابُ البغيِ وَاحْتَدَمَ الشّرُّ

They refused to pay what was due, and their gathering grew agitated.

The gates of mischief opened and evil foamed

So rebellion's flood surged, and evil flared fiercely.

The clan of Ka'b say leave us and our religion

يَقولُ بنو كعبٍ دَعونا وَدِينَنا

يَقولُ بنو كعبٍ دَعونا وَدِينَنا

وهيهاتَ لجَّ الشِّركُ واستكبرَ الكُفْرُ

وهيهاتَ لجَّ الشِّركُ واستكبرَ الكُفْرُ

The sons of Ka'b say, 'Leave us and our religion alone!'

Alas the idolatry is firmly set and disbelief has become arrogant

But in vain! Idolatry persisted, and unbelief grew arrogant.

For you O Bishr, God suffices so return without sorrow

لك اللَّهُ يا بِشرٌ فَعُدْ غيرَ آسفٍ

لك اللَّهُ يا بِشرٌ فَعُدْ غيرَ آسفٍ

لِربّكَ فيهم حُكمُهُ ولكَ العُذْرُ

لِربّكَ فيهم حُكمُهُ ولكَ العُذْرُ

God be with you, O Bishr! Return without regret;

For your Lord’s judgment on them and for you the excuse

your Lord has His judgment concerning them, and you are excused.

You came to the Messenger of God relating their talk

أتيتَ رسولَ اللَّهِ تَروِي حديثَهم

أتيتَ رسولَ اللَّهِ تَروِي حديثَهم

فهيّجتَ بأساً مثلما يَقِدُ الجَمْرُ

فهيّجتَ بأساً مثلما يَقِدُ الجَمْرُ

You came to God's Messenger, recounting their story,

So you stirred up violence like burning embers

and roused a fury like embers blazing.

Ibn Hisham prepared for the fight and supported him

أعدَّ ابنَ حِصنٍ للوغَى وأمدَّهُ

أعدَّ ابنَ حِصنٍ للوغَى وأمدَّهُ

بكلِّ شديدِ البأسِ مَطعمُهُ مُرُّ

بكلِّ شديدِ البأسِ مَطعمُهُ مُرُّ

He readied Ibn Hisn for battle and reinforced him

With all the fiercely powerful, their ingestion bitter

with every warrior of fierce might, bitter to the taste.

If he tastes it in the heat of battle, his spear

إذا ذاقهُ في غمرةِ الحربِ قَرْنُه

إذا ذاقهُ في غمرةِ الحربِ قَرْنُه

تنكَّبَ يلوِي أخْدَعَيْهِ ويزوَرُّ

تنكَّبَ يلوِي أخْدَعَيْهِ ويزوَرُّ

When his opponent tastes him in the thick of war,

Turns away twisting his cheeks and writhing

he swerves away, twisting his neck and turning aside.

He attacked them and took their lives as plunder

أغارَ عليهم فَاسْتَباحَ نُفوسَهم

أغارَ عليهم فَاسْتَباحَ نُفوسَهم

وأموالَهم فَلْيَنظروا لِمَن الخُسْرُ

وأموالَهم فَلْيَنظروا لِمَن الخُسْرُ

He raided them, taking their persons as spoil,

And their wealth, so let them see for whom is the loss

and their wealth; let them see who bears the loss.

Their female captives and livestock are led together

تُساقُ سبَاياهُم وأنعامُهم معاً

تُساقُ سبَاياهُم وأنعامُهم معاً

بأعينِهم من كلِّ أوْبٍ وهُمْ كُثْرُ

بأعينِهم من كلِّ أوْبٍ وهُمْ كُثْرُ

Their captive women and their livestock are driven off together,

Before their eyes from every ravine while they are many

before their eyes, from every quarter, though they are many.

They wish they could rescue them but alas panic has taken hold and terror has spread

تَودُّ لو اَنَّ القومَ يَستنقِذُونها

تَودُّ لو اَنَّ القومَ يَستنقِذُونها

وهيهاتَ لَجَّ الرُّعْبُ واستفحلَ الذُّعْرُ

وهيهاتَ لَجَّ الرُّعْبُ واستفحلَ الذُّعْرُ

The captives wish their people would rescue them,

They remained in anger and Uyaynah returned

but in vain! Fear persisted, and panic ran rampant.

With diverse booty and signs of his valour

أقاموا على غَيْظٍ وعادَ عُيينَةٌ

أقاموا على غَيْظٍ وعادَ عُيينَةٌ

مَغانِمُهُ شتَّى وآثارُهُ غُرُّ

مَغانِمُهُ شتَّى وآثارُهُ غُرُّ

They remained in rage, and Uyayna returned,

In his conspicuous victory armour is a delight

his spoils manifold, his exploits radiant.

When its brilliance combines, victory smiles

عليه من النَّصرِ المحجَّلِ بَهجةٌ

عليه من النَّصرِ المحجَّلِ بَهجةٌ

إذا ائتلفتْ أوضاحُها ضَحِكَ النَّصْرُ

إذا ائتلفتْ أوضاحُها ضَحِكَ النَّصْرُ

He bore the splendor of white-stockinged victory;

The enemy captives remain in the house of Ramlah

when its bright markings came together, victory smiled.

Suffering from imprisonment and captivity

يظَلُّ أسارَى القومِ في دارِ رَملةٍ

يظَلُّ أسارَى القومِ في دارِ رَملةٍ

مجازيعَ مما يصنعُ الحبسُ والأسرُ

مجازيعَ مما يصنعُ الحبسُ والأسرُ

The people's captives remain in Ramla's house,

They saw the evil consequence so their delegation came

deeply distressed by what imprisonment and captivity inflict.

And the prisoners cried "Affliction has touched us!"

رأوا سوءَ عُقباهم فأقبلَ وفدُهم

رأوا سوءَ عُقباهم فأقبلَ وفدُهم

وضَجَّ الأسارى إنّنا مسَّنا الضُرُّ

وضَجَّ الأسارى إنّنا مسَّنا الضُرُّ

They saw their bitter fate, and their delegation came,

Their young children cry and their women weep

and the captives cried, 'Affliction has indeed touched us!'

The agony of sorrow pouring down in torrents

تصِيحُ ذراريهم وتَبكِي نِساؤُهم

تصِيحُ ذراريهم وتَبكِي نِساؤُهم

وجهدُ الأسى أن تَهطِلَ الأدمعُ الغُزْرُ

وجهدُ الأسى أن تَهطِلَ الأدمعُ الغُزْرُ

Their children cry out, and their women weep;

They came to the house of the wisest and most determined of men

and grief reaches its utmost in the pouring of abundant tears.

For a mishap that is common or a sudden disaster

أتوا دارَ أمضَى النّاسِ رأياً وهِمّةً

أتوا دارَ أمضَى النّاسِ رأياً وهِمّةً

لنائبةٍ تُعتادُ أو حادثٍ يَعْرُو

لنائبةٍ تُعتادُ أو حادثٍ يَعْرُو

They came to the house of the most decisive of men in judgment and resolve,

They call to him in tumult behind which

to face a recurring calamity or a misfortune that befalls.

Had they patience it would have sufficed them

يُنادونه في ضجَّةٍ من وَرائِها

يُنادونه في ضجَّةٍ من وَرائِها

ولو ملكوا صبراً لأغناهمُ الصَّبْرُ

ولو ملكوا صبراً لأغناهمُ الصَّبْرُ

They call to him in a clamor from behind it;

"Come out to us and look today who of us

and had they possessed patience, patience would have sufficed them.

Has the highest honour, glory and pride"

ألا اخْرُج إلينا وانظرِ اليومَ أيُّنا

ألا اخْرُج إلينا وانظرِ اليومَ أيُّنا

له الشّرفُ العالي الذُّرى وله الفَخْرُ

له الشّرفُ العالي الذُّرى وله الفَخْرُ

'Come now, come out to us, and see today which of us

When they saw him emerge, they clung to him

has honor with lofty summits, and has the glory!'

Neither the call to prayer nor rebuke discouraged them

فلمّا رأوه خارجاً عَلِقوا بهِ

فلمّا رأوه خارجاً عَلِقوا بهِ

ولم يَثنِهم صَوتُ الأذينِ ولا الزَّجْرُ

ولم يَثنِهم صَوتُ الأذينِ ولا الزَّجْرُ

So when they saw him coming out, they clung to him;

He prayed as the soul carries its diffusion

and neither the muezzin's voice nor rebuke deterred them.

With no vibration to describe its murmur or diffusion

قضاها صلاةً يحملُ الرُّوحُ نَشْرَها

قضاها صلاةً يحملُ الرُّوحُ نَشْرَها

فلا أرَجٌ يحكي شذاها ولا نَشْرُ

فلا أرَجٌ يحكي شذاها ولا نَشْرُ

He completed the prayer, whose fragrance the Spirit carries;

He returned dignified, looking at the people around him

for no scent can match its perfume, nor any fragrance.

With arrogance that does not diminish and pride within them

وعاد حميداً يَنظرُ القومَ حولَه

وعاد حميداً يَنظرُ القومَ حولَه

لهم صَلفٌ ما يَنقَضِي وبهم كِبْرُ

لهم صَلفٌ ما يَنقَضِي وبهم كِبْرُ

He returned, worthy of praise, looking at the people around him;

They speak the words of the ignorant, and babble

their conceit never ends, and they are full of pride.

Rarely benefits the people or is useful

يقولون قولَ الجاهلين وقلّما

يقولون قولَ الجاهلين وقلّما

يُفيدُ الهُراءُ القومَ أو يَنفعُ الهُجْرُ

يُفيدُ الهُراءُ القومَ أو يَنفعُ الهُجْرُ

They utter the words of the ignorant, and seldom

He said, "Hold back, and stop your friends, you only

does nonsense benefit a people, or foul speech help them.

Wanted a position which poetry and prose fall short of

عُطارِدُ مَهْلاً وانْهَ صَحْبَكَ إنّما

عُطارِدُ مَهْلاً وانْهَ صَحْبَكَ إنّما

أردتُم مقاماً دُونَه الشِّعرُ والنَّثْرُ

أردتُم مقاماً دُونَه الشِّعرُ والنَّثْرُ

Utarid, gently! Restrain your companions; you have only

Indeed the words of truth are what Thabit spoke

sought a station above both poetry and prose.

And Hassaan, so witness that only the noble witness"

ألا إنّ قَولَ الصِّدقِ ما قال ثابِتٌ

ألا إنّ قَولَ الصِّدقِ ما قال ثابِتٌ

وحَسّانُ فاشْهَدْ إنّما يشهدُ الحُرُّ

وحَسّانُ فاشْهَدْ إنّما يشهدُ الحُرُّ

Indeed, truthful speech is what was spoken by Thabit

The Messenger of God's orator, no doubt in him

and Hassan; bear witness, for only a free man bears witness.

And his poet, none like him, a dutiful poet

خطيبُ رسولِ اللهِ ما فيه مِرْيةٌ

خطيبُ رسولِ اللهِ ما فيه مِرْيةٌ

وشاعرُه ما مِثلُهُ شاعِرٌ بَرُّ

وشاعرُه ما مِثلُهُ شاعِرٌ بَرُّ

The orator of God's Messenger—there is no doubt about him;

You were defeated so you submitted, good tidings of a blessing

and his poet has no equal among righteous poets.

You were loved by a Lord, for Him thanks and gratitude

غُلبتم فأسلمتم فَبُشرَى بنعمةٍ

غُلبتم فأسلمتم فَبُشرَى بنعمةٍ

حباكم بها ربٌّ له الحمدُ والشُّكْرُ

حباكم بها ربٌّ له الحمدُ والشُّكْرُ

You were defeated and embraced Islam; glad tidings of a blessing

Take the captives and prisoners, this is your reward

bestowed on you by a Lord, to whom belong praise and thanks.

The generous gift of the Benevolent, unlimited

خُذوا السَّبْيَ والأسرَى وهذا عطاؤكم

خُذوا السَّبْيَ والأسرَى وهذا عطاؤكم

عطاءُ كريمٍ ما لآلائِهِ حَصْرُ

عطاءُ كريمٍ ما لآلائِهِ حَصْرُ

Take the captives and the prisoners; this is your gift,

Love the Messenger of God, O people, for his

the gift of a generous giver whose favors have no limit.

Love is bounty and his pleasure is treasure

أحِبُّوا رسولَ اللهِ يا قومُ إنّه

أحِبُّوا رسولَ اللهِ يا قومُ إنّه

مَحبَّتُه غُنْمٌ ومَرضاتُه ذُخْرُ

مَحبَّتُه غُنْمٌ ومَرضاتُه ذُخْرُ

Love God's Messenger, O people; indeed,

Kind to the weak, giving them his favour

loving him is gain, and pleasing him a treasure.

Forgiving forbearing, his breast is not straitened

عَطوفٌ على ذِي الضّعفِ يُؤتيهِ فضله

عَطوفٌ على ذِي الضّعفِ يُؤتيهِ فضله

عفوٌّ حليمٌ ما يضيق له صدرُ

عفوٌّ حليمٌ ما يضيق له صدرُ

Compassionate toward the weak, he bestows his bounty on them;

Hold to the Criterion, reciting its verses

forgiving and forbearing, his breast is never straitened.

For that is the light of God, nothing else covers

أقيموا على الفرقان تتلون آيَهُ

أقيموا على الفرقان تتلون آيَهُ

فذلك نورُ اللهِ ما دونه سِتْرُ

فذلك نورُ اللهِ ما دونه سِتْرُ

Hold fast to the Criterion, reciting its verses;

A book that illuminates the paths in every rising

for that is God's light, with no veil before it.

For every child of night, from its horizons a dawn

كتابٌ يُضِيءُ السُّبْلَ في كلِّ مطلعٍ

كتابٌ يُضِيءُ السُّبْلَ في كلِّ مطلعٍ

لكلِّ ابن ليلٍ من مطالعهِ فَجْرُ

لكلِّ ابن ليلٍ من مطالعهِ فَجْرُ

A book that lights the paths at every rising;

Take your provision from it, and return to your people

from its risings comes a dawn for every son of night.

For there is no provision like it, O you who travel

خُذوا زادَكم منهُ وعُودوا لقومِكم

خُذوا زادَكم منهُ وعُودوا لقومِكم

فَما ثَمَّ زادٌ مثله أيّها السَّفْرُ

فَما ثَمَّ زادٌ مثله أيّها السَّفْرُ

Take your provisions from it, and return to your people;

for there are no provisions like it, O travelers.