أَقومُI undertake بِفَرضِthe obligatory service of العامِرِيَّةِal-ʿĀmiriyya وَالنَفلِand voluntary service
أَقومُ بِفَرضِ العامِرِيَّةِ وَالنَفلِ
وَأَصدِقُهاand I am true to her فيin القَصدِintention وَالقَولِand speech وَالفِعلِand deed
وَأَصدِقُها في القَصدِ وَالقَولِ وَالفِعلِ
I offer al-ʿĀmiriyya obligatory and voluntary service,
and am true to her in intention, speech, and deed.
وَآتيand I go إِلىtoward ماwhat تُشَهّيهِshe desires وَإِنand even if يَكُنit is
وَآتي إِلى ما تُشَهّيهِ وَإِن يَكُن
مَريراًbitter وَجَدتُI find المُرَّbitterness مِثلَlike جَنيِthe harvest of النَحلِthe bees
مَريراً وَجَدتُ المُرَّ مِثلَ جَنيِ النَحلِ
I go toward whatever she desires, and even if it be
bitter, I find bitterness like the bees’ harvest.
وَأَمضىand I press on إِلىtoward ماwhat تَبتَغيهِshe seeks وَإِنand even if غَداit becomes
وَأَمضى إِلى ما تَبتَغيهِ وَإِن غَدا
وَمِنand from دونِbefore البيضِthe gleaming blades الصَوارِمِthe sharp ones وَالنيلِand the Nile
وَمِن دونِ البيضِ الصَوارِمِ وَالنيلِ
And I press on toward what she seeks, even should there stand
in the way gleaming, sharp swords and the Nile.
وَأَمنَحُهاand I grant her وُدّيmy affection وَأَحفَظُand I preserve عَهدَهاher covenant
وَأَمنَحُها وُدّي وَأَحفَظُ عَهدَها
وَأَرقُبُهاand I attend to her فيin حاليthe two states of الوَجدُplenty وَالقَلِّand scarcity
وَأَرقُبُها في حالي الوَجدُ وَالقَلِّ
I give her my affection and keep her covenant,
and attend to her in both plenty and want.
قَضَيتُI spent شَبابيmy youth فيin قَضاءِfulfilling حُظوظِهاher desires
قَضَيتُ شَبابي في قَضاءِ حُظوظِها
وَهَذاand this مَشيبيmy gray old age قَدalready تَهَيَّأَhas become ready لِلنَزُلِfor lodging
وَهَذا مَشيبي قَد تَهَيَّأَ لِلنَزُلِ
I spent my youth satisfying her desires,
and here is my gray old age, now ready for lodging.
وَلَمand did not أَرَI see مِنهاfrom her مُذsince عَلِقتُI became attached بِحُبِّهاto her love سِوىanything except الthe (continued next line)
وَلَم أَرَ مِنها مُذ عَلِقتُ بِحُبِّها سِوى ال
غَمصُcontempt وَالإِصرارُand obstinacy وَالبُخلُand stinginess بِالوَصلِwith union
غَمصُ وَالإِصرارُ وَالبُخلُ بِالوَصلِ
Since I became attached to her love, I have seen from her nothing but
contempt, obstinacy, and the withholding of union.
سَأَمضيI shall go لِشأَنيabout my affairs وَأَطرِحُهاand cast her aside وَشَأنُهاand her affairs
سَأَمضي لِشأَني وَأَطرِحُها وَشَأنُها
فَشُغليfor my preoccupation بِهاwith her قَدindeed بانَhas proved مِنamong أَقبَحِthe foulest الشُغلِpursuits
فَشُغلي بِها قَد بانَ مِن أَقبَحِ الشُغلِ
I shall go about my own affairs and leave her to hers,
for my preoccupation with her has proved among the foulest pursuits.
وَأَصَلتُand I unsheathed مِنfrom غِمدِthe sheath of السَجِيَّةِmy nature مُرهَفاًa keen blade
وَأَصَلتُ مِن غِمدِ السَجِيَّةِ مُرهَفاً
مِنَof العَزمِresolve ماضٍkeen قَدindeed تَحاشاhas kept clear عَنِof الفُلِّchipping
مِنَ العَزمِ ماضٍ قَد تَحاشا عَنِ الفُلِّ
From the sheath of my nature I have drawn a keen blade
of resolve, sharp and untouched by chipping.
وَإِنَّand indeed اِمرِأَa man تَلَقّاهُyou encounter him يَطلُبُdemanding حَقَّهُhis due
وَإِنَّ اِمرِأَ تَلَقّاهُ يَطلُبُ حَقَّهُ
وَيُذهِلُand is heedless عَنof شَيءٍsomething عَلَيهِowed by him لَذوis surely possessed of جَهلِignorance
وَيُذهِلُ عَن شَيءٍ عَلَيهِ لَذو جَهلِ
A man whom you meet demanding his rights,
yet heedless of what he owes, is surely ignorant.
وَشاهِدand a sign of إِفلاسَthe bankruptcy of الفَتىa young man جَهلَignorance of عَيبِهِhis own fault
وَشاهِد إِفلاسَ الفَتى جَهلَ عَيبِهِ
وَذِكرُand recounting عُيوبِthe faults of العالَمينَall people مِنَof العَقلِreason
وَذِكرُ عُيوبِ العالَمينَ مِنَ العَقلِ
A sign of a young man’s bankruptcy is ignorance of his own faults,
and recounting everyone else’s faults—a bankruptcy of reason.
وَإِيّاكَand beware أَنthat تَختارَyou choose صُحبَةَthe company of مَنsomeone تَرىyou see
وَإِيّاكَ أَن تَختارَ صُحبَةَ مَن تَرى
لَهُhe has ظاهِراًan outward appearance يُعجِبُكَthat pleases you مِنfrom قَبلُbefore أَنthat تَبلىyou test
لَهُ ظاهِراً يُعجِبُكَ مِن قَبلُ أَن تَبلى
Beware of choosing the company of someone you see
whose outward appearance pleases you, before you have tested him.
لَقَدindeed عَزَّhas become rare فيin هَذاthis الزَمانِage مُوافِقَa congenial companion
لَقَد عَزَّ في هَذا الزَمانِ مُوافِقَ
يُعينُكَwho helps you فيin مَجدٍhonor وَيَنهاكَand restrains you عَنfrom سَفلِbaseness
يُعينُكَ في مَجدٍ وَيَنهاكَ عَن سَفلِ
Rare indeed in this age is a congenial companion
who helps you toward honor and restrains you from baseness.
إِذاwhen قُلتَyou speak خَيراًgood قالَhe says لَبَّيَكَat your service مَسرَعاًhastening
إِذا قُلتَ خَيراً قالَ لَبَّيَكَ مَسرَعاً
وَإِنand if قُلتَyou speak شَرّاًevil قالَhe says أَقليكَI shun you أَوor تَقليyou shun me
وَإِن قُلتَ شَرّاً قالَ أَقليكَ أَو تَقلي
When you speak good, he hastens to say, “At your service!”
But if you speak evil, he says, “I shall shun you, or you shall shun me.”
فَماso what is عَيشُthe life of مَنone who يُمسيreaches evening وَيُصبِحُand reaches morning فاقِداًlacking
فَما عَيشُ مَن يُمسي وَيُصبِحُ فاقِداً
أَخاa brother of ثِقَةِtrust مَأمونٍdependable فيin الجِدِّearnestness وَالهَزَلِand jest
أَخا ثِقَةِ مَأمونٍ في الجِدِّ وَالهَزَلِ
What life is there for one who passes evening and morning lacking
a trusted brother, dependable in earnest and in jest,
يُوازِرُهُwho supports him فيin كُلِّevery أَمرٍundertaking يَرومُهُhe pursues
يُوازِرُهُ في كُلِّ أَمرٍ يَرومُهُ
وَيَحفَظُهُand safeguards him فيin المالِwealth وَالنَفسِand person وَالأَهلِand family
وَيَحفَظُهُ في المالِ وَالنَفسِ وَالأَهلِ
who supports him in every undertaking he pursues,
and safeguards him in wealth, person, and family?
مُظاهَرَةُmutual support among الإِخوانِbrothers أَمرٌa matter مُقَرَّرٌestablished
مُظاهَرَةُ الإِخوانِ أَمرٌ مُقَرَّرٌ
عَلَيهِupon it يَدورُturns الشَأنَthe affair فَاِستَوصِso take good care بِالخَلِّof the friend
عَلَيهِ يَدورُ الشَأنَ فَاِستَوصِ بِالخَلِّ
Brothers’ mutual support is an established duty;
all affairs turn upon it, so care well for your friend.
أَمّاindeed إِنَّtruly هَذاthis الدَهرَage قَدindeed ظَلَّhave remained أَهلُهُits people
أَمّا إِنَّ هَذا الدَهرَ قَد ظَلَّ أَهلُهُ
هُمومَهُمtheir concerns فيin لِذَّةِthe pleasure of الفَرَجِthe loins وَالأَكلِand eating
هُمومَهُم في لِذَّةِ الفَرَجِ وَالأَكلِ
Indeed, the people of this age have kept
their concerns on the pleasures of the loins and eating,
وَفيand in جَمعٍamassing مالَwealth خَوفَfor fear of فَقرَpoverty فَأَصبَحواso they have become
وَفي جَمعٍ مالَ خَوفَ فَقرَ فَأَصبَحوا
وَقَدand already لَبِسواthey have put on قَمصاًshirts مِنَof الجُبنِcowardice وَالبُخلِand miserliness
وَقَد لَبِسوا قَمصاً مِنَ الجُبنِ وَالبُخلِ
and on hoarding wealth for fear of poverty; so they have come
to wear shirts of cowardice and miserliness.
وَقَدand indeed دَرَجَpassed away الأَسلافُthe forebears مِنfrom قَبلُbefore هَؤُلاthese people
وَقَد دَرَجَ الأَسلافُ مِن قَبلُ هَؤُلا
وَهَمتَهُمand their aspiration نَيلَattaining المَكارِمِnoble deeds وَالفَضلِand excellence
وَهَمتَهُم نَيلَ المَكارِمِ وَالفَضلِ
The forebears who preceded these people passed away,
their aspiration the attainment of noble deeds and excellence.
لَقَدindeed رَفَضواthey rejected الدُنياthe world الغَرورُthe deceptive وَماand did not سَعواthey strive
لَقَد رَفَضوا الدُنيا الغَرورُ وَما سَعوا
لَهاfor it وَالَّذيand whatever يَأتيcomes يُبادِرُhe hastens بِالبَذلِto give freely
لَها وَالَّذي يَأتي يُبادِرُ بِالبَذلِ
They rejected the deceptive world and did not strive
for it; whatever came to them, they hastened to give away.
فَقيرهُمtheir poor man حُرٌّfree وَذوand the possessor of المالِwealth مُنفِقُa giver
فَقيرهُم حُرٌّ وَذو المالِ مُنفِقُ
رَجاءَhoping for ثَوابِthe reward of اللَهِGod فيin صالِحِrighteous السُبُلِways
رَجاءَ ثَوابِ اللَهِ في صالِحِ السُبُلِ
Their poor are free, and those with wealth give,
hoping for God’s reward through righteous ways.
لِباسُهُمtheir clothing التَقوىpiety وَسيماهُمُand their distinguishing mark الحَياmodesty
لِباسُهُم التَقوى وَسيماهُمُ الحَيا
وَقَصدُهُمand their aim الرَحمَنُthe All-Merciful فيin القَولِspeech وَالفِعلِand deed
وَقَصدُهُم الرَحمَنُ في القَولِ وَالفِعلِ
Their clothing is piety, their distinguishing mark modesty,
and their aim is the All-Merciful in speech and deed.
مَقالُهُمtheir speech صِدقٌtruth وَأَفعالُهُمand their deeds هُدىًguidance
مَقالُهُم صِدقٌ وَأَفعالُهُم هُدىً
وَأَسرارُهُمand their innermost selves مَنزوعَةَcleansed of الغِشِّdeceit وَالغَلِّand rancor
وَأَسرارُهُم مَنزوعَةَ الغِشِّ وَالغَلِّ
Their speech is truth, their deeds right guidance,
and their innermost selves are purged of deceit and rancor.
خُضوعٌsubmission لِمَولاهُمto their Master مُثولٌstanding ready لِأَمرِهِfor His command
خُضوعٌ لِمَولاهُم مُثولٌ لِأَمرِهِ
قُنوتٌdevout obedience لَهُto Him سُبحانَهُglory be to Him جَلَّHe is exalted عَنbeyond مِثلِany likeness
قُنوتٌ لَهُ سُبحانَهُ جَلَّ عَن مِثلِ
Submission to their Master, standing ready at His command,
devout obedience to Him—glory be to Him, exalted beyond any likeness.
فَقَدناwe lost جَميعَall الخَيرِgoodness لَمّاwhen تَرَحَّلواthey departed
فَقَدنا جَميعَ الخَيرِ لَمّا تَرَحَّلوا
وَمِنهُand of it خَلاwas emptied وَعرَthe rugged ground of البَسيطَةِthe earth وَالسَهلِand the plain
وَمِنهُ خَلا وَعرَ البَسيطَةِ وَالسَهلِ
We lost all goodness when they departed,
and the earth’s rugged ground and plains lay empty of it.
وَصِرناand we became حَيارىbewildered فيin مَفاوِزِthe deserts of جَهلِناour ignorance
وَصِرنا حَيارى في مَفاوِزِ جَهلِنا
نُشبِهُwe resemble بِالبَهمِthe beasts السَويرحَةَthe little grazing ones الغَفلِthe heedless
نُشبِهُ بِالبَهمِ السَويرحَةَ الغَفلِ
We became bewildered in the deserts of our ignorance,
like heedless little beasts at pasture.
نَخبِطُwe blunder لاnot نَدريwe know الطَريقَthe road إِلىto النَجاdeliverance
نَخبِطُ لا نَدري الطَريقَ إِلى النَجا
وَبِالجَورِand with injustice نَمحوwe erase سَنَةَthe way of البِرِّrighteousness وَالعَدلِand justice
وَبِالجَورِ نَمحو سَنَةَ البِرِّ وَالعَدلِ
We blunder, not knowing the road to deliverance,
and with injustice erase the way of righteousness and justice.
فَآهاًso alas عَلَيهِمfor them لَيتَwould that داهِيَةَthe calamity of الفَناannihilation
فَآهاً عَلَيهِم لَيتَ داهِيَةَ الفَنا
بِحِزبِupon the party of الرَدىperdition حَلَّتhad befallen وَحِزبِand the party of الهُدىguidance خَلِّleave unharmed
بِحِزبِ الرَدى حَلَّت وَحِزبِ الهُدى خَلِّ
Alas for them! Would that annihilation’s calamity
had struck the party of perdition and spared the party of guidance.
سَأَبكيI shall weep عَلَيهِمfor them ماas long as حَييتُI live بِعَبرَةٍwith a tear
سَأَبكي عَلَيهِم ما حَييتُ بِعَبرَةٍ
لَهاit has مَدمَعٌa flow of tears فيon الخَدِّthe cheek يَشهَدُbearing witness بِالثَكلِto bereavement
لَها مَدمَعٌ في الخَدِّ يَشهَدُ بِالثَكلِ
I shall weep for them as long as I live, shedding tears
whose course upon my cheek bears witness to bereavement.
وَأَحمِلُand I compel نَفسيmyself ماas far as اِستَطَعتُI can عَلىto اِقتِفاfollowing
وَأَحمِلُ نَفسي ما اِستَطَعتُ عَلى اِقتِفا
سَبيلِهِمtheir path حَتّىأَوسَدَuntil I am laid down فيin الرَملِthe sand
سَبيلِهِم حَتّىأَوسَدَ في الرَملِ
I shall compel myself, as far as I can, to follow
their path, until I am laid in the sand.
حَياتُهُمtheir life خَيرٌgood لَهُمfor them وَمَماتُهُمand their death
حَياتُهُم خَيرٌ لَهُم وَمَماتُهُم
فَطوبىso blessedness لَهُمfor them فازواthey triumphed وَسادواand attained preeminence عَلىover الكُلِّall
فَطوبى لَهُم فازوا وَسادوا عَلى الكُلِّ
Their life is good for them, and so is their death;
blessed are they: they have triumphed and surpassed all.
عَلَيهِمupon them سَلامُthe peace of اللَهِGod أَنif كانَit be قَدalready مَضواthey have passed away
عَلَيهِم سَلامُ اللَهِ أَن كانَ قَد مَضوا
فَذِكرُهُمso their memory باقٍendures وَقَدand indeed شاعَhas spread بِالنَقلِthrough transmission
فَذِكرُهُم باقٍ وَقَد شاعَ بِالنَقلِ
God’s peace be upon them; if they have passed away,
their memory endures and has spread through retelling.
إِلَهيmy God بِحَقِّby the merit of القَومِthe people مِنbestow بِتَوبَةٍwith repentance
إِلَهي بِحَقِّ القَومِ مِن بِتَوبَةٍ
مِنَfrom الذَنبِsin تَغسِلُناYou wash us بِهاwith it أَبلَغُthe most thorough الغَسلِwashing
مِنَ الذَنبِ تَغسِلُنا بِها أَبلَغُ الغَسلِ
My God, by the merit of these people, bestow repentance
from sin, with which You wash us utterly clean.
اَغَثُّgrant relief ياO مُغيثَrescuer of قُلوبِناour hearts
اَغَثُّ يا مُغيثَ قُلوبِنا
بِغَيثٍwith a rain of هَدىguidance يُحييthat revives القُلوبَhearts مِنَfrom المَحلِdrought
بِغَيثٍ هَدى يُحيي القُلوبَ مِنَ المَحلِ
Grant relief, O Rescuer of our hearts,
with a rain of guidance that revives hearts from drought.
وَصَلَand send blessings عَلىupon الهاديthe Guide البَشيرِthe Bearer of Glad Tidings شَفيعَناour intercessor
وَصَلَ عَلى الهادي البَشيرِ شَفيعَنا
نَبيُّthe Prophet of الهُدىguidance بَحرُthe sea of النَدىgenerosity خاتَمُthe Seal of الرُسُلِthe Messengers
نَبيُّ الهُدى بَحرُ النَدى خاتَمُ الرُسُلِ
And bless the Guide, the Bearer of Glad Tidings, our intercessor,
the Prophet of Guidance, the sea of generosity, the Seal of the Messengers.
Sol 6.1