إِنif كُنتِyou are جاهِلَةًignorant بِقَوميَof my people فاسأليthen ask
إِن كُنتِ جاهِلَةً بِقَوميَ فاسألي
أَينَwhere النُبُوَّةُprophethood وَالقَضاءُand judgment الفاصِلُdecisive
أَينَ النُبُوَّةُ وَالقَضاءُ الفاصِلُ
If you do not know my people, then ask:
If you are ignorant of my people then ask
Where are prophethood and decisive judgment,
Where is the prophecy and the decisive judgment
وَالعِزَّةُand might القَعساءُunassailable يلمَعُgleams دونَهاbefore it
وَالعِزَّةُ القَعساءُ يلمَعُ دونَها
بيضُbright blades الصَوارِمِkeen swords وَالوَشيجُand reed-spears الذابِلُslender
بيضُ الصَوارِمِ وَالوَشيجُ الذابِلُ
And unassailable might, before which gleam
And the sturdy glory flashing beyond it
Bright, keen swords and slender reed-spears?
The white swords and the drooping blade
أَينَwhere المَنابِرُpulpits وَالمَشاعِرُand sacred sites وَالصَفاand al-Safa
أَينَ المَنابِرُ وَالمَشاعِرُ وَالصَفا
وَالرُكنُand the Corner وَالبَيتُand the House الحَرامُsacred الماثِلُstanding in view
وَالرُكنُ وَالبَيتُ الحَرامُ الماثِلُ
Where are the pulpits, the sacred sites, and al-Safa,
Where are the pulpits, the places of worship, and Al-Safa
And the Corner and the Sacred House standing in view?
The corner and the Sacred House which stands
أَينَwhere الحَجيجُthe pilgrims مُحَلِّقينَshaving رُؤوسَهُمtheir heads
أَينَ الحَجيجُ مُحَلِّقينَ رُؤوسَهُم
وَمُقَصِّرينَand trimming their hair فَطائِفٌthen one circumambulating أَوor زامِلُwalking briskly
وَمُقَصِّرينَ فَطائِفٌ أَو زامِلُ
Where are the pilgrims, shaving their heads
Where are the pilgrims circling with shaven heads
And trimming their hair, then circling or hastening along?
Whether grouping in ranks or worn out
أَينَwhere المُلوكُthe kings خَواضِعاًbowed أَعناقُهاtheir necks
أَينَ المُلوكُ خَواضِعاً أَعناقُها
وَالوَحشُand wild beasts آمِنَةُsafe السُروحِgrazing هَوامِلُroaming untended
وَالوَحشُ آمِنَةُ السُروحِ هَوامِلُ
Where are the kings, their necks bowed,
Where are the kings, their necks bent in humility
And wild beasts grazing safely, roaming untended?
And the wild beasts secure, pregnant and burdened
قَوميmy people أولئِكَthose إِنif سَأَلتِyou ask وَإِنَّماand only
قَومي أولئِكَ إِن سَأَلتِ وَإِنَّما
يَجلوclears away العَمىblindness عَنهُfrom himself اللَبيبُthe discerning one السائِلُthe questioner
يَجلو العَمى عَنهُ اللَبيبُ السائِلُ
Those are my people, if you ask; and only
My people - if you ask about them, then indeed
The discerning questioner clears blindness from himself.
The insightful questioner's blindness is removed
اللَهُGod يَعلَمُknows حَيثُwhere يَجعَلُHe places أَمرَهُHis authority
اللَهُ يَعلَمُ حَيثُ يَجعَلُ أَمرَهُ
ماnot عالِمٌone who knows أَمراًa matter كَمَنlike one who هُوَhe جاهِلُignorant
ما عالِمٌ أَمراً كَمَن هُوَ جاهِلُ
God knows where He places His authority;
God knows where He places His command
One who knows a matter is not like one who is ignorant.
No scholar knows a command like one ignorant
Sol 6.1