حلولٌ حال أفرقَنا مجالا

حلولٌ حال أفرقَنا مجالا

هَصوراً يقنص الأُسدَ الدِّحالا

هَصوراً يقنص الأُسدَ الدِّحالا

A descent turned our most timid into a prowler,

The time of our separation has arrived

A fierce lion hunting the crafty lions.

Portraying the lion pouncing on the serpent

تقمصْنا به جلبابَ حزمٍ

تقمصْنا به جلبابَ حزمٍ

يقينا سردُه الأمرَ المحالا

يقينا سردُه الأمرَ المحالا

Through it we donned the robe of resolve,

We donned the cloak of resolve

Its linked weave shields us from absurd deeds.

Surely telling the impossible tale

دعانا دعوةً والعقلُ ساهٍ

دعانا دعوةً والعقلُ ساهٍ

فعاد برفده يزهو صقالا

فعاد برفده يزهو صقالا

It called us while the mind was heedless,

He called us with an invitation, though the mind was oblivious

And through its aid the mind shone, burnished bright.

So it returned with its refinement shining smooth

توسَّمْنا به تمثالَ برٍّ

توسَّمْنا به تمثالَ برٍّ

فكان على حقيقته كمالا

فكان على حقيقته كمالا

We discerned in it an image of goodness,

We imagined it a statue of righteousness

And in its true nature it was perfection.

Yet it was in its essence perfection

عَرَوناه على الأكوار لما

عَرَوناه على الأكوار لما

برا من أصلنا داءً عضالا

برا من أصلنا داءً عضالا

We sought it, mounted on camel saddles, when

We presented it to the masses when

It cut an incurable sickness from our root.

A disease, intractable, showed from our origin

وذلك يوم حل ببيت عَنيا

وذلك يوم حل ببيت عَنيا

شعاعٌ أفعمَ المغنى اشتعالا

شعاعٌ أفعمَ المغنى اشتعالا

That was the day there alighted in Bethany

And that was the day rays entered the house of Onias

A ray that filled the dwelling with flame.

A blaze making song erupt into flames

يرفرف فوق رسل اللَه جهراً

يرفرف فوق رسل اللَه جهراً

يضيء بألسنٍ كانت مثالا

يضيء بألسنٍ كانت مثالا

Hovering openly above God's apostles,

It flutters over the messengers of God openly

Shining through tongues that served as a sign.

Lighting with tongues that were exemplary

يؤثِّل فيهمُ فخراً رفيعاً

يؤثِّل فيهمُ فخراً رفيعاً

يدرِّعهم مع الأبدي الجلالا

يدرِّعهم مع الأبدي الجلالا

Establishing lofty honor in them,

Boasting through them a noble pride

Armoring them with majesty beside the Eternal.

Shielding them, together with the Eternal Majesty

وأفشى بينهم سرّاً مصوناً

وأفشى بينهم سرّاً مصوناً

فكان الرمز عندهمُ المقالا

فكان الرمز عندهمُ المقالا

And it revealed among them a guarded secret,

And it divulged among them a guarded secret

So the symbol became speech among them.

Thus the symbol to them was the word

ففاءوا بالفصاحة مذ تَردَّوا

ففاءوا بالفصاحة مذ تَردَّوا

رداءً بالمعالي قد تلالا

رداءً بالمعالي قد تلالا

They returned with eloquence once they donned

So they excelled in eloquence when they donned

A robe that glittered with lofty virtues.

A mantle embroidered with sublime virtues

فكانوا ينطقون بكل فنٍّ

فكانوا ينطقون بكل فنٍّ

لغاتٌ عدُّها يُفضي الكلالا

لغاتٌ عدُّها يُفضي الكلالا

So they spoke in every manner,

Thus they spoke every art

In languages whose counting brings exhaustion.

Tongues, enumerating them, the mind falls short

فسارت فرقةٌ منهم يميناً

فسارت فرقةٌ منهم يميناً

وسارت فرقةٌ منهم شمالا

وسارت فرقةٌ منهم شمالا

One group of them went to the right,

One group went right

And another group of them went to the left.

And one group went left

فبعضٌ قابل البُشرى جنوباً

فبعضٌ قابل البُشرى جنوباً

وبعضٌ قابل البشرى شمالا

وبعضٌ قابل البشرى شمالا

Some received the glad tidings in the south,

Some met good tidings in the south

And some received the glad tidings in the north.

And some met good tidings in the north

فجالوا ثم جابوا كل أرضٍ

فجالوا ثم جابوا كل أرضٍ

ولم يعلو المطايا والجِمالا

ولم يعلو المطايا والجِمالا

They ranged, then traversed every land,

They toured then traversed every land

Without mounting riding beasts or camels.

Neither saddle-beasts nor camels took to flight

فبينا أن تراهم في وهادٍ

فبينا أن تراهم في وهادٍ

تراهم يرقلون بها القِلالا

تراهم يرقلون بها القِلالا

And even as you see them in the hollows,

While you see them in the valleys

You see them hastening through them to the peaks.

You see them climbing up the hills

تراموا مفحمِين بكل قفرٍ

تراموا مفحمِين بكل قفرٍ

تخال الماء في الصحراء آلا

تخال الماء في الصحراء آلا

They fanned out, confounding others, through every wilderness,

They flung themselves, covered in ashes, into every ruin

You would take the water in the desert for a mirage.

Imagining water in the desert, mirages

يخوضون الغمارَ بعزم جأشٍ

يخوضون الغمارَ بعزم جأشٍ

فيحمي سيرُهم فيها النصالا

فيحمي سيرُهم فيها النصالا

They plunge into the deep waters with steadfast courage,

Plunging into the thick dust with fervent resolve

And their advance there heats the spearheads.

Their traveling through it shielded by swords

يذودون الأذى من كل عانٍ

يذودون الأذى من كل عانٍ

فكانوا للرويّات اعتدالا

فكانوا للرويّات اعتدالا

They ward off harm from every sufferer,

Warding off harm from all the helpless

And became a balance for considered judgments.

Thus they were justice for mysteries

فكم ضاءت حنادسُ من ضياهم

فكم ضاءت حنادسُ من ضياهم

وقد كانت ظلاماً بل ضلالا

وقد كانت ظلاماً بل ضلالا

How often deep darkness brightened from their light,

How their lanterns shone with their illumination

Though it had been darkness—rather, error.

When before they were darkness, rather misguidance

تخطُّوا المُخطراتِ وهم مواضٍ

تخطُّوا المُخطراتِ وهم مواضٍ

فصادوا كل من خاض النزالا

فصادوا كل من خاض النزالا

They crossed the perils, resolute,

They overcame dangers while composed

And hunted down everyone who entered combat.

Subduing all who entered into combat

عليهم جَوشَنُ التقوى تقيهم

عليهم جَوشَنُ التقوى تقيهم

ذُبابَ الهند والسُمرَ الطوالا

ذُبابَ الهند والسُمرَ الطوالا

Upon them was piety's breastplate, shielding them

The armor of piety protects them

From the points of Indian blades and long brown spears.

From the flies of India and tall poisonous snakes

وشاحهمُ السوابغ مسبغاتٍ

وشاحهمُ السوابغ مسبغاتٍ

وتلك أمانةٌ تُقصي المِحالا

وتلك أمانةٌ تُقصي المِحالا

Their sash was full-length mail, amply spread,

Their trailing robes dyed

And that was faithfulness, banishing guile.

And that is a trust removing the impossible

وسيفُ الروح في يمنى حماهم

وسيفُ الروح في يمنى حماهم

فلا يخشون منه الإغتيالا

فلا يخشون منه الإغتيالا

The Spirit's sword in their right hand protected them,

The sword of the spirit in their right hand

So they feared no treacherous attack from it.

So they do not fear betrayal from it

وتخفق دونهم راياتُ نصرٍ

وتخفق دونهم راياتُ نصرٍ

تعيد بُدورَ أعداهم هلالا

تعيد بُدورَ أعداهم هلالا

And banners of victory fluttered before them,

The banners of victory flutter below them

Turning their enemies' full moons back into a crescent.

Returning their enemies to crescent shapes

وقد نبذوا الورى عنهم وراءً

وقد نبذوا الورى عنهم وراءً

وقادوا بالوعيد من استقالا

وقادوا بالوعيد من استقالا

They had cast humankind away, behind them,

They discarded the world's reign behind them

And led with threats those who sought release.

And led those who resisted with menace

وطافوا ثم داسوا كلَّّ قَرْمٍ

وطافوا ثم داسوا كلَّّ قَرْمٍ

يَقُدُّ بعزم سطوتِه السَّعالا

يَقُدُّ بعزم سطوتِه السَّعالا

They roamed, then trampled every champion,

They circled then trampled every obstinate tyrant

Who cleaves she-ghouls with the resolve of his assault.

Marching with the might of his coughing

تراهم في المشارق شمسَ نُجحٍ

تراهم في المشارق شمسَ نُجحٍ

كما كانوا بمغربها ظلالا

كما كانوا بمغربها ظلالا

You see them in the east as a sun of success,

You see them in the east, a sun of success

Just as they were shadows at its setting.

As they had been in its west, shadows

لهم من علمهم في كل نادٍ

لهم من علمهم في كل نادٍ

جهابذةٌ يرون الإكتمالا

جهابذةٌ يرون الإكتمالا

Through their learning, in every assembly they have

From their knowledge in every club

Savants who perceive perfection.

There are giants who envision perfection

شُذورُ كلامهم في سلك نظمٍ

شُذورُ كلامهم في سلك نظمٍ

يزيد نحور نائطها جمالا

يزيد نحور نائطها جمالا

Their speech's golden fragments, threaded into verse,

Sparks of their speech in prose composition

Add beauty to the necks of those who wear them.

Add to the necks of its camels beauty

فكان كلامهم في الأرض ملحاً

فكان كلامهم في الأرض ملحاً

يزيلُ فسادها والإغتيالا

يزيلُ فسادها والإغتيالا

Their speech thus became salt upon the earth,

Thus their speech on earth was salt

Removing its corruption and treachery.

Expelling its corruption and treachery

فأين العائشون بها بجهلٍ

فأين العائشون بها بجهلٍ

وأين الشائدون بها الضلالا

وأين الشائدون بها الضلالا

Where, then, are those living there in ignorance?

Then where are those living in it in ignorance?

And where are those who build up error there?

And where are those who in it have gone astray?

وأين بها ملوك الروم طرّاً

وأين بها ملوك الروم طرّاً

فكم صال الغبي بها وجالا

فكم صال الغبي بها وجالا

And where are all the kings of the Romans upon it?

And where in it are the arrogant kings of Rome

How often a fool charged and roamed upon it!

So many the foolish have trod upon it and wandered

وكم كانت بها اليونان تعلو

وكم كانت بها اليونان تعلو

بحكمتها ارتقاءً واختيالا

بحكمتها ارتقاءً واختيالا

And how often Greece rose high upon it,

And how high the Greeks in it rose

Ascending proudly through its wisdom.

In their wisdom, climbing and vaunting

وكم ألقت نفوسٌ من علاءٍ

وكم ألقت نفوسٌ من علاءٍ

كأن بفَلق منطقها نِبالا

كأن بفَلق منطقها نِبالا

And how many souls cast words down from on high,

And how many noble souls

As though their dazzling speech were filled with arrows.

As if its eloquent speech were arrows

ففاجتهم على ذُعرٍ رجالٌ

ففاجتهم على ذُعرٍ رجالٌ

سَراةٌ لا يهابون الرجالا

سَراةٌ لا يهابون الرجالا

Then men surprised them amid terror,

So they took them by surprise in panic

Noble men who feared no men.

Men, horsemen, who do not fear men

تراهم مرسَلين وهم سيادٌ

تراهم مرسَلين وهم سيادٌ

يُحيلُ الذيبَ أضعفُهم غزالا

يُحيلُ الذيبَ أضعفُهم غزالا

You see them sent forth, while they are lords,

You see them unleashed while they are lions

Their weakest turns the wolf into a gazelle.

The weakest of them turns the wolf into a gazelle

فأعيَوا كلَّ منطيقٍ قَوُولٍ

فأعيَوا كلَّ منطيقٍ قَوُولٍ

فولى وهو يشكو الإنخذالا

فولى وهو يشكو الإنخذالا

They confounded every fluent, prolific speaker,

So they exhausted every strong orator

Who turned away, lamenting his defeat.

Who then turned away complaining of withdrawal

فكم من ميّتٍ نشروه لما

فكم من ميّتٍ نشروه لما

أروه بالصليب الإشتمالا

أروه بالصليب الإشتمالا

How many a dead man they raised, when

And how many dead they revived when

They showed him the embrace of the cross.

They saw them wearing the cross

وكم من أكمهٍ أبرَوا عماه

وكم من أكمهٍ أبرَوا عماه

فأبصر بعدها ضَوّاً تلالا

فأبصر بعدها ضَوّاً تلالا

And how many a man born blind they cured of blindness,

And how many blind they cured of blindness

Who afterward saw a gleaming light.

Who then saw plains after hills

وكم من أحسبٍ قد طهروه

وكم من أحسبٍ قد طهروه

وزادوه جمالاً بل كمالا

وزادوه جمالاً بل كمالا

And how many a leper they cleansed,

And how many madmen they purified

Increasing his beauty—indeed, his perfection.

And increased in beauty, indeed perfection

وكم متشيطنٍ زانوا حِجاه

وكم متشيطنٍ زانوا حِجاه

برسم صليبهم رسماً تعالى

برسم صليبهم رسماً تعالى

And how many a possessed man's mind they adorned

And how many possessed they freed

With the sign of their cross, a sign exalted.

Adorning their brows with the sign exalted

وكم من مقعدٍ حلُّوا بعزمٍ

وكم من مقعدٍ حلُّوا بعزمٍ

شكائمَه فحاز الإنتقالا

شكائمَه فحاز الإنتقالا

And for how many a cripple they resolutely loosened

And how many paralyzed, with resolve,

His bridle-bits, so he gained the power to move.

They enabled to move freely

وكم من أبكمٍ قد أنطقوه

وكم من أبكمٍ قد أنطقوه

غدا قسَّ الفصاحة فاستقالا

غدا قسَّ الفصاحة فاستقالا

And how many a mute they made speak,

And how many mutes they made speak

Who became eloquence's Quss, then sought release.

Who then attained mastery of rhetoric

وقادوا الحائدين إلى هُداءٍ

وقادوا الحائدين إلى هُداءٍ

ولما اندقَّ طودُ الكفر مالا

ولما اندقَّ طودُ الكفر مالا

And they led the straying to guidance,

And led the straying into guidance

And when unbelief's mountain was shattered, it slumped.

And when the wall of unbelief inclined

ولما أشرقت شمس المُعزِّي

ولما أشرقت شمس المُعزِّي

بأفق الرسل مزَّقَت المِحالا

بأفق الرسل مزَّقَت المِحالا

And when the sun of the Comforter rose

And the sun of the Comforter rose

On the apostles' horizon, it tore deceit apart.

On the horizon of the messengers, tearing through barriers

فكانوا كالشهور الغر عدّاً

فكانوا كالشهور الغر عدّاً

أو الأبراج حكماً واعتدالا

أو الأبراج حكماً واعتدالا

They were like the radiant months in number,

They were like the noble months in number

Or the zodiac signs in governance and balance.

Or constellations in wisdom and composure

زعيمُهم الصفا وبها عِياناً

زعيمُهم الصفا وبها عِياناً

يَفُلُّ عناد شانيه انفلالا

يَفُلُّ عناد شانيه انفلالا

Their leader is Safa, the Rock; there, in plain sight,

Their chief, the Pristine, through whom is perception

He utterly breaks his hater's stubbornness.

The obstinacy of his detractors crushed into collapse

ولما أن قضى بديار روما

ولما أن قضى بديار روما

رئيساً صاب فيها الإنتقالا

رئيساً صاب فيها الإنتقالا

And when he died in the land of Rome,

And when in the land of Rome he passed

As leader, he met his passing there.

As leader, transitioning there

وخلَّف بعده حبراً جليلاً

وخلَّف بعده حبراً جليلاً

حليماً يَرؤُسُ الدنيا كمالا

حليماً يَرؤُسُ الدنيا كمالا

He left after him a venerable prelate,

He left behind him an eminent patriarch

Forbearing, presiding perfectly over the world.

Wise, presiding over the world perfectly

فما زالت له الخلفاء تتلو

فما زالت له الخلفاء تتلو

إلى أيامنا بل لن تزالا

إلى أيامنا بل لن تزالا

His successors have never ceased to follow him,

Thus for him successors followed continuously

Down to our days—indeed, they never shall.

To our present day, and will not cease to

ترى كرسيَّه يوماً فيوماً

ترى كرسيَّه يوماً فيوماً

به الآثار تُفهمُك الجلالا

به الآثار تُفهمُك الجلالا

You see his throne, day after day,

You see his throne daily

The traces upon it make you understand majesty.

By it, traces make you comprehend majesty

له منا السلام ونحن ندعو

له منا السلام ونحن ندعو

بطاعته يميناً أو شمالا

بطاعته يميناً أو شمالا

Peace to him from us, while we call

From us, peace, as we pray

For obedience to him, to right or left.

With obedience to him, right or left