لك يا وليد تحية الأحرار — Khalil Gibran

لَكَ يَا وَلِيدُ تَحِيَّة الأَحْرَارِ

كَتحِيَّة الجَنَّاتِ وَالأَطْيَارِ

To you, newborn, the greeting of the free,

like the greeting of gardens and birds,

تُهْدَى إِلى سَحَرٍ مِنَ الأَسْحَارِ

أَقْبَلْتَ وَجْهُكَ بِالطَّهارَة أَبْلَجُ

offered to one dawn among the dawns.

You arrived, your face radiant with purity,

وَالوَقْتُ طلْقٌ والرَّبِيعُ مُدَبَّجُ

وَالشَّمسُ سَاكِبَةٌ سُيُولَ نُضارِ

the time serene, the spring embroidered,

and the sun pouring torrents of gold.

آيَاتُ حُسنٍ لَمْ يَكُنْ مَظَاهِرَاً

لِلسَّعد فِيكَ وَلا ضُرِبْنَ بَشَائِرَا

Signs of beauty that lent no support

to your good fortune, nor were appointed heralds,

لَكِنَّهنَّ عَرَضْن فِي التَّسيَارِ

لَوْ كَانَ بَيْتُ إِمَارَةٍ لَكَ مَنْبِتَاً

but merely appeared in passing.

Had a princely house been your birthplace,

لأَجَلَّتِ الدُّنْيَا وِلادَكَ مِنْ فَتَى

وَسَرَى بَشِيرُ البَرْقِ فِي الأَمْصَارِ

the world would have exalted your birth as a son,

and lightning's herald would have traveled through the cities.

وَلَقال رَاجٍ أَنْ يُثَابَ بِمَا افْتَرَى

تِلْكَ العَلائِمُ فِي السَّمَاءِ وَفي الثَّرَى

And someone hoping for reward for his inventions would have said:

Those signs in the sky and in the earth

مِنْ شِدَّة الإِعْظَامِ وَالإِكْبارِ

لكِنْ وُلِدْتَ كمَا أُتِيح وَمَا دَرَى

come from profound veneration and reverence.

But you were born as was allotted, and it was not known

أَحَدُ الأَنَامِ لأَيِّ أَمْرٍ قُدِّرَا

أُعْدَدْتَ مُنْذُ بَدَاءَة الأَعْصَارِ

to anyone in humankind for what ordained purpose

you were prepared from the beginning of the ages.

سِرٌّ وَكُلُّ ابْنٍ لأُنْثَى يُولدُ

سِرٌّ لِهَذَا النَّاسِ يَكْشِفُهُ الغَدُ

A mystery—and every child born to a woman

is a mystery to humankind, which tomorrow reveals

عَمَّا تُكِنُّ مَشِيئَةُ المِقْدَارِ

عَنْ سَائِمٍ بَيْنَ الرَّعِيَّة ضَائِعِ

of what the will of fate conceals:

a grazing creature, lost among the populace,

أَوْ كوْكبٍ مَاحِي الكوَاكِبِ سَاطعِ

مُتَكَامِلٍ فِي السَّيرِ كَالأَقْمَارِ

or a radiant star effacing other stars,

growing to fullness in its course like the moons.

مَا حِكْمَةُ الرَّحْمَنِ فِيكَ أَتَنْجَلي

عَنْ آخِرٍ فِي القومِ أَمْ عَنْ أَوَّلِ

What is the All-Merciful's wisdom in you? Will it unfold

as one last among the people, or one first,

عَنْ مُحْجِمٍ أَمْ مُقْدمٍ مِغْوَارِ

فَلَئِنْ سَمَوْتَ إِلى مَقَامِ إِمَارَةٍ

as a hesitant man, or a bold, intrepid warrior?

For if you rise to a princely station

يَوْماً فَعِيسَى كانَ طِفْلَ مَغَارةٍ

ورَضِيعَ رَائِمَةٍ مِنَ الأَبْقارِ

one day, Jesus was a child of a cave

and the nursling of a nurturing cow.

وَأَحَقُّ مَا حَقَّ العَلاءُ لِنَائِلٍ

مَا نِلْتَهُ مِنْ هِمَّة وَفَضَائِلِ

And the most rightful greatness anyone may attain

is what you have gained of resolve and virtues

عَنْ كابِرَيْنِ مِن الأُصُولِ كِبارِ

مَا لِي وَمَا لأَبِيكَ أُطْرِئُهُ فَمَا

from two noble forebears of illustrious stock.

What have I to do with praising your father? That is not

هِي شِيمَتِي وَأَبُوكَ لا يَعْنِيه مَا

يَثْنِيه عَنْهُ مُخْبِرُو الأَخْبَارِ

my habit, and your father does not care what

news-tellers recount about him.

وَهُوَ السَّعيدُ بِأَنْ أُمَّك أَهْلُهُ

أَلمُزْدَهِي عَجْباً بِأَنَّك نجْلُهُ

He is happy that your mother is his spouse,

proud and delighted that you are his son;

وكفَاهُ مُلْكُ رِضىً وتَاجٌ فَخارِ

فَسُرُورُ كلِّ مُهَنإٍ بِكَ لَمْ يَكنْ

a kingdom of contentment and a crown of pride suffice him.

So the joy of everyone congratulating you was

إِلاَّ بِذاتِكَ إِنْ تعِزَّ وَإِنْ تَهُنْ

يَا طِفْلُ فِي مُسْتَقْبِلِ الأَدْهَارِ

only in you yourself, whether you are honored or humbled,

O child, in the ages to come.

يرْجُون أَنْ تحْيا وإِنْ لَمْ تَنْبُغِ

لا يَبْتَغُونَ لكَ الَّذي قَدْ تَبْتَغِي

They hope you will live, even if you never excel;

they do not seek for you what you may seek

فِيمَا يَليِ مِنْ بَاذِخِ الأَخْطَارِ

أُمْنِيَة الآبَاءِ لا يعْدُونهَا

in time to come, of exalted rank.

The fathers' wish—they go no further than it—

وَهْي الَّتِي لِلطِّفلِ يَسْتَهُدْونَهَا

مِنْ فَضْلِ خَالِقِهِ بِلا اسْتِكْثارِ

is what they seek as a gift for the child

from his Creator's bounty, without asking for more.

وَسِوَى الحَيَاةِ مِنَ المُنَى يَدْعُونَهُ

لِلّه يَقْضِي فِي الوَليِد شُؤُونَهُ

And wishes other than life they leave

to God, who determines the newborn's affairs,

نَحْساً وَإِسْعَاداً قَضَاءَ خِيَارِ

فهُوَ الَّذي يُعْلِي العَلِيَّ القَادِرَا

misfortune or happiness, by a decree of His choosing.

For He is the One who raises the lofty and capable,

وَهُو الذي يَضَعُ الوَضِيعَ الصاغِرَا

لُطْفاً لِمَا يَبْغِي مِنَ الأَوْطَارِ

and He is the One who lowers the lowly and abased,

graciously serving the purposes He seeks.

إِنْ شَاءَ جَاءَ الطِّفلُ فِي مِيقَاتهِ

فَشَأَى بَنِي أَوْطَانهِ وَلِداتهِ

If He wills, the child comes at his appointed time,

outstrips his countrymen and those born alongside him,

وَسَمَاهُمُ وَأَضَاءَ كالسيَّارِ

أَوْ شَاءَ خالَفَ وَقْتَهُ فَذُكَاؤُهُ

surpasses them and shines like a planet.

Or, if He wills, he is at odds with his age, and his brilliance

كَلَظَى الحرِيقِ شُبُوبُهُ وَضِيَاؤُهُ

لِلسُّوءِ لا لِقِرى وَلا لِمُنَارِ

is like a raging fire in its flare and light,

for harm, not hospitality or a beacon.

ولَقَدْ شَفَى مِنَّا قُدُومُكَ حَسْرَةً

وَأَقَرَّ أَعْيُنَ وَالِدَيْكَ مَسَرَّةً

Your coming has indeed healed a sorrow in us

and soothed your parents' eyes with joy,

إِنْ كَان فِي مُتفَتَّح النَّوَّارِ

حَيثُ الرِّيَاضُ تَظَاهَرَت بَهَجَاتُهَا

if it came at the opening of the blossoms,

where the gardens' delights joined together

فتَفتَّقتْ مَسْرُورَةً مُهَجَاتُهَا

عَنْ غُرِّ أَزْهَارٍ وَغُرِّ ثِمَارِ

and their hearts burst open joyfully

into radiant flowers and radiant fruits.

فَجَمِيعُكُمْ مُتَهَلِّلٌ فِي كِمِّهِ

مُتَنَاوِلٌ أَلْبَانَهُ مِنْ أُمِّه

So all of you rejoice, each within his bud,

taking his milk from his mother,

سُمَحَاءُ بَيْنَ مَرَاضِعٍ وَصِغَارِ

أَلأُم تغْذُو طِفْلَهَا مِنْ ضِرْعِهَا

generous alike, nursing mothers and little ones.

The mother nourishes her child from her breast,

وَالأَرْضُ تَغْدُو أُمَّه مِنْ زَرْعِهَا

والكوْنُ عَيْلَةُ رَازِقٍ غَفَّارِ

and the earth becomes his mother through its crops;

the universe is the household of a forgiving Provider.

فَعَلامَ مِنْ دُونِ الأَزَاهِرِ أُتْهِمَا

أَبَوَاكَ يَا هَذَا الصَّبيُّ وَإنْ هُمَا

So why, unlike the flowers, were they accused—

your parents, O child, though they are nothing

إِلاَّ كَهَذَا النَّبتِ فِي الأَزْهَارِ

أَيُّ القُسُوسِ أَتَى النَّباتَ فَزَوَّجَا

but like these plants among the flowers?

Which priest came to the plants and married

بَعْضاً بِبَعْضٍ مِنْهُ كَيْما يُنْتِجَا

بِدُعَائه نَسْلاً مِنَ الأَخْيَارِ

some of them to others, so they might produce,

through his prayer, righteous offspring?

هَلْ سَاجِعُ الأَيْكَاتِ حِينَ يُغَرِّدُ

فِي ذَلِكَ الرِّيشِ المُلَوَّنِ سَيِّدُ

Is the singer of the groves, when he warbles

in that colored plumage, a master

يَشْدُو لِيَجْعَلَهَا مِنَ الأَبْرَارِ

وَهَلِ الرِّياحُ يَعِيبُهَا أَنْ تَحْمِلا

chanting to make them righteous?

And does it disgrace the winds to carry

نَسَمَ الهَوى الدَّوْرِيَّ مِنْ ذكَرٍ إِلى

أُنْثَى تُلَقِّحهَا مِنَ الأَشْجَارِ

the recurring breath of love from a male to

a female among the trees, pollinating her?

وَمَن الذي يَرْمِي السَّوَابِحَ بِالخَنَا

وَيَرَى مُنَاسَلَةَ السِّباعِ مِنَ الزِّنا

And who accuses swimming creatures of lewdness,

or regards the breeding of beasts as adultery,

وَمُوَلَدَاتِ الطيْرِ فِي الأَوْكَارِ

هُنَّ اسْتَبَحْنَ إنَاثَهُنَّ بِلا نُهَى

and the broods of birds within their nests?

They freely took their females, without reason;

وَالمَرءُ فرَّقَ بِاخْتِيَارِ بَيْنهَا

لِيَكُونَ صَاحِبَ أُسْرَةٍ وَذرَارِي

man distinguished among them by choice,

to possess a family and descendants.

سَنَّ العَفافَ كمَا ارْتآهُ فضِيلةً

وَدَعَا الخلافَ نقِيصةً وَرَذِيلةَ

He established chastity as he deemed it a virtue,

and called deviation a failing and a vice,

فِيمَا اقْتضاهُ خُلْقُ الاسْتِئْثارِ

ناطَ الزَّوَاجَ بِصِيغةٍ تتعَدَّدُ

as the disposition of possessiveness required.

He tied marriage to a formula whose

أَشْكالُهَا عَددَ الطَّوَائفِ يُقْصَدُ

حِفظُ النِّظامِ بِهَا وَصَوْنُ الدارِ

forms multiply with the number of sects, intended

to preserve order and protect the home.

فإِذا اصْطفى ما شاءَ مِن أَعْرَاضِهَا

وَجَرَى عَلى المَرْعِيِّ مِن أَغرَاضِهَا

So if he chooses what he wishes of its outward forms

and follows its acknowledged purposes

أَصْلاً فَأَيُّ مَعرَّة وَخَسَارِ

قالُوا أَتَى نُكْراً وَنُكْرٌ قَوْلُهُمْ

in principle, what disgrace or loss is there?

They said he committed an outrage; their words are the outrage.

لَوْلا تَبَجُّحهُمْ وَلوْلا طَوْلُهَا

مَا خَيَّمتْ رِيَبٌ عَلى أَطْهَارِ

Were it not for their bluster, and were it not for its power,

suspicions would not have settled over the pure.

دَفَعَ ادِّعَاءَهُمُ وَأَبْطَلَ زعْمَهُمْ

زمَنٌ طوَى تَحْتَ الغَبَاوَةِ ظُلْمَهُمْ

Their assertions were refuted and their claims undone

by time, which buried their injustice beneath folly

وَأَمَاطَ ستْرَ الزُّهْد عَنْ تُجَّارِ

يَا طِفْلُ قَلِّبْ طَرْفكَ المُترَدِّدَا

and stripped the veil of asceticism from merchants.

O child, turn your wandering gaze:

أَوَ مَا تَرَى شَبَحاً عبُوساً أَسْوَدَا

مُتَجسِّساً لكَ مِنْ وَرَاءِ سِتَارِ

do you not see a scowling, black specter

spying on you from behind a screen?

هَذَا أَسَاءَ إِلَيْكَ قَبْلَ المَوْلدِ

وَجنَى عَلَيْكَ جِنَايَةَ المُتَعَمِّدِ

This one wronged you before your birth

and deliberately committed an offense against you,

ومِن السَّماءِ دعَاكَ صَوْبَ النَّارِ

زعَمَ الإِلهَ يُريدُ مِثْلَكَ مُذْنِباً

summoning you from heaven toward the fire.

He claimed God wanted one like you sinful

مِنْ يَوْمهِ وَمُعَاقَباً وَمُعَذَّبَاً

فِي الغَيْبِ قَبْلَ مَظِنَّة الإِسْفَارِ

from his first day, punished and tormented

in the unseen, before any prospect of dawn.

تَاللّه إِنْ تَنظُرْهُ نَظْرَةَ مُغْضَبِ

تُرْهِقْهُ إِرْهَاقَ الشِّهابِ لِغَيْهَبِ

By God, if you look at him with an angry glance,

you will overwhelm him as a meteor overwhelms darkness,

فَيُوَلِّ عَنْكَ مُمَزَّقاً بِشَرَارِ

لَكِنْ أَرَاك تَبَشُّ بَشَّة سَامِحِ

and he will turn away from you, torn by sparks.

But I see you smile the smile of one who forgives,

وَأَرَاكَ تَرْمُقُهُ بِعَيْنِ الصَّافحِ

مَا لِلهِلالِ وَلِلسَّحاب السَّارِي

and see you regard him with a pardoning eye.

What has the crescent to do with passing clouds?

رُسْلَ المَسِيحِ الشَّارِبِينَ دِمَاءَهُ

الآكِلِينَ بِلا تُقىً أَحْشَاءَهُ

Messengers of Christ, drinking his blood,

devouring his entrails without piety,

أَلمُولِمِينَ عَلَيْهِ كُلَّ نَهَارِ

أَفذَبْحُكُمْ ذَاكَ الذبِيحَ لِفِدْيَةٍ

feasting over him every day:

is your slaughter of that victim for redemption,

أَمْ تِلْكَ مَأْسَاةٌ تُعَادُ لِكُدْيَةٍ

أَمْ ذَاكَ مُصْطَبَحٌ وَرَشْفُ عُقَارِ

or is that a tragedy repeated to solicit alms,

or a morning draught and a sipping of wine?

مَا أَجْمَلَ الصُّلاَّحَ مِنْكُمْ خَلَّةً

مَا أَبْشَعَ الظُّلاَّمَ مِنْكُمْ فِعْلةً

How beautiful in character are the righteous among you!

How hideous in deed are the oppressors among you,

إِذْ يَنْقِمُونَ وَمَا لهُمْ مِنْ ثارِ

اللّه أَوْحَى فِكْرَةً هِيَ دِينُهُ

when they exact vengeance with no blood-debt owed them!

God revealed an idea that is His religion;

فَمَنِ اهْتَدَى هِيَ نُورُهُ وَيَقِينُهُ

أَوْ ضَلَّ فَليُبْحِرْ بِغَيْرِ مَنارِ

for whoever is guided, it is his light and certainty,

or, if he strays, let him sail without a beacon.

نَزَلَتْ عَلى الفَادِي الأَمِينِ الشَّافعِ

كَلِماً ثَلاثاً تَحْتَ لَفْظٍ جَامعِ

It descended upon the faithful Redeemer and Intercessor

in three words beneath an encompassing expression,

قُدْسِيَّة النفَحَاتِ وَالآثَارِ

أَلحُبُّ فِي المَعْنَى العَمِيمِ الكَامِلِ

holy in their inspirations and effects:

love, in its all-embracing, perfect meaning,

مَعْنَى المَرَاحِمِ وَالفِدَاءِ الشامِلِ

بِالبِرِّ لِلأَعْداءِ وَالأَنْصَارِ

the meaning of mercies and universal redemption,

through kindness to enemies and supporters;

وَالعَدْلُ يَقْضِي بِالخَرَاجِ لِقَيْصَرَا

وَالصَّفحُ عَنْ كُلٍ يُسِيءُ مِنَ الوَرَى

and justice, requiring tribute for Caesar;

and pardon for everyone among humankind who does wrong:

هَذي دِيَانَتُهُ بِلا إِنْكَارِ

أَلْقَى مَبَادِئَهَا وَكُلاًّ خَوَّلا

this is his religion, beyond denial.

He proclaimed its principles and empowered everyone

تَعْلِيمَهَا وَنفَى الرِّئَاسَةَ والْعُلى

مِنْهَا وَنَزهَّها عَنِ الأَسْرَارِ

to teach it, excluding primacy and supremacy

from it, and keeping it free of mysteries.

وَأَرَادَكُمْ لِتُعَلِّمُوا وتُبَشِّرُوا

وَأَرَادَكُمْ لِتُسَامِحُوا وَلِتَغْفِرُوا

He wanted you to teach and bring good news;

he wanted you to pardon and forgive;

وَدَعَا الصِّغارَ إِليْه بِاسْتِئْثَارِ

فَنَذَرْتُمُ لِلّه بَطْناً مُشْبِعَاً

and he called the little ones to him with special favor.

So you consecrated to God a well-fed belly,

وَيَداً إِذَا مُدَّتْ فَكيما تَجْمَعا

وَعَقِيرَةً لِلشجْبِ وَالإِنْذَارِ

a hand that, when extended, is extended to collect,

and a voice for condemnation and warning.

وَزَهِدْتُمُ فِي غَيْرِ مَا ترْضَونَهُ

وَرغِبْتُمُ عَنْ كُلِّ ما تأْبوْنَهُ

You abstained from what did not please you,

and turned away from everything you rejected,

إِلاَّ عَلى قَدَرٍ مِنَ الإِظْهَارِ

وَقسَمْتُمُ دِينَ المَسيحِ مَذَاهِبَاً

save for some measure of outward show.

You divided Christ's religion into sects,

تَسْتَكْثِرُونَ مَرَاتِباً وَمَنَاصِباً

فَأُضِيعَ بَيْنَ تَشَتُّت الأَفْكَارِ

multiplying ranks and offices,

and it was lost amid scattered ideas.

وَمَضيْتُمُ فِي الغَيِّ حَتى نِلْتم

فِي بَعْضِ وَهْمِكُمُ الجَنِينَ وَقُلْتُمُ

You persisted in error until you assailed,

in some of your delusions, the unborn child, and said:

هَذَا الْبَرِيءُ رَهِينَةٌ لِلعَارِ

فَلئِنْ يَكنْ فِي الخَلْقِ خَلْقٌ طَاهِرُ

This innocent one is a hostage to shame.

For if there is a pure creature in creation,

فَالطِّفلُ تِمْثَالُ العَفَافِ الظَّاهِرُ

فِي عَالمِ الآثامِ وَالأَوْزَارِ

the child is the manifest embodiment of chastity

in a world of sins and burdens.

أَفَمَا كفى ذَاكَ الرَّهِينةُ لِلرَّدَى

مَا سَوْفَ يَلْقَاهُ مِنَ الدُّنْيَا غَدَا

Was it not enough for that hostage to death—

what he must meet tomorrow from the world—

حَتَّى يُذالَ وَيُبْتَلى بِشَنَارِ

يَا مَنْ عَرَفْتُ وَكَانَ قَسّاً صَالِحاً

that he must also be degraded and beset with disgrace?

O you whom I knew, who were a righteous priest,

عَدْلاً كَمَا يَرْضى المَسِيحُ مُسَامِحَاً

مُتَبَتِّل الإِعْلانِ والإِسْرَارِ

just and forgiving, as Christ approves,

devout in public and in secret,

مُتَجرِّداً عَنْ عِزِّهِ وَشَبَابِهِ

وَهَنَاءِ عِيشَتهِ وَلَهْوِ صِحَابِهِ

divested of your dignity and youth,

the comfort of your life and your companions' amusements,

مُتَنَعِّماً بِالزُّهْدِ وَالإِعْسَارِ

يَهْدي الأَنَامَ بِقَوْلهِ وَبِفِعْلهِ

finding delight in asceticism and poverty;

guiding humankind by your words and deeds,

مُسْتَرْشِداً فِي الرَّيْبِ حِكْمَةَ عَقْلهِ

لِيَرَى مُؤَدَّى النَّص بِاسْتِبْصَارِ

seeking, in doubt, the guidance of your reason's wisdom

to discern the text's meaning with insight;

مُتَجَنِّب التَّحرِيمِ فِيهِ حَيْثُمَا

تَنْبُو قُوَى الإِدْرَاكِ عَنْهُ فربَّما

avoiding prohibition in it wherever

the faculties of understanding fall short, for it might

أَفْضَى إِلى التَّنفِيرِ والإِيغَارِ

مُتَوَفِّراً لِلخَيْرِ جُهْدَ نَشَاطِهِ

lead to alienation and rancor;

devoting the full effort of your vigor to goodness,

يَفْنَى وَلا يُفْنِي قُوَى اسْتِبْاَطِهِ

لِبُلُوغِ قَدْرٍ فَائِقِ الأَقْدارِ

wearing yourself away without exhausting your powers of insight,

to attain a station surpassing other stations;

مُتَرَدِّياً مِسْحاً كَثِيفاً شَائِكَاً

مُخْشَوْشِناً يَجِدُ اللَّذَاذةَ فَارِكا

wearing thick, prickly haircloth,

living austerely, finding pleasure distasteful,

وَيَرَى الخِيَانَةَ طَبْعَةَ الدِّينَارِ

قُمْ مِنْ ضَرِيحِكَ بِالبِلى مُتَلَفِّفا

and seeing treachery as the dinar's stamp:

rise from your tomb, wrapped in decay,

وَاخْزِ الطُّغاةَ المُفْسِدينَ وَقُلْ كَفى

سَرَفاً بِهَذَا البَغْيِ وَالإِصْرَارِ

shame the corrupting tyrants, and say: Enough

excess in this oppression and persistence!

لا تَنْقُضُوا بَيْتاً لَدَى تَكْوِينهِ

وَحَذَارِ مِنْ يُتْمِ الصَّغيرِ بِدينهِ

Do not tear down a household as it is formed;

beware of orphaning the little one through his religion,

وَحذَارِ مِنْ يَأْسِ الهَضِيمِ حَذارِ

هَذي المَذاهِبُ كُلهَا دِينُ الْهُدَى

and beware of the oppressed one's despair—beware!

These sects are all the religion of guidance,

كَأَشِعَّة الشَّمسِ افْتَرَقْنَ إِلى مَدَى

وَالمُلْتَقَى فِي مَصْدَرِ الأَنْوَارِ

like the sun's rays, diverging far afield,

and meeting at the source of light.

يا طِفْلُ إِنَّك لِلفَضِيلَة مَعْبَدُ

فَلَدَيْكَ أَرْكَعُ بِالضَّميرِ وَأَسْجُدُ

O child, you are a temple to virtue;

before you I kneel in conscience and prostrate myself

لِلصَّانِعِ المُكَبِّرِ الجَبارِ

أَجْثُو وَأَرْجُو ضَارِعاً مُتَخَشِّعاً

to the Maker who grants greatness, the Almighty.

I kneel and hope, pleading and reverent,

مِنْكَ ابْتِسَاماً أَجْتَلِيهِ لِيُقْشِعا

عَنِّي مَكَايِدَ دَهْرِيَ الغَدَّارِ

for a smile from you that I may behold, to dispel

from me the snares of my treacherous age.

فَلَقَدْ صفَحْتَ تَكَرُّهاً وَتَطوُّلاً

عَمَّن أَبَوْا إِلاَّ الأَذَى لَكَ وَالقِلى

For you have pardoned, reluctantly yet generously,

those who insisted on nothing but harm and hatred toward you,

حتى أَرَابُوَ فِي سَمَاحِ البارِي

until they cast doubt on the Creator's clemency.