قِفوا ساعَةً إِنَّ المُحِبَّ لَهُ عَهدُ

وَلا تَعجَلوا بِالبَينِ إِن لَم يَكُن بُدُّ

Stand a while, for the lover has a pact,

And hasten not with separation, if there be no necessity,

أَفي كُلِّ يَومٍ نَحنُ لِلبَينِ وُقَّفٌ

أَما لِلهَوى حَقٌّ وَلا لِلنَوى حَدُّ

Are we made every day for separation, while love has rights,

And desire has no limits?

تَرامَت بِنا أَحداثُ دَهرٍ نَروضُها

فَتَطغى وَنَرجو أَن تَلينَ فَتَشتَدُّ

The vicissitudes of time have tossed us about,

We tame them, hoping they will relent, but they rage harder,

صَبَرنا لَها حَتّى إِذا ما تَذَأَّبَت

عَبَأنا لَها بَأساً تُراعُ لَهُ الأُسدُ

We were patient with them until they became disdainful,

Then we confronted them with might that makes the lion tremble.

رَضينا بِبَعضِ الأَمرِ حَتّى إِذا أَبى

غَضِبنا وَبَعضُ الأَمرِ لَيسَ لَهُ رَدُّ

We were satisfied with some affairs until, when he refused,

We were angry, for some affairs cannot be reversed,

غَضِبنا فَباتَ الجَيشُ يَرميهِ بأسُهُ

وَباتَ الحُسامُ العَضبُ يَلفِظُهُ الغِمدُ

We were angry, so the army assailed him with its valour,

And the angry, unsheathed swords rattled forth from their scabbards.

قِفوا ساعَةً إِنَّ القُلوبَ بِحاجَةٍ

إِلى وَقفَةٍ يَخفى بِها الوَجدُ أَو يَبدو

Stand a while, for hearts are in need

Of a pause in which ecstasy may be concealed or revealed,

وَما وَقفَةٌ مِنكُم وَإِن طالَ حينُها

بِشافِيَةٍ ما يُعقِبُ النَأيُ وَالبُعدُ

Your pausing, however long, cannot compensate

For the separation and distance that ensue.

لَنا ذِمَّةٌ فيكُم وَلِلَهِ ذِمَّةٌ

فَسيروا وَإِن أَدمى جَوانِحَنا الوَجدُ

We have a pact with you, and God has a pact,

So go on, though the pangs rend our bosoms.

أَخَذتُم سَبيلَ اللَهِ تَستَبِقونَهُ

إِلى غايَةٍ فيها المَثوبَةُ وَالحَمدُ

You have embarked upon God's cause, striving for it

To a goal wherein lie reward and praise.

هُوَ البَرُّ حَتّى يَفتَدي المَرءُ قَومَهُ

وَحَتّى يُداوي جُرحَ أُمَّتِهِ الفَردُ

Virtue it is, until a man ransoms his people,

And heals the wound that rends his community.

وَما العِقدُ إِلّا حَبَّةٌ عِندَ حَبَّةٍ

فَإِن لَم يَكُن سلكٌ يَضُمُّ فَلا عِقدُ

A necklace is but bead next to bead;

If there is no cord to bind them, there is no necklace.

وَأَضيَعُ ما فَوقَ البَسيطَةِ أُمَّةٌ

يُمَزِّقُها جَهلٌ وَيَأكُلُها حِقدُ

The most wretched community above the desert plain

Is that which ignorance rends and envy consumes.

إِذا أُمَّةٌ كانَت فِضاضاً قُلوبُها

تَهَدَّمَ عالِي مَجدِها وَكَبا الجَدُّ

When a community's hearts are diverse,

The height of its glory falls and adversity prevails.

سَمِعتُم أَنينَ الآخِذينَ عَلى الثَرى

مَضاجِعَهُم وَالذئبُ مِن حَولِهِم يَعدو

You have heard the groans of those who clutch the earth

As their bed, while about them the wolf circles.

فَما مَلَكَ الفَرشُ الوَثيرُ جُنوبَكُم

وَلا راعَكُم عَيشٌ لَذيذُ الجَنى رَغدُ

The plush couch has no power to hold you back,

Nor a life of ease full of fruit and plenty.

حَرامٌ عَلَينا أَن تَنامَ عُيونُنا

وَثَمَّ عُيونٌ ما يُفارِقُها السُهدُ

Unlawful it is for our eyes to sleep

While there are eyes that the vigil keeps.

فَسيروا عَلى نورِ الهِلالِ يَحوطُكُم

مِنَ اللَهِ جُندٌ ما يُغالِبُهُ جُندُ

So fare forth in the light of the crescent, surrounded

By a host of God, that no host can overcome;

وَعودوا إِلى أَوطانِكُم في غَضارَةٍ

مِنَ العَيشِ مَقرونٌ بِها العِزُّ وَالمَجدُ

And return to your homelands in splendour,

Attended by triumph and glory.