1. رب الورى في عرشه

    وجنودُه بين الملا

    The Lord of humankind is on His throne,

    and His hosts are among the multitude.

  2. هم ينجدون عقولنا

    نحو الفضيلة والتقى

    They help our minds

    toward virtue and piety.

  3. إبليس أضحى وَجدَهُ

    يُغوي نفوس ذوي النهى

    Iblis now stands [alone],

    seducing the souls of those endowed with reason.

  4. فنميل نحن إليه حَسْ

    بُ ولا نميل إلى الهدى

    So we incline only to him,

    and do not incline toward guidance.

  5. فاعجب لعقلٍ عاقلٍ

    قد ضل طوعاً بالهوى

    So marvel at a rational mind

    that has willingly strayed through desire.

  6. أين الأمانة والرجا

    أين المحبة والحِجى

    Where are faithfulness and hope?

    Where are love and reason?

  7. أضحى غريقَ الجهل في

    بحر الضلالة والعمى

    It has drowned in ignorance, in

    the sea of error and blindness.

  8. قد كان يمكنه الهدى

    لكنه طَوعاً أبى

    Guidance had been within its reach,

    yet it willingly refused.

  9. فهو المسلِّط رأَيه

    بالإختيار بما يرى

    For it gives its own judgment sway,

    by choice, as it sees fit.

  10. ما زال يسحبُ ذاتَه

    عن ربه حتى عتا

    It kept drawing itself away

    from its Lord until it grew rebellious.

  11. يا من خطوتَ إلى الردى

    لا تعتبنَّ على الخُطى

    O you who have stepped toward ruin,

    do not blame the steps.

  12. إذ أنت صِرتَ مخيراً

    من مُبدعٍ فيما مضى

    For you were given freedom to choose

    by a Creator long ago.

  13. فقد ابتدعتَ خلائقاً

    أخفت من الخير الصُوَى

    For you have devised habits

    that hid the waymarks of goodness.

  14. أفليس للإنسان في ال

    أرزاق إلّا ما سعى

    Does a person not have, in the

    means of sustenance, only what he strives for?

  15. أين المقدَّرُ قل لنا

    والعقل يصنع ما يرى

    Where is predestination? Tell us,

    while reason does what it sees fit.

  16. فعلام تهجو سارقاً

    وعلام تمدح من وفى

    So why do you revile a thief,

    and why praise one who keeps faith?

  17. إن كنت يا ذا مجبراً

    فاللَه يظلم من جنى

    If you are compelled, O man,

    then God would wrong the wrongdoer.

  18. أفسدت شرع اللَه وال

    أحكام طرّاً والقضا

    You would have undone God's law and the

    rulings, all of them, and judgment.

  19. زال الثواب عن التقى

    وكذا العقاب عن الخطا

    Reward for piety would vanish,

    and likewise punishment for wrongdoing.

  20. كذب الكتابُ فلا صلا

    ةَ ولا قنوتَ ولا دُعا

    Scripture would be false: no prayer,

    nor devotion, nor supplication.

  21. حاشا لربٍّ عادلٍ

    بقضائه بين الورى

    Far be it from a Lord who is just

    in His judgment among humankind

  22. يبدو لدينا جائراً

    أو قاسياً مثل العدى

    to appear unjust to us,

    or cruel like enemies.

  23. لا تشْكُ أنك مجبرٌ

    فيما تراه يا فتى

    Do not complain that you are compelled

    in what you see fit, young man.

  24. دع عنك غيَّك واحتشم

    ليس التبسم كالبكا

    Put aside your waywardness and show restraint;

    smiling is not like weeping.

  25. أبدعت إنساناً بشب

    هِ اللَه في هذا الحجى

    You were created human, in the likeness

    of God, in this faculty of reason,

  26. متسلطاً متخيراً

    بين الضلالة والهدى

    self-governing and free to choose

    between error and guidance.

  27. فالخير خيرك إن بدا

    والشر شرك إن جرى

    So good is yours if it appears,

    and evil is yours if it occurs.

  28. أنت المثاب على الرضا

    أنت المَدينُ على الأذى

    You are rewarded for what wins approval;

    you are held accountable for harm.

  29. اختار يوداس الردى

    واختار توبته الصفا

    Judas chose ruin,

    and Cephas chose repentance for himself.

  30. لا مجبرٌ هذا به

    حقّاً ولا ذاكَ بذا

    This one was not compelled to it,

    truly, nor that one to this.

  31. فارحم حياتك وانتزح

    عما تراه من الخطا

    So have mercy on your life and draw away

    from whatever wrongdoing you perceive.

  32. يوماً تدان وتَقتضي

    ذاك الجزاء بلا مِرا

    One day you will be judged and receive

    that recompense, without dispute,

  33. إن صالحاً أو طالحاً

    ولكل مَرْءٍ ما نوى

    whether you are righteous or wicked;

    and each person shall have what he intended.