عَرَفتُ وَمَن يَعتَدِل يَعرِفِ

وَأَيقَنتُ حَقّاً فَلَم أَصدِفِ

I have known—and he who is just will know—

And I have become certain of the truth, so I did not turn away,

عَنِ الحِكَمِ الصِدق آياتها

مِنَ اللَهِ ذي الرَأفَةِ الأَرأَفِ

From wisdoms whose signs are truthful,

From God, Possessor of Compassion, the Most Compassionate.

رَسائِلُ تُدرَسُ في المُؤمِنينَ

بِهِنَّ اصطَفى أَحمَدُ المُصطفى

Messages recited and studied among the believers,

Through which He chose Ahmed, the Chosen One.

فَأَصبَحَ أَحمَدُ فينا عَزيزاً

عَزيز المَقامَةِ وَالموقِفِ

So Ahmed became mighty and cherished among us,

Mighty in station and in standing.

فَيا أَيُّها الموعِدوهُ سَفاهاً

وَلَم يَأتِ جَوراً وَلَم يَعنِفِ

O you who threaten him with foolishness,

While he committed no tyranny nor acted with violence,

أَلَستُم تَخافونَ أَمرَ العَذابِ

وَما آمَنَ اللَهَ كَالأَخوَفِ

Do you not fear the decree of punishment?

For none is secure with God like the one who fears Him most.

وَإِن تَصرَعوا تَحتَ أَسيافِنا

كَمصرَعِ كَعبٍ أَبي الأِشرَفِ

And if you are struck down beneath our swords,

Like the felling of Ka'b, father of Al-Ashraf,

غَداةَ تَراءى لِطُغيانِهِ

وَأَعرَض كَالجَمَلِ الأَجنَفِ

The morning he appeared in his tyranny,

And turned away arrogantly like a camel inclined to one side.

فَأُنزِلَ جِبريلَ في قَتلِهِ

بِوَحيٍ إِلى عَبدِهِ المُلطِفِ

So Gabriel was sent down regarding his slaying,

With a revelation to His gentle servant.

فَدَسّ الرَسولُ رَسولاً لَهُ

بِأَبيَضَ ذي ظبَّةً مُرهَفِ

Then the Messenger sent a messenger to him,

With a shining blade possessing a honed edge.

فَباتَت عُيونٌ لَهُ مَعوِلاتٌ

مَتى يُنعُ كَعبٌ لَها تَذرِفِ

So eyes spent the night wailing for him;

Whenever Ka'b is mourned, they shed tears.

فَقالوا لِأَحمَدَ ذَرنا قَليلاً

فَإِنّا مِنَ النَوحِ لَم نَشتَفِ

They said to Ahmed, "Leave us be for a little while,"

"For we have not yet healed ourselves of wailing."

فَأَجلاهُمُ ثُمَّ قالَ اِظعِنوا

فُتوحاً عَلى رَغمَةِ الآنِفِ

So he exiled them, then said, "Depart,"

A manifest victory, in defiance of the disdainful.

وَأَجلى النَضيرَ إِلى غُربَةٍ

وَكانوا بِدارَةٍ ذي زُخرفِ

And he exiled the Nadir to a land of estrangement,

Though they had dwelt in an abode of luxury,

إِلى أَذرعاتٍ ردافاً هُمُ

عَلى كُلِّ ذي دُبُرٍ أَعجَفِ

To Adhri'at, riding pillion behind one another,

Upon every sore-backed, emaciated beast.