نَحْنُ النَّصارَى آلُ عِيسَى المُنتَمي

نَحْنُ النَّصارَى آلُ عِيسَى المُنتَمي

حَسَبَ التَّأَنُّسِ للبتولةِ مَريَمَ

حَسَبَ التَّأَنُّسِ للبتولةِ مَريَمَ

We Christians are the household of Jesus, the one affiliated with us,

We Christians are the household of Jesus, descended

By virtue of his taking human form from the Virgin Mary.

in his humanity from the Virgin Mary.

وَهُوَ الإِلهُ ابنُ الإِلهِ وروحُهُ

وَهُوَ الإِلهُ ابنُ الإِلهِ وروحُهُ

فثلاثهٌ فِي واحدٍ لم تُقَسمِ

فثلاثهٌ فِي واحدٍ لم تُقَسمِ

He is God, the Son of God, and His Spirit—

And he is God, the Son of God, and his Spirit—

These three are in one, undivided.

three in one, undivided.

للآبِ لاهوتُ ابنهِ وَكذا ابنُهُ

للآبِ لاهوتُ ابنهِ وَكذا ابنُهُ

وكذا هما والرُّوحُ تحتَ تَقنُّمِ

وكذا هما والرُّوحُ تحتَ تَقنُّمِ

The Father possesses the divinity of his Son, and likewise his Son;

The Father has his Son's divinity, and likewise his Son;

And likewise they both, together with the Spirit, subsist as Persons—

and likewise both and the Spirit, as distinct persons.

كالشَّمسِ يَظهَرُ جِرمُها بشُعاعها

كالشَّمسِ يَظهَرُ جِرمُها بشُعاعها

وبحَرِّها والكُلُّ شُمسٌ فاعلَمِ

وبحَرِّها والكُلُّ شُمسٌ فاعلَمِ

Just as the sun reveals its orb through its rays

Like the sun: its orb appears through its rays

And through its heat, though all of it is one sun—know this.

and its heat—all is one sun; know this.

واللهُ يَشَهُد هكذ بالحقِّ في

واللهُ يَشَهُد هكذ بالحقِّ في

سِفرٍ لتوراةِ الكليمِ مُسَلَّمِ

سِفرٍ لتوراةِ الكليمِ مُسَلَّمِ

And God truly bears witness to this in

And God testifies thus, in truth, in

A book of Moses’s Torah, acknowledged as authentic.

an acknowledged book of Moses' Torah.

عن آدمٍ قد قالَ صارَ كواحدٍ

عن آدمٍ قد قالَ صارَ كواحدٍ

منَّا بلفظِ الجمعِ مِن ذاكَ الفمِ

منَّا بلفظِ الجمعِ مِن ذاكَ الفمِ

Concerning Adam, He indeed said: “He has become as one

Of Adam he said, "He has become like one

Of Us”—using the plural from that very mouth.

of us," using the plural from that mouth.

خَلَقَ البسيطةَ واحداً في جوهرٍ

خَلَقَ البسيطةَ واحداً في جوهرٍ

أَحَدٍ لخِدمةِ آدَمَ المُستَخدَمِ

أَحَدٍ لخِدمةِ آدَمَ المُستَخدَمِ

He created the earthly realm as one in substance,

He created the earth, one in substance,

One, to serve Adam, who was granted its use.

undivided, to serve Adam, himself appointed to serve.

لكنْ عَصاهُ بزَلَّةٍ لا تنمحي

لكنْ عَصاهُ بزَلَّةٍ لا تنمحي

إلَّا بإِرسال ابنِهِ المتُجسِّمِ

إلَّا بإِرسال ابنِهِ المتُجسِّمِ

But Adam disobeyed Him through a lapse that could not be erased

But Adam disobeyed him through a lapse that cannot be erased

Except by sending His incarnate Son.

except by sending his incarnate Son.

فأَتَى وخلَّصَهُ وخلَّصَ نَسلَهُ

فأَتَى وخلَّصَهُ وخلَّصَ نَسلَهُ

ذاكَ المخلِّصُ من عَذابِ جهنَّمِ

ذاكَ المخلِّصُ من عَذابِ جهنَّمِ

So he came, delivered him, and delivered his offspring—

So he came and saved him and saved his offspring—

That Savior—from the torment of Hell.

that Savior—from the torment of Gehenna.

وشَفَى من البَلوَى وفتَّحَ أَعيِناً

وشَفَى من البَلوَى وفتَّحَ أَعيِناً

وأَقامَ مَيْتاً مثلَ بالي الأعظُمِ

وأَقامَ مَيْتاً مثلَ بالي الأعظُمِ

He healed affliction and opened eyes,

He healed affliction and opened eyes,

And raised a dead man whose bones had decayed.

and raised a dead man, even one with decayed bones.

هذا مسيحُ اللهِ فادينا الذي

هذا مسيحُ اللهِ فادينا الذي

صَلَبَتْهُ طائفةُ اليهودِ كمُجرِمِ

صَلَبَتْهُ طائفةُ اليهودِ كمُجرِمِ

This is God’s Messiah, our Redeemer, whom

This is God's Messiah, our Redeemer, whom

A party of the Jews crucified as a criminal.

a faction of the Jews crucified as a criminal,

بطبيعةٍ بَشَريَّةٍ قد أُلِّمَتْ

بطبيعةٍ بَشَريَّةٍ قد أُلِّمَتْ

وطبيعةُ اللاهوتِ لم تتأَلَّمِ

وطبيعةُ اللاهوتِ لم تتأَلَّمِ

In a human nature that indeed suffered;

in a human nature that was made to suffer,

The divine nature did not suffer.

while the divine nature did not suffer.

حَمَلَ الجِرَاحَ بنفسِهِ مُتَعمِّداً

حَمَلَ الجِرَاحَ بنفسِهِ مُتَعمِّداً

حتَّى تكونَ لجُرْحِنا كالمرهمِ

حتَّى تكونَ لجُرْحِنا كالمرهمِ

He bore the wounds himself, deliberately,

He willingly bore the wounds upon himself

So that he might be a balm for our wound.

so that they might be a salve for our wound.

قد كانَ ذلكَ منهُ طَوعاً وَهْوَ قد

قد كانَ ذلكَ منهُ طَوعاً وَهْوَ قد

وافَى لهُ يَفدِي بهِ الدَّمَ بالدَّمِ

وافَى لهُ يَفدِي بهِ الدَّمَ بالدَّمِ

He did so of his own free will, and indeed

He did this of his own free will, and he had

Came for him, to redeem him by it—blood for blood.

come for it, thereby redeeming blood with blood.

مَن قالَ للأعدا أنا هُوَ فانهوَوا

مَن قالَ للأعدا أنا هُوَ فانهوَوا

صَرْعَى أَليسَ بقادرٍ أَن يحتمي

صَرْعَى أَليسَ بقادرٍ أَن يحتمي

He who told his enemies, “I am he,” and they fell

He who told his enemies, "I am he," and they fell

Prostrate—was he not able to protect himself?

stricken—was he not able to protect himself?

لو لم يُرِدْ لم يأْتِ قَطُّ فإنَّهُ

لو لم يُرِدْ لم يأْتِ قَطُّ فإنَّهُ

أَدرَى بذا في عِلمهِ المُتَقدِّمِ

أَدرَى بذا في عِلمهِ المُتَقدِّمِ

Had he not willed it, he would never have come, for he

Had he not willed it, he would never have come, for he

Knew this beforehand in his eternal knowledge.

knew this best in his foreknowledge.

لاهوتهُ المالي الوجودِ إذا اكتَسى

لاهوتهُ المالي الوجودِ إذا اكتَسى

جسماً فهل ضَرَرٌ لهُ بتجسُّمِ

جسماً فهل ضَرَرٌ لهُ بتجسُّمِ

His divinity, which fills existence—when it clothed itself in

If his divinity, which fills existence, puts on

A body, was it harmed by taking bodily form?

a body, does embodiment harm it?

وإذا تأَلَّمَ هل عَلَى اللاهوتِ من

وإذا تأَلَّمَ هل عَلَى اللاهوتِ من

أَلَمِ فليس اللهُ بالمُتألِّمِ

أَلَمِ فليس اللهُ بالمُتألِّمِ

And if he suffered, did the divine nature bear any

And if he suffers, does any

Pain? God is not one who suffers.

pain touch the divinity? God is not one who suffers.

لكنَّهُ قد شاءَ ذاكَ لحِكمةٍ

لكنَّهُ قد شاءَ ذاكَ لحِكمةٍ

سَبَقَتْ بغامضِ علمهِ المستحكِمِ

سَبَقَتْ بغامضِ علمهِ المستحكِمِ

Yet he willed this for a wisdom

But he willed this for a wisdom

Foreordained in the mystery of His unerring knowledge.

that preexisted in the mystery of his unshakable knowledge.

فَأَتَى المسيحَ بأمرهِ مُتجسِّداً

فَأَتَى المسيحَ بأمرهِ مُتجسِّداً

من خيرِ سِبطٍ في اليهودِ مُكَّرمِ

من خيرِ سِبطٍ في اليهودِ مُكَّرمِ

Thus the Messiah came at His command, incarnate,

So Christ came, at his command, incarnate,

Honored, from the finest lineage among the Jews:

from the best, honored tribe among the Jews.

مُتَنازِلاً مُتَذلِّلاً مُتَواضِعاً

مُتَنازِلاً مُتَذلِّلاً مُتَواضِعاً

مُتَصاغِراً رُغماً عَلَى المتُعَظِّمِ

مُتَصاغِراً رُغماً عَلَى المتُعَظِّمِ

Descending, abasing and humbling himself,

Descending, abasing himself, humbling himself,

Making himself low despite every arrogant man.

making himself small, in defiance of the proud.

وهُو الإِلهُ الأعظمُ الآتي لنا

وهُو الإِلهُ الأعظمُ الآتي لنا

من نَسْلِ داودَ النبيِّ المُلهَمِ

من نَسْلِ داودَ النبيِّ المُلهَمِ

He is the supreme God who came to us

He is the greatest God, coming to us

From David’s line, the inspired prophet.

from the line of David, the inspired prophet.

أعطتهُ توراةُ الكليمِ شَهادَةً

أعطتهُ توراةُ الكليمِ شَهادَةً

وشَهادةً وشَهادةً لم تُكتَمِ

وشَهادةً وشَهادةً لم تُكتَمِ

Moses’s Torah bore witness to him—

Moses' Torah bore witness to him,

Testimony after testimony, never concealed.

witness after witness, none concealed.

وكتابُهُ الإِنجيلُ حقٌّ واضحٌ

وكتابُهُ الإِنجيلُ حقٌّ واضحٌ

لا ريبَ فيهِ ولا سبيلَ لمُتهِمِ

لا ريبَ فيهِ ولا سبيلَ لمُتهِمِ

His book, the Gospel, is clear truth,

His book, the Gospel, is manifest truth,

Beyond doubt, leaving an accuser no way.

without doubt, leaving no opening for an accuser.

في كلِّ طائفةٍ وقُطرٍ واجدٌ

في كلِّ طائفةٍ وقُطرٍ واجدٌ

ما بين أَصل عندَهم ومتُرجَمِ

ما بين أَصل عندَهم ومتُرجَمِ

In every sect and every land it is found,

In every sect and land one finds it,

Whether among them as an original or a translation.

in an original text among them or a translation.

كم في النَّصارَى شيعةً قد ناقضَت

كم في النَّصارَى شيعةً قد ناقضَت

أُخَرى وقد حَكَمَتْ بِما لم تحكُمِ

أُخَرى وقد حَكَمَتْ بِما لم تحكُمِ

How many Christian sects have contradicted

How many Christian sects have contradicted

One another, each ruling what another did not!

another, and decreed what the other did not decree!

سبعونَ أو مئةٌ من الأحزابِ في

سبعونَ أو مئةٌ من الأحزابِ في

خُلْفٍ عَلَى لَزَمٍ وما لم يَلَزَمِ

خُلْفٍ عَلَى لَزَمٍ وما لم يَلَزَمِ

Seventy—or a hundred—sects differ

Seventy or a hundred parties, in

Over what is binding and what is not.

dispute over what is required and what is not;

يا طالما اختَلَفوا فما اتَّفقوا عَلَى

يا طالما اختَلَفوا فما اتَّفقوا عَلَى

شيءٍ سِواهُ فغيرُهُ لم يَسَلمِ

شيءٍ سِواهُ فغيرُهُ لم يَسَلمِ

How long they have differed, agreeing upon

Oh, how often they differed! They agreed on

Nothing but it; nothing else escaped dispute.

nothing except it; nothing else escaped dispute.

كم آيةٍ فيهِ تُخالفُ بعضَهم

كم آيةٍ فيهِ تُخالفُ بعضَهم

لكن عَلَى تغييرها لم يُقدِمَ

لكن عَلَى تغييرها لم يُقدِمَ

How many verses in it contradict some of their views,

How many verses in it contradict some of them,

Yet none ventured to alter it.

yet they have not ventured to alter them.

ولئنْ أخلَّ بها فأَنَّى وافَقَتْ

ولئنْ أخلَّ بها فأَنَّى وافَقَتْ

نَقْلَ النقيضِ ونصُّها لم يُخرَمِ

نَقْلَ النقيضِ ونصُّها لم يُخرَمِ

Even if one party tampered with it, how could it agree

And had someone tampered with a verse, how could it match

With the opposing party’s transmission, whose text remained intact?

the rival's transmitted text, its wording still intact?

ولو استُهينَ بضبطهِ لَرأَيتَهُ

ولو استُهينَ بضبطهِ لَرأَيتَهُ

نُسَخاً بهِنَّ النَّقلُ لم يَتَقوَّمِ

نُسَخاً بهِنَّ النَّقلُ لم يَتَقوَّمِ

Had they treated its preservation lightly, you would see it

Had care in preserving it been scorned, you would have seen it

In copies whose transmission could not remain sound.

in copies whose transmission was not kept sound.

وإذا تعطَّلَ كُلُّهنَّ فقُلْ لنَا

وإذا تعطَّلَ كُلُّهنَّ فقُلْ لنَا

كيفَ الصَّحيحُ وأينَ يُوجَدُ واُسلَمِ

كيفَ الصَّحيحُ وأينَ يُوجَدُ واُسلَمِ

And if all of them became void, then say to us:

And if all of them are invalid, tell us

How is the authentic text found, and where? Submit.

what the correct text is and where it is found—and be safe.

والحالُ أَنَّ لهُ كذا ألفاً من الن

والحالُ أَنَّ لهُ كذا ألفاً من الن

نُسَخِ التي اتَّفَقتْ بضبطٍ مُحَكمِ

نُسَخِ التي اتَّفَقتْ بضبطٍ مُحَكمِ

The fact remains that it possesses many thousands of the—

Yet the fact is that it has so many thousands of

Copies that agreed through meticulous preservation.

copies agreeing in meticulous, exact preservation.

يَرضَى النقيضُ نقيضَهُ كنظيرهِ

يَرضَى النقيضُ نقيضَهُ كنظيرهِ

فيهنَّ وَهْوَ عليهِ غيرُ مُسَلِّمِ

فيهنَّ وَهْوَ عليهِ غيرُ مُسَلِّمِ

One opponent accepts his opponent’s copy as its equal,

An opponent accepts his opponent as his counterpart

Though in doctrine he does not accept the other.

in these copies, though he does not otherwise agree with him.

وإذا افتَرَضناهُ حديثاً باطلاً

وإذا افتَرَضناهُ حديثاً باطلاً

ضَبَطوهُ نقلاً كالطِّرازِ المُعَلَمِ

ضَبَطوهُ نقلاً كالطِّرازِ المُعَلَمِ

Even if we supposed it a fabricated tale,

Even if we supposed it a false tale,

They preserved its transmission like plainly patterned brocade—

they preserved its transmission like a clearly patterned brocade.

كحديثِ عنترةِ الفوارسِ وابنِ ذي

كحديثِ عنترةِ الفوارسِ وابنِ ذي

يَزَنٍ وبعضٍ من رجال الدَّيلَمِ

يَزَنٍ وبعضٍ من رجال الدَّيلَمِ

Like the tale of ʿAntarah, champion of horsemen, and Ibn Dhī

Like the tale of Antarah of the Horsemen, and of Ibn Dhi

Yazan, and certain heroes of Daylam.

Yazan, and some of the men of Daylam.

فتُرَى لَوَ أنَّ الأَصمعيَّ رَوَى الذي

فتُرَى لَوَ أنَّ الأَصمعيَّ رَوَى الذي

نجدٌ رَواهُ من الحديثِ المُتْهَمِ

نجدٌ رَواهُ من الحديثِ المُتْهَمِ

Suppose even that al-Aṣmaʿī narrated

So one wonders: if al-Asma‘i related what

The very report we find transmitted through a suspect tradition,

Najd related of a suspect tale,

وأَبا عُبَيْدَةَ مثلَهُ وجهُيَنةً

وأَبا عُبَيْدَةَ مثلَهُ وجهُيَنةً

وسِواهما من كاتبٍ ومتُرجِمِ

وسِواهما من كاتبٍ ومتُرجِمِ

And Abū ʿUbaydah likewise, and Juhaynah,

and Abu Ubaydah likewise, and Juhaynah,

And others besides them, scribes and translators:

and others besides those two, writers and translators,

هل يستوي النَّقلُ الذي أَودَى بهِ

هل يستوي النَّقلُ الذي أَودَى بهِ

نقضُ الرُّواةِ فصارَ كالمتهدِّمِ

نقضُ الرُّواةِ فصارَ كالمتهدِّمِ

Would such transmission equal one destroyed by

could the transmission be consistent, when it was ruined by

The transmitters’ contradictions until it lay in ruins?

the narrators' contradictions, leaving it like a ruin?

ولَوِ الحَواريُّونَ نَصُّوهُ عَلَى

ولَوِ الحَواريُّونَ نَصُّوهُ عَلَى

قَدَرٍ بمجتمعٍ لهم ومخُيَّمِ

قَدَرٍ بمجتمعٍ لهم ومخُيَّمِ

Even had the Apostles expressly recorded it

Had the disciples set it down according to

In due form, at a gathering and an encampment of theirs,

a set plan, in their assembly and camp,

جعلوهُ في التعبيرِ لفظاً واحداً

جعلوهُ في التعبيرِ لفظاً واحداً

لا فرقَ فيه لناظرِ المتُوسِّمِ

لا فرقَ فيه لناظرِ المتُوسِّمِ

They would have made its wording one

they would have made its expression one single wording,

In expression and phrase,

with no difference visible to a discerning observer.

ولَوَ أَنَّهم كتبوا كما شاءَ الهوى

ولَوَ أَنَّهم كتبوا كما شاءَ الهوى

شُقَّ الكتابُ لِكذْبهِ وبهِ رُمِي

شُقَّ الكتابُ لِكذْبهِ وبهِ رُمِي

With no difference in it for a discerning reader.

And had they written as whim desired,

Had they written whatever whim desired,

the book would have been torn up for its lies and charged with falsehood.

ولكانَ في التأْريخِ ما هُوَ ضِدُّهم

ولكانَ في التأْريخِ ما هُوَ ضِدُّهم

دَحضاً وضِدُّ مسيحهم كمُسَيْلِمِ

دَحضاً وضِدُّ مسيحهم كمُسَيْلِمِ

The Book would be rent by their lies, and through it they would be disgraced.

History would contain what opposed them,

And history would contain what stood against them,

refuting them and their Messiah, as with Musaylimah.

أو كانَ سُطِّرَ بعدَ حينٍ مثلما

أو كانَ سُطِّرَ بعدَ حينٍ مثلما

قد ظَنَّ بعضُ النَّاسِ ظَنَّ مُرَجِّمِ

قد ظَنَّ بعضُ النَّاسِ ظَنَّ مُرَجِّمِ

Refuting them and opposing their Messiah like Musaylima.

Or had it been written only after some time, as

Or was it written later, as

some people have supposed—a conjecturer's guess—

هل مَنْ يُصدِّقهُ ويترُكُ دينَهُ

هل مَنْ يُصدِّقهُ ويترُكُ دينَهُ

بسَماعهِ عن حادثٍ مُترَدِّمِ

بسَماعهِ عن حادثٍ مُترَدِّمِ

Some people have conjectured blindly?

would anyone believe it and abandon his religion

Would anyone believe it and abandon his faith

on hearing of an event long buried?

وإذا تقرَّر بعدَ ذلك أَنَّهُ

وإذا تقرَّر بعدَ ذلك أَنَّهُ

هذا الصحيحُ وأَنَّهُ لم يُثلَمِ

هذا الصحيحُ وأَنَّهُ لم يُثلَمِ

On hearing it from some latter-day translator?

And once it is established, after all this, that it

Once it is established, then, that it

is the authentic text and has not been impaired,

لزِمَتْ بهِ ثِقَةُ الجميعِ بأَنَّهُ

لزِمَتْ بهِ ثِقَةُ الجميعِ بأَنَّهُ

حقٌّ وغيرَ الحقِّ لم يَتَكَلَّمِ

حقٌّ وغيرَ الحقِّ لم يَتَكَلَّمِ

Is the authentic text and has not been impaired,

everyone must trust it as

Everyone must therefore trust that it

truth, speaking nothing but the truth.

واستلزَمَ التَّصحيحُ إِقراراً بما

واستلزَمَ التَّصحيحُ إِقراراً بما

في طيِّهِ كاللاّزمِ المُستلْزِمِ

في طيِّهِ كاللاّزمِ المُستلْزِمِ

Speaks the truth, and nothing but the truth.

Establishing its authenticity entails acknowledging what

And divine unity necessarily entails acknowledgment of what

lies within its folds, as a consequence follows what entails it.

فتعيَّنَ الإيمانُ فيهِ بكلِّ ما

فتعيَّنَ الإيمانُ فيهِ بكلِّ ما

يَرويهِ تصديقاً بغيرِ توَهُّمِ

يَرويهِ تصديقاً بغيرِ توَهُّمِ

Its contents hold as an inescapable implication.

Thus one must believe in it, in all that

Faith is therefore required in everything

it relates, assenting without misgiving.

وغدَا المُماري في المسيحِ كأَنَّهُ

وغدَا المُماري في المسيحِ كأَنَّهُ

في الشَّمس مارَى في الضُّحَى المُتبسِّمِ

في الشَّمس مارَى في الضُّحَى المُتبسِّمِ

It relates, with certainty and no imagining.

Whoever disputes Christ becomes like one

The disputant over the Messiah becomes like one

who disputes the sun in the smiling morning light.

وتَعطَّلَت آرآءُ كلِّ مكذِّبٍ

وتَعطَّلَت آرآءُ كلِّ مكذِّبٍ

ومفُنِّدٍ ومُرجِّمٍ ومنُجِّمِ

ومفُنِّدٍ ومُرجِّمٍ ومنُجِّمِ

Who doubts the sun at radiant forenoon.

The opinions of every denier are nullified,

The opinions of every denier would collapse—

every refuter, conjecturer, and astrologer.

شَهِدَتْ عجائبُهُ لهُ في عصرِهِ

شَهِدَتْ عجائبُهُ لهُ في عصرِهِ

فدَرَى الحكيمُ وتاهَ مَن لم يَفَهمِ

فدَرَى الحكيمُ وتاهَ مَن لم يَفَهمِ

Every caviller, blind conjecturer, and astrologer.

His wonders bore witness to him in his own age;

His miracles bore witness to him in his own age;

the wise understood, while those who failed to understand strayed.

ولنا عليهِ أَدِلَّةٌ قَطْعيَّةٌ

ولنا عليهِ أَدِلَّةٌ قَطْعيَّةٌ

عقلاً ونقلاً ليسَ قطعَ تحكُّمِ

عقلاً ونقلاً ليسَ قطعَ تحكُّمِ

The wise discerned, while whoever failed to understand went astray.

We have conclusive proofs concerning him,

We possess decisive proofs concerning him,

by reason and transmission, not by arbitrary assertion.

قد جاءَ لا بيتٌ ولا مالٌ ولا

قد جاءَ لا بيتٌ ولا مالٌ ولا

فَرَسٌ ولا شيءٌ يُباعُ بدِرْهَمِ

فَرَسٌ ولا شيءٌ يُباعُ بدِرْهَمِ

Both rational and transmitted—not an arbitrary claim.

He came with neither house nor wealth nor

He came with neither house nor wealth, nor

horse, nor anything that could be sold for a dirham.

يأْوي المغارةَ مثلَ راعي الضأْنِ لا

يأْوي المغارةَ مثلَ راعي الضأْنِ لا

راعي الممالكِ في السَّريرِالأَعظَمِ

راعي الممالكِ في السَّريرِالأَعظَمِ

Horse, nor anything worth a dirham.

He sheltered in a cave like a shepherd of sheep, not

He sheltered in a cave like a shepherd of sheep, not

a shepherd of kingdoms upon the greatest throne.

وهوَ ابنُ يُوسُفَ لا ابنُ قيصرَ عندَهم

وهوَ ابنُ يُوسُفَ لا ابنُ قيصرَ عندَهم

يغزو بجيشٍ في البلادِ عَرَمرَمِ

يغزو بجيشٍ في البلادِ عَرَمرَمِ

A ruler of kingdoms upon the loftiest throne.

To them he was Joseph's son, not Caesar's son,

In their eyes he was Joseph’s son, not Caesar’s son,

invading the lands with a mighty army.

فأَتاهُ من شعبِ اليهودِ جماعةٌ

فأَتاهُ من شعبِ اليهودِ جماعةٌ

كانوا عَلَى الدِّينِ التليدِ الأَقدَمِ

كانوا عَلَى الدِّينِ التليدِ الأَقدَمِ

Who invades the lands with a mighty army.

A group from the Jewish people came to him,

Yet a company from among the Jewish people came to him;

followers of the old, most ancient faith.

وتَبرَّأُوا من دِينِ موسى صاحب ال

وتَبرَّأُوا من دِينِ موسى صاحب ال

طُّورِ المكلَّمِ في الغَمامِ الأَدهمِ

طُّورِ المكلَّمِ في الغَمامِ الأَدهمِ

They followed the most ancient inherited faith.

They renounced the religion of Moses, he of the

They renounced the religion of Moses, companion of

Mount, addressed amid the dark cloud.

وتَباعَدوا من قومهِم بمذَلَّةٍ

وتَباعَدوا من قومهِم بمذَلَّةٍ

يأْبونَ كلَّ كَرامةٍ وتَنعُّمِ

يأْبونَ كلَّ كَرامةٍ وتَنعُّمِ

The Mount, whom God addressed within the dark cloud.

They withdrew from their people in humiliation,

They withdrew far from their people in humiliation,

refusing all honor and luxury.

وتعلَّقُوا بحبِالِ مسكينٍ أَتَى

وتعلَّقُوا بحبِالِ مسكينٍ أَتَى

بالذُّلِّ مثلَ السَّائلِ المُسترحِمِ

بالذُّلِّ مثلَ السَّائلِ المُسترحِمِ

Casting away every honor and luxury.

They clung to the ropes of a poor man who came

They clung to the cords of a poor man who came

in lowliness, like a beggar seeking mercy.

قالوا هُوَ ابنُ اللهِ جهراً والعِدَى

قالوا هُوَ ابنُ اللهِ جهراً والعِدَى

من حولهم مثلُ الذِّئابِ الحُوَّمِ

من حولهم مثلُ الذِّئابِ الحُوَّمِ

In utter lowliness, like a beggar pleading for mercy.

They openly said, "He is the Son of God," while enemies

They openly declared, “He is God’s Son,” while enemies

surrounded them like circling wolves.

والناسُ بينَ عَواذِلٍ وعَواذِرٍ

والناسُ بينَ عَواذِلٍ وعَواذِرٍ

لهمُ وبينَ مُحَلِّلٍ ومُحَرِّمِ

لهمُ وبينَ مُحَلِّلٍ ومُحَرِّمِ

Around them hovered like wolves.

People were divided between those who reproached and those who excused

People stood between blaming them and excusing them,

them, and between those who permitted and those who forbade.

ما غرَّكم يا قومُ فيهِ أَسَيفُهُ

ما غرَّكم يا قومُ فيهِ أَسَيفُهُ

أم جاهُهُ أم مالُهُ في الأنعمِ

أم جاهُهُ أم مالُهُ في الأنعمِ

And between declaring things lawful and forbidden for them.

"What about him enticed you, people—was it his sword,

What beguiled you about him, O people—was it his sword?

his rank, or his wealth in livestock?"

هُوَ ساحرٌ يُطغي فقالوا لم نَجِدْ

هُوَ ساحرٌ يُطغي فقالوا لم نَجِدْ

من ساحرٍ يُحيي الرَّميمَ بطَلْسَمِ

من ساحرٍ يُحيي الرَّميمَ بطَلْسَمِ

Was it his rank, or his wealth among the prosperous?

"He is a sorcerer who leads astray!" They replied, "We have never found

“He is an overreaching sorcerer,” they said; yet we have never found

a sorcerer who revives decayed remains with a talisman.

كانت رِجالُ اللهِ تُحيي ميِّتاً

كانت رِجالُ اللهِ تُحيي ميِّتاً

بصَلاتها ودُعائها المُتقدِّمِ

بصَلاتها ودُعائها المُتقدِّمِ

A sorcerer who gives life to decayed bones with a spell.

God's men would bring a dead man to life

Men of God used to revive one dead person

through their prayer and supplication offered beforehand;

ونَراهُ يُحيي المائتينَ بأَمرِهِ

ونَراهُ يُحيي المائتينَ بأَمرِهِ

فهوَ الإِلهُ ومَنْ تَشكَّكَ يَندَمِ

فهوَ الإِلهُ ومَنْ تَشكَّكَ يَندَمِ

Through prayers and supplications offered beforehand;

yet we see him bring the dead to life by his command.

But we see him give life to the two dead men at his command.

He is therefore God; whoever doubts will regret it."

ولَئِنْ همُ انخَدَعوا لغَفْلتِهم فقد

ولَئِنْ همُ انخَدَعوا لغَفْلتِهم فقد

ضَعُفتْ عُقولهُمُ كَمَنْ لم يَحلُمِ

ضَعُفتْ عُقولهُمُ كَمَنْ لم يَحلُمِ

He therefore is God, and whoever doubts will regret it.

And if they were deceived through heedlessness, then

Even if they themselves were deceived through heedlessness,

their minds were weak, like those not yet mature.

فتُرَى بما خَدَعوا البِلاَدِ ومَن بها

فتُرَى بما خَدَعوا البِلاَدِ ومَن بها

من عالِمٍ يفتي ومن مُتعلِّمِ

من عالِمٍ يفتي ومن مُتعلِّمِ

Their minds must have been as weak as one not yet mature.

So one wonders: by what did they deceive the lands and those within them,

Then by what did they deceive all the lands and those within them—

learned men issuing rulings and students alike?

فإذا اعتَبرْنا ما ذكرتُ بدا لنا

فإذا اعتَبرْنا ما ذكرتُ بدا لنا

بالحقِّ وجهُ الحقِّ غيرَ مُلثَّمِ

بالحقِّ وجهُ الحقِّ غيرَ مُلثَّمِ

Learned jurists and students alike?

When we consider what I have mentioned, there appears to us

When we consider what I have recounted, there appears to us

in truth the face of truth, unveiled.

وهُوَ الدَّليلُ لنا عَلَى إِثباتهِ

وهُوَ الدَّليلُ لنا عَلَى إِثباتهِ

كالشَّمسِ تَطلُعُ فِي سماءِ الأَنُجمِ

كالشَّمسِ تَطلُعُ فِي سماءِ الأَنُجمِ

The face of truth, unveiled by truth itself.

It is our proof for affirming him,

This is our proof establishing it,

like the sun rising in a sky of stars.

ولكُلِّ معُتَرِضٍ علينا مِنَّهٌ

ولكُلِّ معُتَرِضٍ علينا مِنَّهٌ

إن كانَ يدَحضُهُ بقولٍ مُلزِمِ

إن كانَ يدَحضُهُ بقولٍ مُلزِمِ

Like the sun rising in the starry sky.

Every challenger of ours would do us a favor

And for every objector against us—from it—: if he can, let him refute it with a compelling argument.

if he could refute it with a compelling argument.