أَلِاَنَ عَلِمتُ أَنَّ البَعثَ حَقٌّ

أَلِاَنَ عَلِمتُ أَنَّ البَعثَ حَقٌّ

وَأَنَّ اللَهَ يَفعَلُ ما يَشاءُ

وَأَنَّ اللَهَ يَفعَلُ ما يَشاءُ

Now I know that resurrection is true,

Now that I know resurrection is real

and that God does whatever He wills.

And God does whatever He will

رَأَيتُ الخَثعَمِيَّ يُقِلُّ أَنفاً

رَأَيتُ الخَثعَمِيَّ يُقِلُّ أَنفاً

يَضيقُ بِعَرضِهِ البَلَدُ الفَضاءُ

يَضيقُ بِعَرضِهِ البَلَدُ الفَضاءُ

I saw al-Khathʿami bearing a nose

I saw Al-Khat‘ami belittle his nose

whose breadth cramps the spacious land.

As he strode, the wide land grew narrow

سَما صَعُداً فَقَصَّرَ كُلُّ سامٍ

سَما صَعُداً فَقَصَّرَ كُلُّ سامٍ

لِهَيبَتِهِ وَغَصَّ بِهِ الهَواءُ

لِهَيبَتِهِ وَغَصَّ بِهِ الهَواءُ

It soared upward, so every lofty thing fell short

He climbed to the sky, so each high climber lowered

in awe of it, and the air choked on it.

In awe of him, the air grew stifled and close

هُوَ الجَبَلُ الَّذي لَولا ذُراهُ

هُوَ الجَبَلُ الَّذي لَولا ذُراهُ

إِذاً وَقَعَت عَلى الأَرضِ السَماءُ

إِذاً وَقَعَت عَلى الأَرضِ السَماءُ

It is the mountain without whose peaks

He is the mountain, but for its mass

the sky would then have fallen upon the earth.

The heaven itself would fall to earth below