إنّ الرِّياسَةَ لا تَبْقَى وإِنْ بِقِيَتْ

إنّ الرِّياسَةَ لا تَبْقَى وإِنْ بِقِيَتْ

إلاّ بأمْرَيْنِ مَعْلُومَيْن للبَشَرِ

إلاّ بأمْرَيْنِ مَعْلُومَيْن للبَشَرِ

Indeed, sovereignty does not endure—and should it endure,

Indeed, rule does not endure—and if it does,

it does so only through two things not found among humankind:

it does so only through two means known to humankind:

قَتْلِ الأَعادِي بسَيْفِ الْقَهْرِ إِنْ رَفَعوا

قَتْلِ الأَعادِي بسَيْفِ الْقَهْرِ إِنْ رَفَعوا

رُؤُوسَهُمْ لفِعالِ الْبَغْي والْبَطَرِ

رُؤُوسَهُمْ لفِعالِ الْبَغْي والْبَطَرِ

slaying enemies with the sword of might, should they raise

killing enemies with the sword of subjugation if they raise

their heads to perpetrate tyranny and insolent pride;

their heads to commit acts of rebellion and insolence;

ثم الْعَطاءِ لِذِي الْوُدِّ الصّحيحِ مَعَ

ثم الْعَطاءِ لِذِي الْوُدِّ الصّحيحِ مَعَ

إفاضَةِ الْبِرِّ للبادِينَ والْحَضَرِ

إفاضَةِ الْبِرِّ للبادِينَ والْحَضَرِ

then largesse toward those whose loyalty is sincere, together with

then giving to those whose affection is genuine, along with

lavishing kindness on desert-dwellers and townsfolk alike.

lavishing kindness on desert dwellers and townspeople.

فإنْ تَرَى مَلِكاً قَدْ قَصَّرَتْ يَدُهُ

فإنْ تَرَى مَلِكاً قَدْ قَصَّرَتْ يَدُهُ

عَنْ ذا وذَاكَ فهذا أَوَّلُ الْقَدَرِ

عَنْ ذا وذَاكَ فهذا أَوَّلُ الْقَدَرِ

So if you see a king whose hand has fallen short

So if you see a king whose hand has fallen short

of this and that, this is the first sign of divine decree.

of this and that, then this is the beginning of fate.

لَوْلاَ الْمَشَقَّةُ كانَ الأَمْرُ مُشْتَرَكاً

لَوْلاَ الْمَشَقَّةُ كانَ الأَمْرُ مُشْتَرَكاً

ما بَيْنَ ذِي خَطَرٍ مِنّا ومُحْتَقَرِ

ما بَيْنَ ذِي خَطَرٍ مِنّا ومُحْتَقَرِ

Were there no hardship, authority would be shared

Were it not for hardship, authority would be shared

between a man of consequence among us and one held in contempt.

between those of eminence among us and those held in contempt.

فَقُل لِنَجْلِ عَلِيٍّ عَدِّ عَنْ فِكَرٍ

فَقُل لِنَجْلِ عَلِيٍّ عَدِّ عَنْ فِكَرٍ

ما أَنْتَ أَوّلُ ذِي نُصْحٍ وَذِي نَظَرِ

ما أَنْتَ أَوّلُ ذِي نُصْحٍ وَذِي نَظَرِ

Then tell Ali’s son: Turn away from brooding;

So tell Ali's son: leave such thoughts aside;

you are not the first man of counsel and discernment.

you are not the first with good counsel and insight.

وسَلِّمِ الأَمْرَ للرّحْمَنِ وارْضَ بِما

وسَلِّمِ الأَمْرَ للرّحْمَنِ وارْضَ بِما

قَضَاهُ في خَلْقِهِ منْ هَذِهِ الْعِبَرِ

قَضَاهُ في خَلْقِهِ منْ هَذِهِ الْعِبَرِ

Entrust the matter to the All-Merciful, and accept whatever

And entrust the matter to the Most Merciful, and be content with what

He has decreed among His creatures by way of these admonitory lessons.

He has decreed among His creatures in the form of these lessons.