لَقَد جاءَ قَومٌ يَدَّعونَ فَضيلَةً

لَقَد جاءَ قَومٌ يَدَّعونَ فَضيلَةً

وَكُلُّهُمُ يَبغي لِمُهجَتِهِ نَفعا

وَكُلُّهُمُ يَبغي لِمُهجَتِهِ نَفعا

Indeed, people have come claiming virtue,

They came claiming virtue,

yet each seeks benefit for his own soul.

Each seeking benefit for his tribe,

وَما اِنخَفَضوا كَي يَرفَعوكُم وَإِنَّما

وَما اِنخَفَضوا كَي يَرفَعوكُم وَإِنَّما

رأوا خَفضَكُم طولَ الحَياةِ لَهُم رَفعا

رأوا خَفضَكُم طولَ الحَياةِ لَهُم رَفعا

They did not lower themselves to raise you; rather,

Not lowering themselves to raise you -

they saw your lifelong abasement as their own elevation.

Rather, they saw your lowness as raising them high.

وَما ثَبَّتوا مِن شاهِدٍ يُهتَدى بِهِ

وَما ثَبَّتوا مِن شاهِدٍ يُهتَدى بِهِ

فَإِن لَزَموا دَعواهُمُ فَاِلزَموا الدَفعا

فَإِن لَزَموا دَعواهُمُ فَاِلزَموا الدَفعا

They have established no proof by which one might be guided;

They established no proof to follow;

so if they persist in their claim, persist in refuting it.

If they insist on their claim, then insist on rejecting it.

نَدينُ بِأَنَّ اللَهَ وِترٌ وَخَوفُهُ

نَدينُ بِأَنَّ اللَهَ وِترٌ وَخَوفُهُ

رَشادٌ فَصَلّوا الوَتَرَ في الدَهرِ وَالشَفَعا

رَشادٌ فَصَلّوا الوَتَرَ في الدَهرِ وَالشَفَعا

We profess that God is One, and that fear of Him

We believe God is Odd, and fear of Him

is right guidance; so offer odd and even prayers throughout life.

Is guidance - so pray the witr in life and in pairs.

وَدُنياكُمُ الدارُ الَّتي ما تَضَمَّنَت

وَدُنياكُمُ الدارُ الَّتي ما تَضَمَّنَت

زَكيّاً فَلا تَبكوا أَثافِيَّها السُفعا

زَكيّاً فَلا تَبكوا أَثافِيَّها السُفعا

And your world is the abode that has never held

Your world is an abode that contains

anyone pure; so do not weep for its soot-blackened hearthstones.

No righteous man - so weep not for its foolish ones.