من عذيري من أناسٍ جهلوا

من عذيري من أناسٍ جهلوا

ثم ظنوا أنهم أهل النظر

ثم ظنوا أنهم أهل النظر

Who will vindicate me against people who knew nothing of it—

Who will vindicate me against people who were ignorant,

then fancied that they were masters of reasoned inquiry?

then thought themselves qualified for rational inquiry?

ركبوا الراي عناداً فسروا

ركبوا الراي عناداً فسروا

في ظلام تاه فيه من غبر

في ظلام تاه فيه من غبر

They mounted opinion out of stubbornness and journeyed by night

They stubbornly mounted opinion and so journeyed

through a darkness where those of old had lost their way.

through darkness where those of old went astray.

وطيرق الرشد نهجل مهيع

وطيرق الرشد نهجل مهيع

مثملما أبصرت في الأفق القمر

مثملما أبصرت في الأفق القمر

And the path of right guidance is a broad, open road,

And the path of right guidance is a clear, open road,

as plain as the moon you behold upon the horizon.

as plain as the moon you have seen on the horizon.

وهو الإجماع والنص الذي

وهو الإجماع والنص الذي

ليس إلا في كتباٍ أو أثر

ليس إلا في كتباٍ أو أثر

It is consensus and the authoritative text, which

And it is consensus and the authoritative text, which

is found only in Scripture or transmitted tradition.

is found only in scripture or a transmitted report.