أَلاAh! مَنْwho مُبْلِغٌwill convey عَنِّيon my behalf عَلِيًّاto Ali
أَلا مَنْ مُبْلِغٌ عَنِّي عَلِيًّا
وَقاهُmay He protect him اللهُGod صَرْفَthe vicissitudes of النَّائِباتِmisfortunes
وَقاهُ اللهُ صَرْفَ النَّائِباتِ
Ah, who will convey to Ali on my behalf—
O you who can send word to Ali
may God shield him from the turns of misfortune—
May God protect him from misfortunes
مَقالاًa message لَمْnot يكُنْwas وَأَبِيكَby your father مَيْناًa lie
مَقالاً لَمْ يكُنْ وَأَبِيكَ مَيْناً
وَلمْand not أَسْلُكْI followed بِهِwith it طُرُقَthe paths of السُّعاةِthe slanderers
وَلمْ أَسْلُكْ بِهِ طُرُقَ السُّعاةِ
a message that, by your father, is no lie,
Saying what was never said before
nor have I followed the slanderers' paths with it?
And I have not followed the ways of the greedy
أَصِخْlisten closely لِيَبُثَّكَso it may confide to you الإِسْلامُIslam شَكْوىa complaint
أَصِخْ لِيَبُثَّكَ الإِسْلامُ شَكْوى
تُلِينُsoftens لَهُtoward it الْقُلُوبَthe hearts الْقاسِياتِthe hardened
تُلِينُ لَهُ الْقُلُوبَ الْقاسِياتِ
Listen, so Islam may pour out to you a complaint
Pour out to him the grievances of Islam
that softens hardened hearts toward it.
To soften the hardened hearts
فَلَيْسَfor there is no لِنَصْرِهِto aid it مَلِكُa king يُرَجيّis hoped for
فَلَيْسَ لِنَصْرِهِ مَلِكُ يُرَجيّ
سِواكَexcept you الْيَوْمَtoday ياO مَجْدَglory of الْقُضاةِthe judges
سِواكَ الْيَوْمَ يا مَجْدَ الْقُضاةِ
For no king is looked to for its defense
For none but you can be hoped
but you today, O glory of the judges.
To help it today, O pride of judges
لأَعْياhave indeed exhausted الْمُسْلِمِينَthe Muslims يَهُودُJews of سُوءٍevil
لأَعْيا الْمُسْلِمِينَ يَهُودُ سُوءٍ
فَماso not تَحْمِيprotect الْحُصُونُthe fortresses الْمُحْصَناتِthe fortified
فَما تَحْمِي الْحُصُونُ الْمُحْصَناتِ
Wicked Jews have indeed worn the Muslims down,
The evil Jews have wearied the Muslims
so fortified strongholds afford no protection.
So that fortresses offer no protection
وَلاnor لِلْمُورِدِfor the one leading to water الْمَلْعُونِthe accursed وِرْدٌa watering place
وَلا لِلْمُورِدِ الْمَلْعُونِ وِرْدٌ
سِوىexcept أَبْنائِهِمْtheir sons بَعْدَafter الْبَناتِthe daughters
سِوى أَبْنائِهِمْ بَعْدَ الْبَناتِ
Nor has the accursed guide to water a watering place
And for the damned invader there is no deterrence
but their sons, after their daughters.
Except their sons after their daughters
يَبِيتُhe spends the night مُجاهِداًstriving بِالْفِسْقِin debauchery فِيهِمْamong them
يَبِيتُ مُجاهِداً بِالْفِسْقِ فِيهِمْ
فَتَحْسِبُهُso you think him يُطالِبُto be demanding بِالتِّراتِblood-vengeance
فَتَحْسِبُهُ يُطالِبُ بِالتِّراتِ
He spends the night striving in debauchery among them,
He spends the night striving immorally among them
so you would think he was demanding blood-vengeance.
And you would think he is demanding compensation
بِأَيَّةِby what حُجَّةٍwarrant أَمْor أَيِّwhat حُكْمٍruling
بِأَيَّةِ حُجَّةٍ أَمْ أَيِّ حُكْمٍ
أُحِلَّwas made lawful لَهُfor him سِفاحُfornication with الْمُسْلِماتِMuslim women
أُحِلَّ لَهُ سِفاحُ الْمُسْلِماتِ
By what warrant, or what ruling,
By what authority or judgment
was fornication with Muslim women made lawful for him?
Is he permitted to violate Muslim women?
أَماis there not أَحَدٌanyone يَغارُguards honor jealously عَلَىover حَريمٍwomenfolk
أَما أَحَدٌ يَغارُ عَلَى حَريمٍ
أَماتَتْhas died? غِيرَةُthe protective jealousy of الْعَرَبِthe Arabs النُّخاةِthe proud
أَماتَتْ غِيرَةُ الْعَرَبِ النُّخاةِ
Is no one jealous for the honor of the womenfolk?
Is there no one who is jealous over the harem
Has the proud Arabs' protective jealousy died?
The jealousy of honorable Arabs has died?
أَنامَتhave slept? فيin الغمودthe scabbards سيوفthe swords of طيTayy
أَنامَت في الغمود سيوف طي
أمor انقطعتhave snapped متونthe blades of المرهفاتthe keen-edged swords
أم انقطعت متون المرهفات
Have Tayy's swords fallen asleep in their scabbards,
Have the sharp swords slept in their sheaths
or have the blades of the keen-edged swords snapped?
Or the blades of Indian steel been blunted?
أَماindeed لَوْif كَانَthere were لِلإِسْلامِfor Islam عَيْنٌan eye
أَما لَوْ كَانَ لِلإِسْلامِ عَيْنٌ
لَجادَتْit would surely pour forth بِالدُّمُوعِwith tears الْجارِياتِflowing
لَجادَتْ بِالدُّمُوعِ الْجارِياتِ
Indeed, if Islam had an eye,
If Islam had an eye
it would pour forth flowing tears.
It would shed copious tears
دَعاكَhas called you الدِّينُthe faith دَعْوَةَthe plea of مُسْتَجِيرٍone seeking refuge
دَعاكَ الدِّينُ دَعْوَةَ مُسْتَجِيرٍ
بِعَدْلِكَin your justice مِنْfrom أُمُورٍmatters فاضِحاتِdisgraceful
بِعَدْلِكَ مِنْ أُمُورٍ فاضِحاتِ
The faith has called you with a plea for refuge
Religion calls you with the plea of one who seeks refuge
in your justice from disgraceful deeds.
For your justice from shameless affairs
لَعَلَّكَperhaps you غاسِلٌa cleanser لِلْعارِof the shame عَنْهُfrom it
لَعَلَّكَ غاسِلٌ لِلْعارِ عَنْهُ
بِسَيْفِكَwith your sword ياO حَلِيفَally of الْمَكْرُماتِnoble deeds
بِسَيْفِكَ يا حَلِيفَ الْمَكْرُماتِ
Perhaps you will wash its shame away
Perhaps you will wash away its dishonor
with your sword, O ally of noble deeds.
With your sword, O ally of glorious deeds
تَنَلْyou will gain أَجْراًa reward وَذِكْراًand renown سَوْفَwill يَبْقىremain
تَنَلْ أَجْراً وَذِكْراً سَوْفَ يَبْقى
عَلَيْكَupon you مَعَwith اللَّيالِيthe nights الْباقِياتِremaining
عَلَيْكَ مَعَ اللَّيالِي الْباقِياتِ
You will win a reward and renown that will remain
You will gain reward and undying fame
yours through the nights to come.
As long as the nights and days remain
أَمِثْلُكَis one like you مَنْsomeone who يَجُوزُcan be passed off عَلَيْهِon him هذاthis
أَمِثْلُكَ مَنْ يَجُوزُ عَلَيْهِ هذا
بِخُبْثِthrough the wickedness of مِحالِهِhis cunning وَالتُّرَّهاتِand empty tales
بِخُبْثِ مِحالِهِ وَالتُّرَّهاتِ
Can one like you be taken in by this,
One like you - how can this be allowed him
through his wicked cunning and empty tales?
With his wicked behavior and deceit?
وَماand not قَلَّgrew scarce الْوَرىpeople حَتّىso that تَراهُyou deem him
وَما قَلَّ الْوَرى حَتّى تَراهُ
مَكاناًa place لِلصَّنِيعةِfor favor فِيamong السُّراةِthe nobles
مَكاناً لِلصَّنِيعةِ فِي السُّراةِ
And people have not grown so scarce that you should deem him
The land has not diminished until he sees it
a worthy recipient of favor among the nobles.
As a place for his shameful trade in the dwellings
فَقَدْfor indeed مَلأَhas filled الْبِلادَthe lands لَهُabout him حَدِيثٌa tale
فَقَدْ مَلأَ الْبِلادَ لَهُ حَدِيثٌ
يُرَدَّدُis repeated بَيْنَamong أَفْواهِthe mouths of الرُّواةِthe narrators
يُرَدَّدُ بَيْنَ أَفْواهِ الرُّواةِ
For a tale of him has filled the lands,
Talk of him has filled the country
repeated from mouth to mouth by those who tell it.
Passed between the mouths of narrators
يَشُقُّis grievous عَلَىto الْوَلِيِّthe friend إِذاwhen أَتاهُit reaches him
يَشُقُّ عَلَى الْوَلِيِّ إِذا أَتاهُ
وَيَشْمِتُand makes them gloat مَعْشَرَthe company of الْقَوْمِthe people الْعُداةِthe enemies
وَيَشْمِتُ مَعْشَرَ الْقَوْمِ الْعُداةِ
It grieves a friend when it reaches him,
It is hard on the ruler when he hears of it
and makes the company of hostile foes gloat.
And the company of aggressors rejoice
فَخُذْso exact لِلهِfor God مِنْهُfrom him بِكُلِّfor every حَقٍّright
فَخُذْ لِلهِ مِنْهُ بِكُلِّ حَقٍّ
وَلاand do not تَضَعِlift الْحُدُودَthe prescribed penalties عَنِfrom الزُّناةِfornicators
وَلا تَضَعِ الْحُدُودَ عَنِ الزُّناةِ
So exact every due from him for God's sake—
So take what is His right against him
and do not waive the prescribed penalties for fornicators—
And do not fail to punish the adulterers
بِقَتْلٍby killing أَوْor بِحَرْقٍby burning أَوْor بِرَجْمٍby stoning
بِقَتْلٍ أَوْ بِحَرْقٍ أَوْ بِرَجْمٍ
يُكَفِّرُexpiates مِنْsome of عَظِيمِthe grievous السَّيِّئاتِsins
يُكَفِّرُ مِنْ عَظِيمِ السَّيِّئاتِ
by killing, or burning, or stoning
With death, burning, or stoning
that expiates some grievous sins.
To atone for the great sins
وَلاand do not تَغْفِرْforgive لَهُfor him ذَنْباًa sin فَيَضْرىlest he grow emboldened
وَلا تَغْفِرْ لَهُ ذَنْباً فَيَضْرى
فَبَعْضُfor some الْعَفْوِclemency أَغْرىis more encouraging لِلْجُناةِto offenders
فَبَعْضُ الْعَفْوِ أَغْرى لِلْجُناةِ
And forgive him no sin, lest he grow emboldened,
And do not forgive him any sin, so he will repeat it
for some clemency further emboldens offenders.
For some pardon makes sinners more daring
لِيَعْلَمَso they may know مَنْwhoever بِأَرْضِin the land of النِّيلِthe Nile أَضْحىhas come to dwell
لِيَعْلَمَ مَنْ بِأَرْضِ النِّيلِ أَضْحى
وَمَنْand whoever حَلَّsettled by الْفُراتَthe Euphrates إلىas far as الصَّراةِal-Sarat
وَمَنْ حَلَّ الْفُراتَ إلى الصَّراةِ
So that those who now dwell in the land of the Nile may know,
So those in the land of the Nile will know
and those settled by the Euphrates as far as al-Sarat,
And those who have crossed the Euphrates to settle
بِأَنَّكَthat you مِنْهُمُthan they لِلْعَدْلِfor justice أَشْهىare more eager
بِأَنَّكَ مِنْهُمُ لِلْعَدْلِ أَشْهى
وَأَرْغَبُand more desirous فِيof التُّقىpiety وَالصَّالِحاتِand righteous deeds
وَأَرْغَبُ فِي التُّقى وَالصَّالِحاتِ
that you are more eager for justice than they,
That you are most zealous among them for justice
and more desirous of piety and righteous deeds,
And most desirous of piety and good deeds
وَأَغْضَبُهُمْand the fiercest of them لِدِينِfor the faith of اللهِGod سَيْفاًwith the sword
وَأَغْضَبُهُمْ لِدِينِ اللهِ سَيْفاً
وَأَقْتَلُand the deadliest لِلْجَبابِرَةِto tyrants الْعُتاةِthe defiant
وَأَقْتَلُ لِلْجَبابِرَةِ الْعُتاةِ
and the fiercest of them with the sword for God's faith,
And most angry when the swords clash
and the deadliest to defiant tyrants.
Against the mighty tyrannous chiefs
إِذاif أَمْرٌa matter أُضِيعَis neglected مِنَby الرَّعاياthe subjects
إِذا أَمْرٌ أُضِيعَ مِنَ الرَّعايا
فَإِنَّthen indeed اللَّوْمَthe blame فِيهِfor it عَلَىon الرُّعاةِthe shepherds
فَإِنَّ اللَّوْمَ فِيهِ عَلَى الرُّعاةِ
If a matter is neglected by the subjects,
For if the common people are wronged
then the blame for it falls on the shepherds.
The blame is on the rulers
Sol 6.1