أَلاListen! قُلsay لِشَرِّto the worst of عَبيدِthe servants of الإِلَGod (word continued)
أَلا قُل لِشَرِّ عَبيدِ الإِلَ
هِcompletion of 'God' وَطاغيand the tyrant of قُرَيشٍQuraysh وَكَذّابِهاand its arch-liar
هِ وَطاغي قُرَيشٍ وَكَذّابِها
Listen, say to the worst of God's servants,
and Quraysh's tyrant and arch-liar,
وَباغيand the oppressor of العِبادِhumankind وَباغيand the seeker of العِنادِdefiance
وَباغي العِبادِ وَباغي العِنادِ
وَهاجيand the lampooner of الكِرامِnoble people وَمُغتابِهاand their backbiter
وَهاجي الكِرامِ وَمُغتابِها
oppressor of humankind and seeker of defiance,
lampooner of the noble and their backbiter:
أَأَنتَis it you who تُفاخِرُvie in glory with آلَthe family of النَبِيِّthe Prophet
أَأَنتَ تُفاخِرُ آلَ النَبِيِّ
وَتَجحَدُهاand deny them فَضلَthe excellence of أَحسابِهاtheir ancestral honors
وَتَجحَدُها فَضلَ أَحسابِها
Do you vie in glory with the Prophet's family
and deny them the distinction of their noble ancestry?
بِكُمthrough you بِأَهلِby the household of المُصطَفىthe Chosen One أَمor بِهِمُthrough them
بِكُم بِأَهلِ المُصطَفى أَم بِهِمُ
فَرَدَّso he drove back العُداةَthe enemies بِأَوصابِهاwith their afflictions
فَرَدَّ العُداةَ بِأَوصابِها
By al-Mustafa's household, was it through you or through them
that he drove the enemies back with their afflictions?
أَعَنكُمwas it from you نَفىHe removed الرِجسَdefilement أَمor عَنهُمُfrom them
أَعَنكُم نَفى الرِجسَ أَم عَنهُمُ
لِطُهرِfor the purity of النُفوسِthe souls وَأَلبابِهاand their minds
لِطُهرِ النُفوسِ وَأَلبابِها
Was it from you that He removed defilement, or from them,
for the purity of souls and their minds?
أَماis not الرِجسُdefilement وَالخَمرُand wine مِنamong دابِكُمyour habits
أَما الرِجسُ وَالخَمرُ مِن دابِكُم
وَفَرطُand abundance of العِبادَةِworship مِنamong دابِهاtheir habits
وَفَرطُ العِبادَةِ مِن دابِها
Are not defilement and wine your custom,
while abundant worship is theirs?
وَقُلتَand you said وَرِثناwe inherited ثِيابَthe garments of النَبِيِّthe Prophet
وَقُلتَ وَرِثنا ثِيابَ النَبِيِّ
فَكَمso how often تَجذِبونَyou tug بِأَهدابِهاat their hems
فَكَم تَجذِبونَ بِأَهدابِها
You said, 'We inherited the Prophet's robes';
so how often you tug at their hems!
وَعِندَكَyet in your view لاnot يورِثُbequeath الأَنبِياءُthe prophets
وَعِندَكَ لا يورِثُ الأَنبِياءُ
فَكيفَso how حَظيتُمdid you obtain بِأَثوابِهاtheir garments
فَكيفَ حَظيتُم بِأَثوابِها
Yet you hold that prophets leave no inheritance;
so how did you obtain their garments?
فَكَذَّبتَthus you contradicted نَفسَكَyourself فيin الحالَتَينِboth cases
فَكَذَّبتَ نَفسَكَ في الحالَتَينِ
وَلَمand did not تَعلَمِdistinguish الشَهدَhoney مِنfrom صابِهاits bitter sap
وَلَم تَعلَمِ الشَهدَ مِن صابِها
Thus you contradicted yourself in both cases,
and could not tell honey from bitter sap.
أَجَدُّكَdoes your grandfather يَرضىapprove بِماof what قُلتَهُyou said it
أَجَدُّكَ يَرضى بِما قُلتَهُ
وَماand not كانَwas he يَوماًever بِمَرتابِهاdoubtful of it
وَما كانَ يَوماً بِمَرتابِها
Would your grandfather approve of what you said,
when he never once doubted it?
وَكانَand he was بِصِفّينَat Siffin مِنof حِزبِهِمtheir party
وَكانَ بِصِفّينَ مِن حِزبِهِم
لِحَربِto fight الطُغاةِthe tyrants وَأَحزابِهاand their factions
لِحَربِ الطُغاةِ وَأَحزابِها
At Siffin he belonged to their party,
to fight the tyrants and their factions,
وَقَدand already شَمَّرَhad bared المَوتُDeath عَنfrom ساقِهِhis shin
وَقَد شَمَّرَ المَوتُ عَن ساقِهِ
وَكَشَّرَتِand bared الحَربُWar عَنfrom نابِهاher fang
وَكَشَّرَتِ الحَربُ عَن نابِها
when Death had bared his shin,
and War had bared her fang.
فَأَقبَلَthen he came forward يَدعوcalling إِلىto حَيدَرٍHaydar
فَأَقبَلَ يَدعو إِلى حَيدَرٍ
بِإِرغابِهاwith its enticements وَبِإِرهابِهاand with its terrors
بِإِرغابِها وَبِإِرهابِها
He came forward, calling people to Haydar,
with its enticements and its terrors.
وَآثَرَand he preferred أَنthat تَرتَضيهِshould choose him الأَنامُthe people
وَآثَرَ أَن تَرتَضيهِ الأَنامُ
مِنَamong الحَكَمَينِthe two arbiters لِأَسبابِهاfor its affairs
مِنَ الحَكَمَينِ لِأَسبابِها
He preferred that the people choose him
as one of the two arbiters for its affairs,
لِيُعطيso he might give الخِلافَةَthe caliphate أَهلاًsomeone worthy لَهاof it
لِيُعطي الخِلافَةَ أَهلاً لَها
فَلَمbut did not يَرتَضوهُthey accept him لِإِيجابِهاto confer it
فَلَم يَرتَضوهُ لِإِيجابِها
to give the caliphate to someone worthy of it,
but they would not accept him to confer it.
وَصَلّىand he prayed مَعَwith الناسِthe people طولَthroughout الحَياةِlife
وَصَلّى مَعَ الناسِ طولَ الحَياةِ
وَحيدَرُand Haydar فيin صَدرِthe forefront of مِحرابِهاits prayer niche
وَحيدَرُ في صَدرِ مِحرابِها
He prayed with the people throughout his life,
with Haydar at the front of its prayer niche.
فَهَلاso why did not تَقَمَّصَهاdon it جَدُّكُمyour grandfather
فَهَلا تَقَمَّصَها جَدُّكُم
إِذاif كانَhe was إِذat ذاكَthat time أَحرىmore entitled بِهاto it
إِذا كانَ إِذ ذاكَ أَحرى بِها
Why, then, did your grandfather not don it,
if he was then more entitled to it?
لِذاtherefore جُعِلَwas made الأَمرُthe matter شورىa consultation لَهُمfor them
لِذا جُعِلَ الأَمرُ شورى لَهُم
فَهَلso (question) كانَhe was مِنamong بَعضِsome of أَربابِهاits masters
فَهَل كانَ مِن بَعضِ أَربابِها
So the matter was left to consultation among them;
was he one of its masters?
أَخامِسَهُمtheir fifth? كانَwas he أَمor سادِساًsixth
أَخامِسَهُم كانَ أَم سادِساً
وَقَدand already جُلِبَتit was brought بَينَamong خُطّابِهاits suitors
وَقَد جُلِبَت بَينَ خُطّابِها
Was he their fifth or their sixth,
when it was brought before its suitors?
وَقَولُكَand your saying أَنتُمyou بَنوsons of بَنيهِhis sons
وَقَولُكَ أَنتُم بَنو بَنيهِ
وَلَكِنbut بَنوthe sons of العَمِّthe paternal uncle أَولىmore entitled بِهاto it
وَلَكِن بَنو العَمِّ أَولى بِها
And your saying, 'You are the sons of his sons,
but his paternal uncle's descendants have greater right to it'—
بَنوthe sons of البِنتِthe daughter أَيضاًalso بَنوsons of عَمِّهِhis paternal uncle
بَنو البِنتِ أَيضاً بَنو عَمِّهِ
وَذَلِكَand that أَدنىis closer لِأَنسابِهاin their lineages
وَذَلِكَ أَدنى لِأَنسابِها
the daughter's sons are also his paternal uncle's descendants,
and that is closer in lineage.
فَدَعso leave aside فيconcerning الخِلافَةِthe caliphate فَصلَsettling الخِلافِdisagreement
فَدَع في الخِلافَةِ فَصلَ الخِلافِ
فَلَيسَتfor it is not ذَلولاًa docile mount لِرُكّابِهاfor its riders
فَلَيسَت ذَلولاً لِرُكّابِها
So leave off settling disputes about the caliphate,
for it is no docile mount for its riders.
وَمَأَنتَand what are you وَالفَحصَand the investigation عَنinto شانِهاits affairs
وَمَأَنتَ وَالفَحصَ عَن شانِها
وَماand not قَمُّصوكَthey clothed you بِأَثوابِهاin its garments
وَما قَمُّصوكَ بِأَثوابِها
What have you to do with probing its affairs,
when they did not clothe you in its robes?
وَماand not ساوَرَتكَit approached you سِوىexcept ساعَةٍan hour
وَما ساوَرَتكَ سِوى ساعَةٍ
فَماfor not كُنتَyou were أَهلاًfit لِأَسبابِهاfor its affairs
فَما كُنتَ أَهلاً لِأَسبابِها
It came your way for no more than an hour,
for you were not fit for its affairs.
وَكَيفَand how يَخُصّوكَcould they single you out يَوماًever بِهاfor it
وَكَيفَ يَخُصّوكَ يَوماً بِها
وَلَمand did not تَتَأَدَّبyou learn proper conduct بِآدابِهاin its manners
وَلَم تَتَأَدَّب بِآدابِها
How could they ever single you out for it,
when you had not learned its proper conduct?
وَقُلتَand you said بِأَنَّكُمُthat you are القاتِلونَthe slayers of
وَقُلتَ بِأَنَّكُمُ القاتِلونَ
أُسودَthe lions of أُمَيَّةَUmayya فيin غابِهاtheir thickets
أُسودَ أُمَيَّةَ في غابِها
You said that you were the slayers
of Umayya's lions in their thickets.
كَذَبتَyou lied وَأَسرَفتَand exaggerated فيماin what اِدَّعَيتَyou claimed
كَذَبتَ وَأَسرَفتَ فيما اِدَّعَيتَ
وَلَمand did not تَنهَyou restrain نَفسِكَyourself عَنfrom عابِهاits vice
وَلَم تَنهَ نَفسِكَ عَن عابِها
You lied and went too far in what you claimed,
and did not restrain your soul from its vice.
فَكَمso how many حاوَلتَهاsought it سَراةٌnobles لَكُمُof yours
فَكَم حاوَلتَها سَراةٌ لَكُمُ
فَرُدَّتso they were turned back عَلىin نَكصِretreat أَعتاِبِهاits thresholds
فَرُدَّت عَلى نَكصِ أَعتاِبِها
How many of your nobles sought it,
only to be turned back in retreat at its thresholds!
وَلولاand had it not been for سُيوفُthe swords of أَبيAbu مُسلِمٍMuslim
وَلولا سُيوفُ أَبي مُسلِمٍ
لَعَزَّتit would have proved unattainable عَلىdespite جُهدِthe efforts of طُلّابِهاits seekers
لَعَزَّت عَلى جُهدِ طُلّابِها
Had it not been for Abu Muslim's swords,
it would have defied its seekers' efforts.
وَذَلِكَand that man عَبدٌa servant لَهُمto them لاnot لَكُمُto you
وَذَلِكَ عَبدٌ لَهُم لا لَكُمُ
رَعىhe respected فيكُمin you قُربَthe closeness of أَنسابِهاtheir lineages
رَعى فيكُم قُربَ أَنسابِها
He was their servant, not yours;
he respected your closeness to their lineage.
وَكُنتُمand you were أَسارىcaptives بِبَطنِin the depths of الحُبوسِthe prisons
وَكُنتُم أَسارى بِبَطنِ الحُبوسِ
وَقَدand already شَفَّكُمhad worn you thin لَثمُkissing أَعقابِهاtheir heels
وَقَد شَفَّكُم لَثمُ أَعقابِها
You were captives in the depths of prisons,
already worn thin by kissing their heels.
فَأَخرَجَكُمso he brought you out وَحَباكُمand favored you بِهاwith it
فَأَخرَجَكُم وَحَباكُم بِها
وَقَمَّصَكُمand clothed you فَضلَthe extra folds of جِلبابِهاits mantle
وَقَمَّصَكُم فَضلَ جِلبابِها
He brought you out and favored you with it,
and clothed you in its mantle's ample folds.
فَجازَيتُموهُso you repaid him بِشَرَّwith the worst الجَزاءِrecompense
فَجازَيتُموهُ بِشَرَّ الجَزاءِ
لَطَغوىbecause of the tyranny of النُفوسِthe souls وَإِعجابِهاand their self-conceit
لَطَغوى النُفوسِ وَإِعجابِها
You repaid him with the worst of rewards,
because of your souls' tyranny and conceit.
فَدَعso cease ذِكرَmentioning قَومِpeople رَضواwho were content بِالكَفافِwith bare sufficiency
فَدَع ذِكرَ قَومِ رَضوا بِالكَفافِ
وَجاؤواand they came to الخِلافَةَthe caliphate مِنthrough بابِهاits door
وَجاؤوا الخِلافَةَ مِن بابِها
So say no more of those content with bare subsistence,
who came to the caliphate through its door.
هُمُthey الزاهِدونَthe ascetics هُمَthey العابِدونَthe worshippers
هُمُ الزاهِدونَ هُمَ العابِدونَ
هُمُthey الساجِدونَthose who prostrate بِمِحرابِهاin its prayer niche
هُمُ الساجِدونَ بِمِحرابِها
They are the ascetics; they are the worshippers;
they prostrate in its prayer niche.
هُمُthey الصائِمونَthe fasters هُمُthey القائِمونَthose standing in prayer
هُمُ الصائِمونَ هُمُ القائِمونَ
هُمُthey العالِمونَthose who know بِآدابِهاabout its proper conduct
هُمُ العالِمونَ بِآدابِها
They are the fasters; they stand in prayer;
they know its proper conduct.
هُمُthey قُطبُthe axis of مِلَّةِthe creed of دينِthe religion of الإِلَهِGod
هُمُ قُطبُ مِلَّةِ دينِ الإِلَهِ
وَدَورُand the turning of الرَحىthe millstone حَولَaround أَقطابِهاits pivots
وَدَورُ الرَحى حَولَ أَقطابِها
They are the axis of the creed of God's religion,
and the millstone turns about its pivots.
عَلَيكَkeep to بِلَهوِكَyour amusement بِالغانِياتِwith beautiful women
عَلَيكَ بِلَهوِكَ بِالغانِياتِ
وَخَلِّand leave المَعاليlofty deeds لِأَصحابِهاto their possessors
وَخَلِّ المَعالي لِأَصحابِها
Keep to your amusement with beautiful women,
and leave lofty deeds to their possessors,
وَوَصفِand describing العِذارِcheek-down وَذاتِand the woman with الخِمارِthe veil
وَوَصفِ العِذارِ وَذاتِ الخِمارِ
وَنَعتِand describing العُقارِwine بِأَلقابِهاby its epithets
وَنَعتِ العُقارِ بِأَلقابِها
and to describing cheek-down and the woman in her veil,
and describing wine by its epithets,
وَشِعرُكَand your verse فيin مَدحِpraise of تَركِabandoning الصَلاةِprayer
وَشِعرُكَ في مَدحِ تَركِ الصَلاةِ
وَسَعيِand the hastening of السُقاةِthe cupbearers بِأَكوابِهاwith its cups
وَسَعيِ السُقاةِ بِأَكوابِها
and your verse praising the abandonment of prayer
and cupbearers hastening with its cups.
فَذَلِكَso that شَأنُكَyour affair لاnot شَأنُهُمtheir affair
فَذَلِكَ شَأنُكَ لا شَأنُهُم
وَجَريُand the running of الجِيادِnoble steeds بِأَحسابِهاaccording to their pedigrees
وَجَريُ الجِيادِ بِأَحسابِها
That is your affair, not theirs;
and noble steeds run as their breeding dictates.
Sol 6.1