النّاسُ للناسِ حتّى وإنِ اخْتلفوا

فيْما اسْتطابوا أوِ ارْتدوا أوِ اعتقدُوا

People belong to people, even when they differ

in what they cherish, what they wear, or what they believe.

هدْيُ النبيِّ وإخوةٌ لهُ بُعثوا

من قبل للنّاسِ لطفاً أينما وُجِدوا

Such was the Prophet’s guidance, and that of brothers of his who were sent

before him as a kindness to people, wherever they might be.

فكنْ أُخيَّ كما أرادكَ القدرُ

واجْذُلْ إذا جَذِلوا واكمدْ إذا كمِدوا

So be, my brother, as destiny intended you to be;

rejoice when they rejoice, and grieve when they grieve.

وامْدُدْ يديك بإحسانٍ لِمنْ نُكبوا

وادْعُ بخيرٍ لمنْ نجَوا ومن فُقِدوا

Extend your hands in kindness to those struck by disaster,

and pray for the welfare of those saved and those lost.

إنّ البلايا بناتُ الدّهرِ هنّ لهُ

علىْ بني البشرِ النّصيرُ والسّندُ

Calamities are the daughters of Time; they are his

champion and support against the children of humankind.

ترى البلادَ بعينٍ لا اثنتينِ فلا

العرقُ يهمُّ ولا اللونُ ولا البلدُ

They behold all lands with one eye, not two; thus

neither race nor color nor country matters.

وليسَ يُؤخذُ في حُسبانِها لغةٌ

أوْ مذهبٌ في ضروبِ العيشِ مُعتمدُ

No language enters into their reckoning,

nor any creed adopted among life’s varied ways,

ولا معوّذةٌ زيْنَتْ بها الجدُرُ

لكيْ تُردَّ عيونُ الناسِ والحسَدُ!

nor any protective charm adorning the walls

to ward off people’s evil eyes and envy!

فاليومَ همْ وغداً أنتَ ومن قربُوا

بها تساوىْ القريبون ومنْ بَعدُوا

Today it is they; tomorrow, you and those nearby.

Through calamity, those near and those far are made equal.

فكنْ لمنْ بعدُوا عوناً بيومهِمُ

كيْ لا يعِزَّ غداً بيومِك المدَدُ

So be a help to those far away on their day,

lest help be scarce tomorrow, on your own.

ولا تحاجِجْ بدينٍ منه حظّهُمُ

ما ينفعُ الناسَ فيما حظُّك الزّبدُ

Do not argue from a religion of which their share

is whatever benefits people, while your share is foam.

تقولُ ما شكَروا اللهَ على النّعمِ

وقد بعُدتَ عن اللهِ كما ابْتعدوا

You say they did not thank God for their blessings,

yet you have grown as distant from God as they have.

وإنّما بعدُهمْ عنهُ لجهْلهِمُ

فلا تقولنّ بعدُ أنّهم كنَدوا

Their distance from Him comes only from their ignorance;

so never say afterward that they were ungrateful.

ولوْ دلَلْتَ عليهِ الناسَ ما جحَدوا

لكنّكَ ارْتحْتَ للدنيا وما تعِدُ

Had you guided people to Him, they would not have denied Him;

but you settled gladly into this world and all it promises.

وقدْ حباكَ الكريمُ أوّلَ النعمِ

فلمْ تصُنْها فنُهْ بالسّلم يأتِ غدُ

The Bountiful had granted you the foremost of blessings,

yet you did not preserve it—so proclaim peace, that a tomorrow may come.