وقال أيضاً:

وقال أيضاً:

البسيط

البسيط

And he also said:

Do not swear by truth or lies,

The al-Basīṭ meter

For if you refuse, swear by Allah,

لا تَحلِفَنَّ عَلى صِدقٍ وَلا كِذبٍ

لا تَحلِفَنَّ عَلى صِدقٍ وَلا كِذبٍ

فَإِن أَبَيتَ فَعَدِّ الحَلفَ بِاللَهِ

فَإِن أَبَيتَ فَعَدِّ الحَلفَ بِاللَهِ

Never swear, whether truthfully or falsely.

For you have hinted at a meaning that has news,

But if you insist, then swear by God.

And minds are awed by its miraculous eloquence and divinity.

فَقَد أَشَرتَ إِلى مَعنىً لَهُ نَبَأٌ

فَقَد أَشَرتَ إِلى مَعنىً لَهُ نَبَأٌ

وافى العُقولَ بِإِعجازٍ وَإيلاهِ

وافى العُقولَ بِإِعجازٍ وَإيلاهِ

For you have alluded to a concept whose tidings

Every rational being fears His punishment,

have reached minds, baffling and bewildering them.

Even if the heedless fool wraps himself in denial's garb.

يَخافُ كُلُّ رَشيدٍ مِن عُقوبَتِهِ

يَخافُ كُلُّ رَشيدٍ مِن عُقوبَتِهِ

وَإِن تَلَفَّعَ ثَوبَ الغافِلِ اللاهي

وَإِن تَلَفَّعَ ثَوبَ الغافِلِ اللاهي

Every discerning person fears His punishment,

even if he wraps himself in the robe of the heedless trifler.