الحكمُ حكمُ الجبر والاضطرار

ما ثَم حكم يقتضي الاختبارْ

Judgment is but coercion and force

No judgment calls for choice of course

إلا الذي يثعزى إلينا ففي

ظاهرِه بأنه عن خيارْ

Except what we ascribe to ourselves so its

Surface shows it was by free choice

كمثلِ ما يُعزى إلى خالقي

وعرشنا من عرشه في ازورار

Like what's ascribed to my Creator

And our throne tied to His in fine fetters

لو فكر الناظر فيه رأى

بأنه المختار عن اضطرار

If the observer thought about it, he would see

That it was chosen without coercion

لكل هذا ثابتٌ لا تقل

بأنه خاص بنا مُستعار

All this is fixed, do not say

It is specific to us, merely borrowed

فالعلمُ ما يتبع معلومه

فالحكمُ للساكنِ مثل الديار

So knowledge follows what is known

And judgment belongs to residence like homes

لا تعتبِ العالم في كلِّ ما

يكون فيه من غنى وافتقار

Do not blame the Knower for all

That occurs in Him of richness and need

ولا الذي أوجده إنه

يحكم بالعلمِ فأين الفرار

And the One who originated him, He

Judges with knowledge, so where to flee?

حِرتُ وحار الأمر في حيرتي

فليلزمِ العالمُ دارَ القرار

I was confused and the matter bewildered me

So let the Knower settle in the abode of settlement

وليرتضي بما له لا يزد

على رضاه إنه في تَبار

And be content with what he has, let him not

Exceed his contentment, he is in check

لا يعلم الحقَّ سوى واحد

يقضي على الحكام بالاضطرار

None knows the truth but the One

Who judges the rulers by compulsion

ألا ترى القاضي في حكمه

بمقتضى الشِّرعِ فأين الخيار

Do you not see the judge in his ruling

By law, so where is the choice?

ما أقلق العالم إلا الذي

قام به من حكمة الانتظار

Nothing troubled the Knower except what

He did of the wisdom of waiting

هذا هو الفصلُ الذي بينه

وبين من يفعل بالاقتدار

This is the distinction between Him

And one who acts by might and power