يُحَنَّةُ إنْ تُؤمِنْ فَخيرٌ وإن تُرِدْ

سِوَى الحقِّ فَاعْلَمْ أنّ رأيكَ عَازِبُ

Yuhanna, if you believe, that is best—but if you seek

anything other than truth, know that your judgment has strayed.

أتى بك من أكنافِ أيلةَ ما أتى

وليس لمن يَمَّمتَ في النّاسِ غَالِبُ

Whatever brought you from the reaches of Ayla has brought you here,

and none among mankind can overcome the one you have sought.

دُعِيتَ إلى الإسلامِ فاخترْتَ جِزْيَةً

تَنالُ بها الأمنَ الذي أنتَ طالبُ

You were summoned to Islam, but you chose the jizya,

that through it you might gain the security you seek.

ولو كنتَ ممّن يبتغي جانِبَ الهُدَى

هُدِيتَ ولكنَّ المُضلَّلَ خَائِبُ

Had you been one who sought the path of guidance,

you would have been guided—but the deluded one is disappointed.

وما رَغِبَ المأمونُ فيها هَديَّةً

كساكَ بها البُرْدَ الذي أنت سَاحِبُ

The man granted safety did not desire it as a gift;

it clothed you in the mantle whose hem you trail.

أتيتَ بقومٍ لو رأوا مِنكَ ناصحاً

لما عاب منهم خُطّةَ الجدِّ لاعِبُ

You came with a people who, had they seen in you an honest counselor,

no idler among them would have faulted the earnest course.

أتأبون دِينَ الحقِّ يا آلَإذرح

وجرباء حتى يجلب الخيل جالبُ

Do you refuse the religion of truth, O people of Adhruh

and Jarba, until a driver brings the cavalry against you?

ألا فاشهدوا يا آل مقنا وأيْقِنُوا

بأنْ سوفَ تَنْهى الجاهِلينَ العواقِبُ

Then bear witness, O people of Maqna, and be certain

that consequences will restrain the ignorant.

خُذوا من عهودِ الذُّلِّ ما اللَّهُ ضَارِبٌ

عليكم وما الدَّاعي إلى اللَّهِ كاتبُ

Accept those covenants of abasement which God lays

upon you, and what the summoner to God records.

وأدُّوا إليهِ المالَ لا تَبخلُوا به

ولا تغدروا فالبأسُ يَقظانُ دائبُ

Pay him the money; do not withhold it,

and do not betray—for might stands wakeful and unceasing.

وَسِيروا بأهليكم على الخُطَّةِ التي

رَضِيتُم لهم إنّ الطريقَ لَلاَحِبُ

Travel with your households upon the course

you accepted for them; the road lies broad and plain.

أخا البغلةِ البيضاءِ لَيْتَكَ كُنْتها

لعلَّكَ تدرِي كيفَ تعلو المراتِبُ

O brother of the white mule, would that you were the mule—

perhaps then you would know how ranks are climbed!

أتُعطَى من العزِّ البهيمةُ رِزقَها

ويُحرَمُ منه المرءُ تِلكَ العجائبُ

Is the beast granted its allotted share of honor,

while a man is denied it? What a marvel!

يُحَنَّةُ هذا ما قضَى اللَّهُ فاعتبِرْ

وكيف اعتبارُ المرءِ والعقلُ ذاهِبُ

Yuhanna, this is what God has decreed—so take heed;

how can a man offer excuses when his reason has departed?