الطَيلَسانُ اِشتُقَّ في لَفظِهِ

الطَيلَسانُ اِشتُقَّ في لَفظِهِ

مِن طُلسَةِ المُبتَكِرِ الجامِعِ

مِن طُلسَةِ المُبتَكِرِ الجامِعِ

In its very wording, ṭaylasān was derived

from the ṭulsān—the darkness—of the Originator, the All-Gathering;

وَزيدَ ما زيدَ لِتَوكيدِهِ

وَزيدَ ما زيدَ لِتَوكيدِهِ

فَالشَرُّ في بارِقِهِ اللامِعِ

فَالشَرُّ في بارِقِهِ اللامِعِ

and whatever was added was added to reinforce it,

for evil lies within its gleaming flash.

وَأَما اِستَحى العَدلُ وَأَخبارُهُ

وَأَما اِستَحى العَدلُ وَأَخبارُهُ

سَيِّئَةٌ في أُذنِ السامِعِ

سَيِّئَةٌ في أُذنِ السامِعِ

And has justice felt no shame, when reports of it

sound ugly in the hearer’s ear?

ما جارَ شَمّاسُكَ في حُكمِهِ

ما جارَ شَمّاسُكَ في حُكمِهِ

وَلا يَهودِيُّكَ بِالطامِعِ

وَلا يَهودِيُّكَ بِالطامِعِ

Your deacon has never been unjust in his judgment,

nor is your Jew greedy.

فَالقَسُّ خَيرٌ لَكَ فيما أَرى

فَالقَسُّ خَيرٌ لَكَ فيما أَرى

مِن مُسلِمٍ يَخطُبُ في الجامِعِ

مِن مُسلِمٍ يَخطُبُ في الجامِعِ

So the priest is better for you, as I see it,

than a Muslim preaching in the congregational mosque.