قف بنا عند صخرة الإسراء

نستمع همها بهذا الفضاء

Stand with me at the Rock of Ascension,

Let us listen to its worries in this space,

هي صخرة وللصخور كلام

من قبيل الإلهام والإيحاء

It is a rock, yet rocks have speech,

Of the kind of inspiration and intimation,

فيه روح وفيه علم غزير

فيه مجد يسير نحو الفناء

In it is abundant spirit and knowledge,

In it is glory marching towards extinction,

عبقري الوجود أسرى إليه

مسرعا كالبرق لي الظلماء

The genius of existence ascended to it,

Rushing like lightning to me in the darkness,

قال لي صاحبي وقد ضاق ذرعا

أين للصخر منطق الفصحاء

My companion said to me, having lost patience,

Where does this rock have the eloquence of the articulate?,

أنت ترجو من الجماد كلاما

وكلام الأنام كالضوضاء

You hope for speech from the inanimate,

While the speech of people is but clamor,

قلت مهلا واسمع معي همسات

كطنين البعوض في الإمساء

I said wait and listen with me to whispers,

Like the buzzing of mosquitoes at nightfall,

قال حقا لقد سمعت فماذا

يا ترى سرها فهل من رجاء

He said truly I have heard, so what is,

Its mystery, is there any hope?,

أخذ الصوت ينجلي في معان

أكرهت سمعنا على الإصغاء

The sound began to become distinct in meanings,

Our hearing was forced to listen attentively,

ثم قالت ما تصنعان عندي

بعد أن خنتما عهود الولاء

Then it said what are you two doing near me,

After you both betrayed the covenants of loyalty?,

جاءكم صاحبي بما لو حفظتم

واتبعتم في جهركم والخفاء

My companion came to you with what if you had kept,

And followed in your public and private affairs,

لانتصرتم على جميع الأعادي

ونشرتم معالم الغراء

You would have prevailed over all enemies,

And spread the banners of pride,

وتوارت بعدلكم صور الظلم

وعاش العباد في السراء

And images of injustice would have vanished through your justice,

And the servants would have lived in prosperity,

وسرت موجة السعادة في الكون

وزالت منابت الضراء

And the wave of happiness would have spread through the universe,

And the sources of harm would have ceased,

وتآخى العباد وانتشر السلم

وتطوى صحيفة الاعتداء

The servants would have bonded in brotherhood and peace would have spread,

And the record of transgression would have been folded away,

فاغتررتم كغيركم واتبعتم

داء النفس في الهوى والرياء

But you were deceived like others and followed,

The disease of the self in vanity and hypocrisy,

وانصرفتم عن الهدى ونزعتم

للملاهي من زينة ونساء

And you turned away from guidance and snatched,

For trivialities of adornment and women,

وعبثتم بدينكم وافترقتم

في خلاف وحسبكم من بلاء

And you toyed with your religion and parted ways,

In conflict and your trials have been plenty,

وبهذا أصبحتم اليوم شتى

كل شعب يسير في عشواء

And so you are today scattered,

Each people walking blindly,

واستكنتم من بعد عز مقيم

وخضعتم لسلطة الأعداء

And you became, after enduring glory,

Submissive to the authority of enemies,

فدعاني في هيبتي وجلالي

واتركا ساحتي بحق السما

So he called me in my awe and majesty,

And leave my arena for the sake of heaven,

إنما الذكريات تنفع من فيهم

قلوب أو هم من الأحياء

Verily, memories benefit only those,

Whose hearts are alive or are of the living.