اللهُ أكبرُ والآياتُ ترتَسِمُ

اللهُ أكبرُ والآياتُ ترتَسِمُ

والدَّهرُ يجري بما يُبدي له القَلَمُ

والدَّهرُ يجري بما يُبدي له القَلَمُ

God is greatest, and the signs take shape.

God is the Greatest, and the signs are etched

And time runs its course according to what the pen reveals to it.

And time flows with what the pen reveals

العَدلُ أقْوَمُ ما تحيا الشُّعوبُ به

العَدلُ أقْوَمُ ما تحيا الشُّعوبُ به

وخيرُ ما رَتَعَتْ في ظِلِّهِ الأممُ

وخيرُ ما رَتَعَتْ في ظِلِّهِ الأممُ

Justice is the soundest thing by which peoples live,

Justice is the most upright that nations live by

And the best thing in whose shade nations have grazed at ease.

And the best that people grazed in its shade

وطاعةُ اللهِ مفتاحُ الرَّخاءِ، ومَنْ

وطاعةُ اللهِ مفتاحُ الرَّخاءِ، ومَنْ

يُعْرِضْ عنِ الحقِّ يومًا سوف يَنْحَطِمُ

يُعْرِضْ عنِ الحقِّ يومًا سوف يَنْحَطِمُ

Obedience to God is the key to prosperity, and whoever

Obeying God is the key to prosperity, and he who

Turns away from truth one day will be shattered.

Turns away from the truth one day will shatter

وما بَنيتَ على العصيانِ مِن عَرَضٍ

وما بَنيتَ على العصيانِ مِن عَرَضٍ

وإنْ علا ساعةً لا بدَّ يَنْهَدِمُ

وإنْ علا ساعةً لا بدَّ يَنْهَدِمُ

And whatever worldly goods you have built upon disobedience,

What you built on disobedience, of false glory

Even if they rise for an hour, must collapse.

Though high for an hour, will inevitably crumble

ألا ترى القومَ بعدَ العيشِ في رَغَدٍ

ألا ترى القومَ بعدَ العيشِ في رَغَدٍ

أمسوا ومُلكهُمُ بالخزيِ مرتطمُ

أمسوا ومُلكهُمُ بالخزيِ مرتطمُ

Do you not see how those people, after living in ease,

Don’t you see people after living in luxury

Have ended with their dominion dashed against disgrace?

Ended while their kingdom in disgrace collided

هم شيَّدوا صرْحَ بغيٍ تحتَه هلكوا

هم شيَّدوا صرْحَ بغيٍ تحتَه هلكوا

وهم أداروا كؤوسَ الذلِّ تُفْتدَمُ

وهم أداروا كؤوسَ الذلِّ تُفْتدَمُ

They erected an edifice of oppression beneath which they perished;

They built a palace of sin under which they perished

And they passed round cups of humiliation, fitted with cloth covers.

And they passed around the cups of humiliation to be drained

وهم أعدُّوا لهذا الشَّرِّ عُدَّتَه

وهم أعدُّوا لهذا الشَّرِّ عُدَّتَه

واللهُ مِن فوقِهم ما فوقه حَكَمُ

واللهُ مِن فوقِهم ما فوقه حَكَمُ

And they readied this evil's equipment;

And they prepared for this evil its tools

And God is above them; no judge is above Him.

While God above them, nothing above Him, ruled

قد كان فيمن مضوا مِنْ قبلهم عظةٌ

قد كان فيمن مضوا مِنْ قبلهم عظةٌ

والدَّهرُ أصْدَقُ وعظًا لو هُمُ علموا

والدَّهرُ أصْدَقُ وعظًا لو هُمُ علموا

There was indeed a lesson in those who passed before them,

There was advice in those who passed before them

And time is the truest admonisher, if only they knew.

And time is most sincere in advice, had they only known

لم يَنْظروا عِبَرَ الأيَّامِ خَلْفهُمُ

لم يَنْظروا عِبَرَ الأيَّامِ خَلْفهُمُ

واللهُ يهدي الهُدَى مَن كان يعتزمُ

واللهُ يهدي الهُدَى مَن كان يعتزمُ

They did not consider the lessons of the days behind them,

They did not look at the lessons of the days behind them

And God guides aright whoever has firm resolve.

And God guides to guidance whoever intends

ألستَ تعلمُ أنَّ اللهَ مطَّلِعٌ

ألستَ تعلمُ أنَّ اللهَ مطَّلِعٌ

يعفو ويصفحُ أو إنْ شاءَ يَنتقمُ

يعفو ويصفحُ أو إنْ شاءَ يَنتقمُ

Do you not know that God is watchful,

Don’t you know that God is All-Seeing

Forgiving and pardoning—or, if He wills, taking vengeance?

Forgiving and pardoning, or if He wills, punishing

قد قُلتُها قبلُ لولا أنهم غفلوا

قد قُلتُها قبلُ لولا أنهم غفلوا

عَمُوا وصمُّوا فما تُلفَى لهم هِمَمُ

عَمُوا وصمُّوا فما تُلفَى لهم هِمَمُ

I said it before—if only they had not been heedless.

I said it before, had they not been heedless

They went blind and deaf; no high resolve is found in them.

Blinded and deafened, so no resolve was found in them

طافت عليهم شياطينُ الضَّلالِ فما

طافت عليهم شياطينُ الضَّلالِ فما

عَصَوا وما خالَفوها حيث تأتَزِمُ

عَصَوا وما خالَفوها حيث تأتَزِمُ

The devils of error circled over them, so they did not

The devils of misguidance hovered over them, so they neither

Disobey or oppose them where matters grew dire.

Disobeyed nor opposed them wherever they were resolute

لو كان منهم بصيرٌ غير ذي وَسَنٍ

لو كان منهم بصيرٌ غير ذي وَسَنٍ

لكنْ أبَوا غير كِبْرٍ باتَ يرتغمُ

لكنْ أبَوا غير كِبْرٍ باتَ يرتغمُ

If only there were among them one clear-sighted, free of drowsiness!

Had there been an insightful one among them, not stubborn

But they would have nothing but arrogance, now humbled in the dust.

But they refused except arrogance, persisting in anguish

فأشعَلوها حروبًا ما لها أمَدٌ

فأشعَلوها حروبًا ما لها أمَدٌ

وأطعَموها أناسًا ما لهم حَرَمُ

وأطعَموها أناسًا ما لهم حَرَمُ

So they ignited wars that had no end,

So they ignited wars without end

And fed them people who had no sanctuary.

And fed it people without sanctity

ألا يرونَ نكالَ اللهِ قد بدَرتْ

ألا يرونَ نكالَ اللهِ قد بدَرتْ

منه السَّوابقُ فهْي الآن تلتهمُ

منه السَّوابقُ فهْي الآن تلتهمُ

Do they not see God's chastisement? Already there have appeared

Do they not see God’s torment has manifested

From Him its harbingers, and now they devour.

From it the precedents, and now consuming

اللهُ سنَّ لنا شرعًا وبيَّنه

اللهُ سنَّ لنا شرعًا وبيَّنه

لمنْ أراد الهُدَى، مِن دونِه الظُّلَمُ

لمنْ أراد الهُدَى، مِن دونِه الظُّلَمُ

God laid down a law for us and made it clear

God decreed for us a law and clarified it

For whoever desires guidance; apart from it lies darkness.

For whoever wants guidance, without it is darkness

ما كان فرعونُ إلا بالذين هُمُ

ما كان فرعونُ إلا بالذين هُمُ

قد عاضَدُوه فهُمْ مِن تحتِه خَدَمُ

قد عاضَدُوه فهُمْ مِن تحتِه خَدَمُ

Pharaoh was what he was only through those who

Pharaoh was none other than those who

Had supported him; they were servants beneath him.

Supported him, so they are beneath him servants

لو أنهم تركوه دُونَ غايتِه

لو أنهم تركوه دُونَ غايتِه

لارتدَّ عنها بئيسًا وهْو معتصمُ

لارتدَّ عنها بئيسًا وهْو معتصمُ

Had they left him short of his goal,

Had they left him short of his goal

He would have turned back from it, wretched, though holding fast.

He would have retreated from it, despaired and steadfast

لكنَّهم أورَدُوه شرَّ ما وردتْ

لكنَّهم أورَدُوه شرَّ ما وردتْ

به النُّفوسُ، وحبلُ الغيِّ منسجمُ

به النُّفوسُ، وحبلُ الغيِّ منسجمُ

But they led him to the worst that

But they brought him the worst of what souls deliver

Souls have encountered, while the cord of error flowed smoothly.

And the rope of misguidance interwoven

هم يمكرون وربُّ العرشِ يُمهِلُهم

هم يمكرون وربُّ العرشِ يُمهِلُهم

والنَّاسُ في غفلةٍ والخطْبُ مُفتغمُ

والنَّاسُ في غفلةٍ والخطْبُ مُفتغمُ

They scheme, and the Lord of the Throne grants them respite,

They scheme and the Lord of the Throne delays them

While people are heedless, and calamity is overwhelming.

While people are heedless and calamity is brewing

أيَرتَجونَ خُلودًا لا أبا لهُمُ

أيَرتَجونَ خُلودًا لا أبا لهُمُ

والموتُ يحصدُ مَنْ سارتْ به قَدَمُ

والموتُ يحصدُ مَنْ سارتْ به قَدَمُ

Do they hope for immortality—may they have no father—

Do they hope for immortality, no end to them?

While death reaps all whom their feet have carried?

While death reaps those whose feet walked

أم كذَّبوا بالذي جاءَ الكتابُ به

أم كذَّبوا بالذي جاءَ الكتابُ به

أعنِي النُّشُورَ، فجلَّ الخَطْبُ والنَّدمُ

أعنِي النُّشُورَ، فجلَّ الخَطْبُ والنَّدمُ

Or have they denied what the Book has brought?

Or did they deny what the Book came with

I mean resurrection; how great the calamity and remorse!

Meaning the Resurrection, so the plight and regret are great

لقد رأيتُ عُرَى الأيَّامِ واثقةً

لقد رأيتُ عُرَى الأيَّامِ واثقةً

والنَّاسُ مِن حولِها ما إنْ لهم ذِمَمُ

والنَّاسُ مِن حولِها ما إنْ لهم ذِمَمُ

I have indeed seen the bonds of the days held firm,

I have seen the nakedness of days confident

While the people around them have no scruples.

While people around it, they have no integrity

لقد تكشَّفَ هذا الخطْبُ عن دَخَنٍ

لقد تكشَّفَ هذا الخطْبُ عن دَخَنٍ

قد كان طَيَّ قلوبٍ حرُّها شَبِمُ

قد كان طَيَّ قلوبٍ حرُّها شَبِمُ

This calamity has indeed laid bare a taint

This plight has been revealed to reek

That had lain within the folds of hearts whose heat was cold.

Of hearts that were veiled, their madness concealed

وأصبحَ اليومَ كلٌّ يدَّعي شَرَفًا

وأصبحَ اليومَ كلٌّ يدَّعي شَرَفًا

والأمرُ عمَّا قريبٍ سوف يرتَسِمُ

والأمرُ عمَّا قريبٍ سوف يرتَسِمُ

And today everyone has come to claim honor,

And today everyone claims nobility

And the matter will soon take shape.

But the matter, soon, will be etched

ثُرْنا لأجْل سلامٍ بات مُطَّرحًا

ثُرْنا لأجْل سلامٍ بات مُطَّرحًا

والحربُ تبدو بَصِيصًا ثم تحتدمُ

والحربُ تبدو بَصِيصًا ثم تحتدمُ

We rose up for peace that lay cast aside,

We revolted for peace, now discarded

And war appears as a glimmer, then rages.

And war seems a glimmer, then rages

ثُرنا لأجْل رخاءٍ ضاعَ مُذْ زَمَنٍ

ثُرنا لأجْل رخاءٍ ضاعَ مُذْ زَمَنٍ

فالعيشُ مضطربٌ والصَّفوُ منعدمُ

فالعيشُ مضطربٌ والصَّفوُ منعدمُ

We rose up for prosperity lost long ago,

We revolted for prosperity, lost for ages

For life is troubled, and serenity is absent.

So living disturbed and harmony nonexistent

ثُرنا لعزَّةِ نفسٍ سامَ عِزَّتَها

ثُرنا لعزَّةِ نفسٍ سامَ عِزَّتَها

قومٌ أباحوا شقاءً باتَ يَلتهمُ

قومٌ أباحوا شقاءً باتَ يَلتهمُ

We rose up for the dignity of a soul whose honor was debased

We revolted for dignity, its dignity poisoned

By people who sanctioned misery that has come to devour.

By people who permitted misery that consumes

والنَّفسُ تصبرُ حينًا ثم يدفعُها

والنَّفسُ تصبرُ حينًا ثم يدفعُها

إلى الخلاصِ إباءٌ ليس يرتجمُ

إلى الخلاصِ إباءٌ ليس يرتجمُ

And the soul endures a while, then is driven

And the soul perseveres a while, then defiance drives it

Toward deliverance by a refusal to yield that does not falter.

To salvation, an unwillingness not translating

وللأمورِ على علَّاتها حِوَلٌ

وللأمورِ على علَّاتها حِوَلٌ

لكلِّ داءٍ دواءٌ ثُمَّ ينحسمُ

لكلِّ داءٍ دواءٌ ثُمَّ ينحسمُ

And affairs, for all their ills, have their turns;

For matters have changes on their causes

Every ailment has a remedy, and then is ended.

Every illness has a cure, then it is settled

كم ضيَّعوا مِنْ تقيٍّ غيرِ ذي صَخَبٍ

كم ضيَّعوا مِنْ تقيٍّ غيرِ ذي صَخَبٍ

لم يبغِ إلا كفافًا وهْو محتكمُ

لم يبغِ إلا كفافًا وهْو محتكمُ

How many a pious man, free of clamor, have they ruined,

How many virtuous without noise they wasted

Who sought only subsistence, while appealing for judgment!

Only wanting basic, while submitting

كم ضيَّعوا تحت سقفِ الظُّلمِ مِن خُلُقٍ

كم ضيَّعوا تحت سقفِ الظُّلمِ مِن خُلُقٍ

وكم أبادوا وكم جاروا وكم أثِمُوا

وكم أبادوا وكم جاروا وكم أثِمُوا

How much virtue have they squandered beneath oppression's roof,

How much morality under oppression they wasted

And how often annihilated, how often oppressed, how often sinned!

And how many they destroyed and how much they sinned

وكم دعاءٍ عليهم باتَ يُطْلِقُهُ

وكم دعاءٍ عليهم باتَ يُطْلِقُهُ

قلبٌ نقيٌّ طهورٌ ليس يَجترمُ

قلبٌ نقيٌّ طهورٌ ليس يَجترمُ

And how many a prayer against them has been sent forth

And how much cursing on them the hearts unleashed

By a pure, stainless heart that commits no sin!

A heart pure and immaculate, no sins engraving

قد ضيَّعوا الدِّينَ والدُّنيا فما ربِحوا

قد ضيَّعوا الدِّينَ والدُّنيا فما ربِحوا

إلا النَّدامةَ تغشاهم وتصطدمُ

إلا النَّدامةَ تغشاهم وتصطدمُ

They have squandered religion and worldly life, and gained nothing

They wasted religion and life, so they gained

But remorse that envelops them and crashes into them.

Nothing but regret overwhelming and colliding