قُلْ لِلَّذِي لاَ يَنْتَهِي عَنْ فُحْشِهِ

أَ أَمِنْتَ مِنْ مَكْرِ الإِلَهِ وَبَطْشِهِ

Say to the shameless man who does not refrain from obscenity,

Tell the one who will not cease his wicked deeds:

Do you feel safe from the guile and might of God?

Do you feel secure from God's decree and His striking wrath?

أَمْ أَنْتَ عَنْ غَرَضِ الْمَنُونِ بِمَعْزِلٍ

لَمْ تَكْتَرِثْ بِسِهَامِهِ وَبِنَجْشِهِ

Or are you unconcerned with the goal of the Absolute Monarch,

Or do you stand apart from the target of death,

Not caring for His arrows and piercing stabs?

Uncaring of its arrows and its driving hunt?

هَيْهَاتَ قَدْ أَصْبَحْتَ فِي لَهَوَاتِ مَا

أَفْنَى الْقُرُونَ الْمَاضِيَاتِ بِدَبْشِهِ

Alas! You have indulged in vain pursuits

Alas! You have fallen into the gaping jaws of that which

That have destroyed past generations with their evil.

Has annihilated bygone generations with its consuming blight.

وَعَدَا عَلَى عَادٍ وَشَدَّادٍ وَلُقْ

مَانٍ وَأَرْدَى نَسْرَهُ فِي عُشِّهِ

He ruined ‘Aad and Shaddad, and the people of Lut

It struck down 'Aad, and Shaddad, and Luq-

And tore apart their nests within their dens.

-man, and destroyed his long-lived eagle in its very nest.

وَقَضَى عَلَى حَيَّيْ جَدِيسَ وَطَسْمِهَا

وَمُبِيدِهَا الْمُغْتَالِ هَاجِمِ حَفْشِهِ

He destroyed the tribe of Hud and the people of Tasm and Mudar

It decreed the doom of the twin tribes of Jadis and Tasm,

And their killer who deceitfully attacked them in their homes.

And their annihilator who struck them in their own domains.

وَأَدَارَ دَارَا عَنْ ذُرَاهُ وَدَارِهِ

وَاغْتَالَ قَاطِعَ عَرْشِهِ فِي فَرْشِهِ

He turned the homes of Thamud upside down,

It toppled Darius from his summits and his realm,

And killed the severer of His throne in his own bed.

And assassinated the usurper of his throne within his bed.

وَابْنَيْ بَغِيضٍرَضَّ كَابْنَيْ وَاِئلٍ

وَعَدِيدُهُمْ فَاقَ الْحَصَى فِي فَرْشِهِ

And the two sons of Baghis, like the two sons of Wa’il,

It crushed the sons of Baghid as it did the sons of Wa'il,

And their multitudes beyond count in their dens.

Though their numbers surpassed the pebbles strewn across the earth.

مِنْ كُلِّ مَنْ مَلَأَ الْمَلَا مِنْ مَالِهِ

إِذَا ضَاقَ وَاسِعُ فَرْشِهِ عَنْ فَرْشِهِ

Whoever fills the horizons with their possessions,

Taking every man who filled the open lands with his wealth,

When the spaciousness of their dens cannot contain their bedding.

Whose vast estates grew too narrow for his endless furnishings.

طَحَنَتْهُمُ أَضْرَاسُهُ طَحْنَ الرَّحَى

مَرَّتْ عَلَى يَبِسِ الْحَصِيدِ وَهَشِّهِ

He grinds them with His molars, grinding like a mill,

Death's molars ground them down like a turning millstone,

Passing over the dried hay and its husks.

Passing over the dry harvest and crushing its brittle stalks.

لَمْ تُبْقِ وَاسْتَفْسِرْ شُهُودَ الْحِسِّ مِنْ

أَسَدٍإِذَا رَكِبَ الْمَطَا مِنْ هَشِّهِ

He leaves no witnesses to relate the events,

It spared no one; go and ask the physical witnesses about

Like a lion riding the battlefield in its valor.

The lion-hearted warrior who eagerly mounted his steed,

وَمُقَلَّدٍ بِالْمَكْرِ خَبٍّ حُوَّلٍ

يَسْبِي الْعَظِيمَ بِظَاهِرٍ مِنْ هَشَّهِ

One who is shrewd and cunning, an expert deceiver,

And the cunning deceiver, ever-shifting in his wiles,

Who enslaves the mighty with his apparent weakness.

Who captivates the great with an outward display of gentle charm,

وَمُمَنَّعٍ بِجُنُودِهِ وَبُنُودِهِ

شَقِيَتْ عِدَاهُ بِجَيْشِهِ وَبِجَأْشِهِ

One who is protected by his soldiers and forts,

And the heavily fortified man with his soldiers and banners,

His enemies were miserable before his army and weapons.

Whose enemies suffered greatly from his army and his courage,

وَمُخَوَّلٍ وَمُمَوَّلٍ وَمُنَوَّلٍ

غَمْرِ النَّدَى هَطِلِ النَّوَالِ أَجَشِّهِ

One who is authorized, funded, and appointed,

And the favored man, showered with wealth and abundant gifts,

Drenched by the clouds’ downpour and showers.

Whose roaring generosity poured forth like heavy rain,

وَمُرَوَّعٍ وَمُصَدَّعٍ وَمُلَفَّعٍ

بِالْهَمِّ أَضْنَاهُ الزَّمَانُ بِنَهْشِهِ

One who is frightened,injured, and terrified

And the terrified, the shattered, and the one muffled up

Afflicted by worries, worn down by time and its stabbing.

By worry, whom time has worn away with its vicious bite,

وَمُطَيَّبٍ وَمُعَطَّرٍ حُلْوِ الْحُلَى

بَهِجٍ بِمَا تَجْنِيهِ رَوْضَةُ قَشِّهِ

One who is scented and perfumed with sweet aromas,

And the perfumed, the scented, adorned in sweet jewels,

Pleased with what his garden’s blossoms yield.

Delighting in whatever his gathered gardens yield,

وَمُقَرْطَقٍ وَمُكَحَّلٍ وَمُخَلْخَلٍ

رَقَّتْ سَجَايَا نَفْسِهِ أَوْ نَقْشِهِ

One who is reddened with kohl, eyeliner, and antimony,

And the one draped in tunics, eyes lined with kohl, and wearing anklets,

Whose innate passions have been refined or carved.

Whose soul's nature was as delicate as his painted adornments,

وَمُتَيَّمٍ بِجَلِبلِهِ وَخَلِبلِهِ

صَبٍّ بِمَا أَبْدَى الْهَوَى مِنْ رَقْشِهِ

One who is infatuated with his trinkets and ornaments,

And the impassioned lover, captivated by his intimate companion,

Yearning for the passions that desire has displayed.

Burning with love from the colorful designs passion has revealed,

وَمُذَمَّمٍ جَادَتْ يَدَاهُ بِعِرْضِهِ

إِذْ ضَنَّ مِمَّا قَدْ حَوَاهُ بِقَمْشِهِ

One whose hands were generous with his chastity

And the blameworthy one, who freely gave away his honor,

When he was content with what his body had been clothed in.

Yet was miserly with the wealth he had hoarded and swept up,

وَمُؤَدَّبٍ وَمُهَذَّبٍ وَمُشَذَّبٍ

عَلاَّمَةٍ رَوْضِ الرَّشَادِ مَحَشِّهِ

One who is nurtured, refined, and cultivated,

And the cultured, the refined, and the highly polished man,

A sign of the garden of righteousness in its clearing.

A brilliant scholar who harvests the gardens of righteous guidance,

وَمُمَجَّدٍ وَمُنَجَّدٍ وَمُسَدَّدٍ

مِجْذَامَةٍ مُفْنِي الْفَسَادِ مِحَشِّهِ

One who is glorified, supported, and guided straight,

And the glorified, the well-supported, and the steadfast,

A cleansing flood that eliminates corruption in its tide.

A decisive leader who cuts down and annihilates corruption.

لَمْ يَبْقَ مِنْ آثَارِهِمْ إِلاَّ سُمَا

مَنْ قَدْ سَمَا عَنْ خُبْثِهِ أَوْ فُحْشِهِ

Nothing remains of them except ill repute,

Nothing remains of their traces except the reputations

Of one who was infamous for their evil, obscenity,

Of those who rose above malice and obscenity,

أَوْ ضَُرِّهُ أَوْ غَدْرِهِ أَوْ شَرِّهِ

أَوْ مَكْرِهِ أَوْ كَيْدِهِ أَوْ غِشِّهِ

Or wickedness, betrayal, evil, scheming,

Or harm, or treachery, or wickedness,

Trickery, poking, prodding, fault-finding,

Or plotting, or scheming, or deceit,

أَوْ هَمْزِهِ أَوْ غَمْزِهِ أَوْ لَمْزِهِ

أَوْ رَجْزِهِ أَوْ رِجْسِهِ أَوْ نَجْشِهِ

Abomination, wickedness, or piercing stabs,

Or backbiting, or mocking, or slander,

Of one virtuous whose gifts encompassed the land,

Or sinfulness, or filth, or manipulation—

مِنْ فَاضِلٍ عَمَّ الْوَرَى بِنَوَالِهِ

لَمْ يَأْلُ فِي صَيْدِ الثَّنَاءِ وَحَرْشِهِ

Who did not tire of seeking praise and esteem,

From a virtuous man whose giving encompassed all of mankind,

Or one who reproaches, whose rebukes do not soften,

Who spared no effort in pursuing and gathering good praise,

أَوْ عَاذِلٍ لَيْسَتْ تَلِينُ قَنَاتُهُ

جَاثٍ عَلَى كُرْسِيِّ الصَّوَابِ وَعَرْشِهِ

Sitting upon the throne of truth and its pedestal.

Or a stern critic whose unyielding spear never softened,

Or a scholar whose suns of knowledge rose

Firmly seated upon the chair and throne of righteousness,

أَوْ عَالِمٍ طَلَعَتْ شُمُوسُ عُلُومِهِ

مِنْ تَحْتِ كُرْسِيِّ الْوِفَاقِ وَعَرْشِهِ

From beneath the throne of harmony and its pedestal.

Or a scholar whose suns of knowledge brightly rose

Or one who stands for truth, a leader

From beneath the chair and throne of harmonious wisdom,

أَوْ قَائِمْ بِالْحَقِّ مِنْ ذِي إِمْرَةْ

مُؤْوٍ لِمَنْ ثُلَّتْ دَعَائِمُ عَرْشِهِ

Supporting those whose pillars of rule have declined.

Or a ruler steadfast in truth, holding rightful authority,

Or a poet whose side glance of nature was refined,

Sheltering the one whose throne's pillars had been demolished,

أَوْ شَاعِرٍ رَقَّتْ حَوَاشِي طَبْعِهِ

يَنْحَاشُ عَنْ وَخْشِ الْكَلاَمِ وَوَحْشِهِ

Shying away from the fear of speech and its wilderness.

Or a poet of refined and delicate nature,

Or one who is patient in tribulations, firm,

Who shies away from vile and savage speech,

أَوْ صَابِرٍ فِي النَّائِبَاتِ مُرَزَّإٍ

ثَبْتٍ عَلَى كَدْشِ الزَّمَانِ وَخَدْشِهِ

Steadfast in the piercing of time and its stabbing.

Or a patient soul amidst heavy calamities, severely afflicted,

Or an ascetic, content with simple provisions

Standing firm against time's bites and its bitter scratches,

أَوْ زَاهٍِد فِيمَا تَكََدَّرَ مُكْتَفٍ

بِالْقُوتِ مِنْ خَشْلِ الْفَلاَ أَوْ بَهْشِهِ

From the plants of barren soil or its scraps.

Or an ascetic turning from the world's turbidity, content

Or a devout worshipper spending the night

With mere sustenance from the desert's meager yields and herbs,

أَوْ عَابِدٍ يًنْضِي مَطِيَّةَ لَيْلِهِ

وَنَهَارِهِ حَادِي النَّشَاطِ بِكَدْشِهِ

And day energetic in devotion with all his capacity.

Or a worshipper exhausting the mount of his night

So follow their path, travelling with the coolness of piety,

And day, driven forward by the energy of his relentless striving.

فَبِسَيْرِهِمْ سِرْ سَاحِباً بُرْدَ التُّقَى

إِنْ شِئْتَ تُوقَى مِنْ عَنَاكَ وَكَدْشِهِ

If you wish to be protected from your suffering and stabbing.

So walk in their path, trailing the cloak of piety,

And wear the garb of chastity and its repair,

If you wish to be shielded from your distress and hardship.

وَالْبَسْ جَلاَبِيبَ الْعَفَافِ وَرَيْطَهُ

وَانْقُشْ عَفَافَكَ بِالْحَيَاءِ وَوَشِّهِ

And preserve your chastity with shyness and its shelter.

And clothe yourself in the flowing robes of modesty,

And if you are needy, do not be submissive,

Engraving and adorning your modesty with a sense of shame.

وَإِذَا افْتَقَرْتَ فَلاَ تَكُنْ مُتَخَشَّعاً

وَصُنِ امْتِهَانَكَ بِالْوَقَارِ وَغَشِّهِ

And protect your dignity with composure and its veil.

If poverty strikes you, do not become abjectly submissive,

Fear and hope for God’s good pleasure and might,

But veil and protect your vulnerability with absolute dignity.

وَاللهَ خَفْ وَارْجُ رِضَاهُ وَبَطْشَهُ

وَارْكَبْ مَطَا دُهْمِ السَّدَادِ وَبَرْشِهِ

And mount the horse of righteousness and its saddle.

Fear God, hoping for His pleasure while mindful of His wrath,

It is more fitting for one who hopes and fears God

And ride upon the mounts of righteousness, both dark and speckled.

أَجْدِرْ بِمَنْ يَرْجُو وَيَخْشَى اللهَ أَنْ

يَرْقَى إِلَى غُرَفِ الْجِنَانِ بِنَعْشِهِ

To ascend to the chambers of Paradise in his bier.

How worthy is the one who places his hope and fear in God,

And constantly thank your God, for success is

To ascend upon his bier straight to the highest chambers of Paradise.

وَاشْكُرْ إِلَهَكَ دَائِماً فَالْفَوْزُ فِي

شُكْرِ الإِلَهِ عَلَى سَحَائِبِ نَعْشِهِ

In thanking God above the clouds with his bier.

Always give thanks to your Lord, for true triumph lies

And the outpouring of blessings is in the hand of the one

In thanking God for the continuous clouds of His uplifting grace.

وَأَزِمَّةُ الْبَرَكَاتِ فِي كَفِّ الذِي

صَلَّى عَلَى رَوْضِ الرَّشَادِ وَحَشِّهِ

Who prayed upon the garden of guidance and its residents.

And the reins of all blessings rest in the hand of Him who

The rain of the world, may God send blessings upon him, as long as

Sent blessings upon the garden of guidance and its harvester:

غَيْثِ الْوَرَى صَلَّى عَلَيْهِ اللهُ مَا

حَيِيَ الْعِبَادُ بِوَبْلِهِ وَبِرَشِّهِ

The servants live, with his floods and his showers.

The redeeming rain of mankind, may God bless him as long as

And upon his noble family and companions,

His servants live by the grace of His downpours and drizzles.

وَعَلَى الأَفَاضِلِ آلِهِ وَصِحَابِهِ

مِنْ كُلِّ مَنْ أَفْنَى الضَّلاَلَ مِجَشِّهِ

All who eliminate misguidance and its piercing stabs.

And upon his virtuous family and noble companions,

Every one of them who annihilated misguidance with a crushing blow.