إنهم كانوا إذا

إنهم كانوا إذا

قيل لهم قولوا كذا

قيل لهم قولوا كذا

Indeed, whenever they were

Indeed, they would, whenever

told, “Say thus-and-so”

they were told, "Say such-and-such,"

من أمورٍ ليس في

من أمورٍ ليس في

قولها شرعاً أذى

قولها شرعاً أذى

about matters in whose

concerning matters in whose

utterance the Sacred Law sees no harm,

utterance there is no harm under sacred law,

بادروا من فورهم

بادروا من فورهم

أمرُ من قال بذا

أمرُ من قال بذا

they hastened at once

hasten at once

to the bidding of whoever said so.

to obey the command of whoever said so.

ولقدر نتجوا

ولقدر نتجوا

للمعالي ولذا

للمعالي ولذا

And by destiny they were preserved

And for distinction they were brought forth,

for lofty stations; therefore

for lofty attainments; and so

أصغر القوم الذي

أصغر القوم الذي

عن هواه انتبذا

عن هواه انتبذا

the youngest of the company—the one who

the least of the company is the one

cast his own desire aside—

who withdrew from his own desire.

فتراه عَلَماً

فتراه عَلَماً

ذا علومٍ جِهبذا

ذا علومٍ جِهبذا

you see as a luminary,

So you see him as a beacon,

a consummate master of many sciences,

endowed with learning, a discerning master,

لهداه صاحبا

لهداه صاحبا

للهوى منتبذا

للهوى منتبذا

keeping faithful company with his guidance,

a companion to his guidance,

holding himself aloof from passion.

a shunner of desire.

كلُّ من ساعده الس

كلُّ من ساعده الس

عد فيه اتخذا

عد فيه اتخذا

Everyone whom Fortune has

Everyone aided by good for-

favored herein has made

-tune took therein

عزمه ناصره

عزمه ناصره

وعليه استحوذا

وعليه استحوذا

his own resolve his champion,

his resolve as his helper,

and it has mastered him.

and gained mastery over it.

ما يصيخون لمن

ما يصيخون لمن

قال فشرا وهذي

قال فشرا وهذي

They give no ear to anyone who

They pay no heed to anyone

utters lies and raves.

who spoke empty boasts and babbled.

وبذا قد عرفوا

وبذا قد عرفوا

فاستخصوا وبذا

فاستخصوا وبذا

By this they have become known,

And by this they became known,

so they scorn such men; and thus

so they were singled out; and by this

وكبير القوم في

وكبير القوم في

حظره قد أخذا

حظره قد أخذا

the company’s elder has, within

the chief of the company, in

his protective fold, taken him in.

his confinement, has been taken;

فلذا تبصره

فلذا تبصره

أبدا متخذا

أبدا متخذا

Therefore you behold him

and so you see him

forever chosen.

always chosen.

هكذا شأنُ الذي

هكذا شأنُ الذي

عينوه هكذا

عينوه هكذا

Such is the lot of the one whom

Such is the state of the one

they appointed so.

whom they appointed thus.