نَحنُ الفِداءُ فَمَأخوذٌ وَمُرتَقِبٌ

نَحنُ الفِداءُ فَمَأخوذٌ وَمُرتَقِبٌ

يَنوبُ عَنكَ إِذا هَمَّت بِكَ النُوَبُ

يَنوبُ عَنكَ إِذا هَمَّت بِكَ النُوَبُ

We are your ransom—one taken, another waiting—

We are the ransom, so we are taken and awaited,

to stand in for you when calamities threaten you.

To take your place when misfortunes threaten you,

قَد قابَلَتكَ سُعودُ العَيشِ ضاحِكَةً

قَد قابَلَتكَ سُعودُ العَيشِ ضاحِكَةً

وَواصَلَتكَ وَكانَت أَمسِ تَجتَنِبُ

وَواصَلَتكَ وَكانَت أَمسِ تَجتَنِبُ

Life's good fortunes have met you smiling,

The joys of life have met you smiling,

and kept close to you, though yesterday they shunned you.

And joined you though they avoided you yesterday,

وَنِعمَةٌ مِن أَمينِ اللَهِ ضافِيَةٌ

وَنِعمَةٌ مِن أَمينِ اللَهِ ضافِيَةٌ

عَلَيكَ في رُتبَةٍ مِن دونِها الرُتَبُ

عَلَيكَ في رُتبَةٍ مِن دونِها الرُتَبُ

And an ample blessing from God's trustee

A boundless blessing from the Trustee of God,

rests upon you, in a rank beneath which all ranks lie.

Upon you in a rank below which are all ranks,

تَمَلَّها يا أَبا أَيّوبَ إِنَّ لَها

تَمَلَّها يا أَبا أَيّوبَ إِنَّ لَها

عِزَّ الحَياةِ وَفيها الرُغبُ وَالرَهَبُ

عِزَّ الحَياةِ وَفيها الرُغبُ وَالرَهَبُ

Enjoy it fully, O Abu Ayyub, for it holds

Fill it, O Abu Ayyoub, it surely has,

life's glory; within it are desire and fear.

The glory of life, in it are desire and awe,

كَم مِن رَجاءٍ غَداةَ اِقتَدتَ جِريَتَها

كَم مِن رَجاءٍ غَداةَ اِقتَدتَ جِريَتَها

قَد شُدَّ فيها إِلَيكَ الدَلوُ وَالكَربُ

قَد شُدَّ فيها إِلَيكَ الدَلوُ وَالكَربُ

How many a hope, the morning you took charge of its course,

How many hopes at dawn you exemplified their practice,

had its bucket and rope fastened to you within it!

To you the buckets and jugs were pulled in them,

ما لِلَّيالي أَراها لَيسَ تَجمَعُها

ما لِلَّيالي أَراها لَيسَ تَجمَعُها

حالٌ وَيَجمَعُها مِن جَذمِها نَسَبُ

حالٌ وَيَجمَعُها مِن جَذمِها نَسَبُ

What is it with the nights? I see that no

What nights I see are not united in one state,

condition unites them, yet kinship from their root unites them.

And a lineage unites them from their severed parts,

ها إِنَّها عُصبَةٌ جاءَت مُخالِفَةً

ها إِنَّها عُصبَةٌ جاءَت مُخالِفَةً

بَعضٌ لِبَعضٍ فَخِلنا أَنَّها عُصَبُ

بَعضٌ لِبَعضٍ فَخِلنا أَنَّها عُصَبُ

Behold, they are one band, yet have come at odds,

Behold they are a party who came discordantly,

one with another, so we thought they were many bands.

Some to others, so we thought they were allies,

وَنَعذُلُ الدَهرَ أَن وافى بِنائِبَةٍ

وَنَعذُلُ الدَهرَ أَن وافى بِنائِبَةٍ

وَلَيسَ لِلدَهرِ فيما نابَنا أَرَبُ

وَلَيسَ لِلدَهرِ فيما نابَنا أَرَبُ

And we reproach time for bringing a calamity,

And we blame fate, though it afflicted us with calamity,

though time has no purpose in what has befallen us.

Yet fate had no hand in what befell us,

الحَمدُ لِلَّهِ حَمداً تَمَّ واجِبُهُ

الحَمدُ لِلَّهِ حَمداً تَمَّ واجِبُهُ

وَنَشكُرُ اللَهَ شُكراً مِثلَ ما يَجِبُ

وَنَشكُرُ اللَهَ شُكراً مِثلَ ما يَجِبُ

Praise be to God, with praise whose due is fully met;

Praise be to God, praise that its obligation is complete,

and we thank God with thanks such as are owed.

And we thank God, thanks like what is obligated,

أَرضى الزَمانُ نُفوساً طالَ ما سَخِطَت

أَرضى الزَمانُ نُفوساً طالَ ما سَخِطَت

وَأَعتَبَ الدَهرُ قَوماً طالَ ما عَتِبوا

وَأَعتَبَ الدَهرُ قَوماً طالَ ما عَتِبوا

Time has pleased souls long discontent,

Time pleased souls long displeased,

and time has made amends to people who long reproached it.

And fate pardoned a people long displeased,

وَأَكسَفَ اللَهُ بالَ الكاشِحينَ عَلى

وَأَكسَفَ اللَهُ بالَ الكاشِحينَ عَلى

وَعدٍ وَأَبطَلَ ما قالوا وَما كَذَبوا

وَعدٍ وَأَبطَلَ ما قالوا وَما كَذَبوا

And God darkened the spirits of the spiteful, in keeping with

And God disappointed with loss the aggressive,

a promise, and nullified what they said and fabricated.

On a promise, and invalidated what they said and lied,

لِتَهنِكَ النِعمَةُ المُخضَرُّ جانِبُها

لِتَهنِكَ النِعمَةُ المُخضَرُّ جانِبُها

مِن بَعدِ ما اِصفَرَّ في أَرجائِها العُشُبُ

مِن بَعدِ ما اِصفَرَّ في أَرجائِها العُشُبُ

May the blessing gladden you, its margin green,

For joy to adorn you, its side green

after the grass within its reaches had turned yellow.

After it had yellowed, in its quarters the herbage,

وَكانَ أُعطِيَ مِنها حاسِدٌ حَنِقٌ

وَكانَ أُعطِيَ مِنها حاسِدٌ حَنِقٌ

سُؤلاً وَنَيَّبَ فيها كاشِحٌ كَلِبُ

سُؤلاً وَنَيَّبَ فيها كاشِحٌ كَلِبُ

And a furious envier had been granted through it

And a resentful envious man was given from it

his wish, while a rabid foe bared his fangs at it.

A request, and a vicious slanderer fault found in it,

فَمِن دُموعِ عُيونٍ قَلَّما دَمَعَت

فَمِن دُموعِ عُيونٍ قَلَّما دَمَعَت

وَمِن وَجيبِ قُلوبٍ قَلَّما تَجِبُ

وَمِن وَجيبِ قُلوبٍ قَلَّما تَجِبُ

So, from the tears of eyes that seldom wept,

From tears of eyes that rarely weep,

and from the pounding of hearts that seldom throbbed,

And hearts that rarely respond,

عافوكَ خَصَّكَ مَكروهٌ فَعَمَّهُمُ

عافوكَ خَصَّكَ مَكروهٌ فَعَمَّهُمُ

ثُمَّ اِنجَلى فَتَجَلَّت أَوجُهٌ شُحُبُ

ثُمَّ اِنجَلى فَتَجَلَّت أَوجُهٌ شُحُبُ

they spared you; a misfortune singled you out, then spread to them all;

Harm afflicted you, He singled you out, then it cleared from them,

then it lifted, and pale faces shone,

Then faces brightened, gloomy with pallor,

بِحُسنِ رَأيِ أَميرِ المُؤمِنينَ وَما

بِحُسنِ رَأيِ أَميرِ المُؤمِنينَ وَما

لِصاعِدٍ وَهوَ مَوصولٌ بِهِ نَسَبُ

لِصاعِدٍ وَهوَ مَوصولٌ بِهِ نَسَبُ

through the wise judgment of the Commander of the Faithful; and no

With the good opinion of the Commander of the Faithful, and what

kinship links Ṣāʿid to him, though he is bound to him.

Ancestor is linked to him by lineage,

ما كانَ إِلّا مُكافاةً وَتَكرِمَةٍ

ما كانَ إِلّا مُكافاةً وَتَكرِمَةٍ

هَذا الرِضا وَاِمتِحاناً ذَلِكَ الغَضَبُ

هَذا الرِضا وَاِمتِحاناً ذَلِكَ الغَضَبُ

It was nothing but recompense and honor—

It was nothing but reward and honor,

this approval—and that anger was a test.

This satisfaction and testing that anger,

وَرِبَّما كانَ مَكروهُ الأُمورِ إِلى

وَرِبَّما كانَ مَكروهُ الأُمورِ إِلى

مَحبوبِها سَبَباً ما مِثلَهُ سَبَبُ

مَحبوبِها سَبَباً ما مِثلَهُ سَبَبُ

And often what is unwelcome in affairs leads toward

And the hated matters sometimes

what is welcome, as a means no other means can match.

Are reason to what is loved, the like of it no reason,

هَذي مَخايِلُ بَرقٍ خَلفَهُ مَطَرٌ

هَذي مَخايِلُ بَرقٍ خَلفَهُ مَطَرٌ

جَودٌ وَوَريُ زِنادٍ خَلفَهُ لَهَبُ

جَودٌ وَوَريُ زِنادٍ خَلفَهُ لَهَبُ

These are signs of lightning, followed by rain

These are imaginations of lightning followed by rain,

in torrents, and the sparking of firesticks, followed by flame.

Generosity and irrigation of clouds followed by flames,

وَأَزرَقُ الفَجرِ يَأتي قَبلَ أَبيَضِهِ

وَأَزرَقُ الفَجرِ يَأتي قَبلَ أَبيَضِهِ

وَأَوَّلُ الغَيثِ قَطرٌ ثُمَّ يَنسَكِبُ

وَأَوَّلُ الغَيثِ قَطرٌ ثُمَّ يَنسَكِبُ

And dawn's blue comes before its white,

And the blue of dawn comes before its whiteness,

and rain begins with drops, then pours.

And the first of rain is drops then it pours down,

إِنَّ الخَليفَةَ قَد جَدَّت عَزيمَتُهُ

إِنَّ الخَليفَةَ قَد جَدَّت عَزيمَتُهُ

فيما يُريدُ وَما في جِدِّهِ لَعِبُ

فيما يُريدُ وَما في جِدِّهِ لَعِبُ

The caliph's resolve has indeed grown firm

The Caliph is truly determined,

in what he intends; there is no jest in his earnestness.

In what he wants, and there is no frivolity in his determination,

رَآكَ إِن وَقَفوا في الأَمرِ تَسبِقُهُم

رَآكَ إِن وَقَفوا في الأَمرِ تَسبِقُهُم

هَدياً وَإِن خَمَدوا في الرَأيِ تَلتَهِبُ

هَدياً وَإِن خَمَدوا في الرَأيِ تَلتَهِبُ

He saw you, if they stand still in a matter, outpace them

He saw you preceding them in guidance if they halted in the matter,

in guidance; and if they grow cold in counsel, you blaze.

And aflame if they wavered in opinion,

كَأَنَّني بِكَ قَد قُلِّدتَ أَعظَمَها

كَأَنَّني بِكَ قَد قُلِّدتَ أَعظَمَها

أَمراً فَلا مُنكَرٌ بِدعٌ وَلا عَجَبُ

أَمراً فَلا مُنكَرٌ بِدعٌ وَلا عَجَبُ

It is as though I see you already entrusted with the greatest

It is as if I saw you entrusted with the greatest of them,

charge—no strange novelty, and no surprise.

In command, so no rejection, innovation, or wonder,

فَلا تَهُمُّ بِتَقصيرٍ وَلا طَبعٍ

فَلا تَهُمُّ بِتَقصيرٍ وَلا طَبعٍ

وَلَو هَمَمتَ نَهاكَ الدينُ وَالحَسَبُ

وَلَو هَمَمتَ نَهاكَ الدينُ وَالحَسَبُ

So you contemplate neither neglect nor disgrace;

So do not intend shortcoming or nature,

even if you did, faith and ancestral honor would restrain you.

And if you intended, religion and propriety would forbid you,

قَلبٌ يُطِلُّ عَلى أَفكارِهِ وَيَدٌ

قَلبٌ يُطِلُّ عَلى أَفكارِهِ وَيَدٌ

تُمضي الأُمورَ وَنَفسٌ لَهوُها التَعَبُ

تُمضي الأُمورَ وَنَفسٌ لَهوُها التَعَبُ

A heart that surveys its thoughts, and a hand

A heart that reflects on its thoughts, a hand

that carries affairs through, and a soul whose pastime is toil.

That accomplishes matters, and a soul whose distraction is fatigue,

وَقاطِعٌ لِلخُصومِ اللُدِّ إِن نَخِبَت

وَقاطِعٌ لِلخُصومِ اللُدِّ إِن نَخِبَت

قُلوبُهُم فَسَرايا عَزمِهِ نُخَبُ

قُلوبُهُم فَسَرايا عَزمِهِ نُخَبُ

And a vanquisher of stubborn adversaries: if

And cutting off opponents' insolence if

their hearts fail, the squadrons of his resolve are elite troops.

Their hearts were malignant, for his resolved armies are chosen,

لا يَتَحَظّى كَما اِحتَجَّ البَخيلُ وَلا

لا يَتَحَظّى كَما اِحتَجَّ البَخيلُ وَلا

يُحِبُّ مِن مالِهِ إِلّا الَّذي يَهِبُ

يُحِبُّ مِن مالِهِ إِلّا الَّذي يَهِبُ

He seeks no advantage for himself, as the miser pleads, nor

He does not seek like the stingy person sought,

loves any of his wealth except what he gives away.

And does not love of his money except what he donates,

حُلوُ الحَديثِ إِذا أَعطى مُسايِرَهُ

حُلوُ الحَديثِ إِذا أَعطى مُسايِرَهُ

تِلكَ الأَعاجيبَ أَصغى المَوكِبُ اللَجِبُ

تِلكَ الأَعاجيبَ أَصغى المَوكِبُ اللَجِبُ

Sweet in conversation: when he offers his fellow traveler

Sweet of speech when he gives, his conversation

those marvels, the clamorous procession listens intently.

Those wonders, the stern caravan listens,

لَولا مَواهِبُ يُخفيها وَيُعلِنُها

لَولا مَواهِبُ يُخفيها وَيُعلِنُها

لَقُلتُ ما حَدَّثوا عَن حاتِمٍ كَذِبُ

لَقُلتُ ما حَدَّثوا عَن حاتِمٍ كَذِبُ

Were it not for gifts he conceals and reveals,

If not for gifts he hides and discloses,

I would say the tales they told of Hatim were lies.

I would say what they told of Hatim was lies,

يا طالِبَ المَجدِ لا يَلوي عَلى أَحَدٍ

يا طالِبَ المَجدِ لا يَلوي عَلى أَحَدٍ

بِالجِدِّ مِن طَلَبٍ كَأَنَّهُ هَرَبُ

بِالجِدِّ مِن طَلَبٍ كَأَنَّهُ هَرَبُ

O seeker of glory, who pauses for no one,

O seeker of glory, do not waver from

in a pursuit so earnest it seems like flight!

Striving seriously as if he was fleeing,

إِسلَم سَلِمتَ عَلى الأَيامِ ما بَقِيَت

إِسلَم سَلِمتَ عَلى الأَيامِ ما بَقِيَت

قَرارِنُ الدَهرِ وَالأَيامُ وَالحِقَبُ

قَرارِنُ الدَهرِ وَالأَيامُ وَالحِقَبُ

Be safe—may you remain safe through the days, as long as

Submit and you are safe from the days as long as they last,

the cycles of time, the days, and the ages endure.

Settlements of fate and eras and spans,

وَلا أَمُنُّ عَلَيكَ الشُكرَ مُتَّصِلاً

وَلا أَمُنُّ عَلَيكَ الشُكرَ مُتَّصِلاً

إِذا بَعُدتُ وَمَنّي حينَ أَقتَرِبُ

إِذا بَعُدتُ وَمَنّي حينَ أَقتَرِبُ

Nor do I boast to you of my unceasing thanks

And I do not trust you will thank me continuously,

when I am far away, or of my favors when I draw near.

When I'm far and deny when I'm near,

وَما صَحِبتُكَ عَن خَوفٍ وَلا طَمَعِ

وَما صَحِبتُكَ عَن خَوفٍ وَلا طَمَعِ

بَلِ الشَمائِلُ وَالأَخلاقُ تَصطَحِبُ

بَلِ الشَمائِلُ وَالأَخلاقُ تَصطَحِبُ

Nor have I kept your company from fear or greed;

And I did not accompany you out of fear or greed,

rather, dispositions and character keep company.

But manners and morals accompany,