وَلَقَد عَجِبنا وَالعَجائِبُ جَمَّةٌ

وَلَقَد عَجِبنا وَالعَجائِبُ جَمَّةٌ

مِن فِريَةٍ جاءَت عَنِ الرَّيحانِي

مِن فِريَةٍ جاءَت عَنِ الرَّيحانِي

And indeed, we marveled—and marvels are many—

We were amazed, and wonders abound,

At a fabrication that came from al-Rayhani.

At the nonsense spewed by al-Rayhani,

زَعَمَ الجَهُوُلُ بأَنَّ إِخفاءَ النِّسا

زَعَمَ الجَهُوُلُ بأَنَّ إِخفاءَ النِّسا

مِن مُوجِباتِ الذَّمِّ وَالنُّقصانِ

مِن مُوجِباتِ الذَّمِّ وَالنُّقصانِ

The utterly ignorant man claimed that concealing women

The ignorant claimed that veiling women,

Is among the grounds for blame and deficiency.

Is blameworthy and deficient.

فَإِذاً أَقُولُ مُخاطِباً هَذا الَّذي

فَإِذاً أَقُولُ مُخاطِباً هَذا الَّذي

يَروِي خُرافاتٍ عَنِ الشَّيطانِ

يَروِي خُرافاتٍ عَنِ الشَّيطانِ

So I say, addressing this man who

So I say to the one who peddles,

Recounts fables from Satan,

These devilish fairytales:

وَأصُونُ آياتِ الكِتابِ وَقَدرَها

وَأصُونُ آياتِ الكِتابِ وَقَدرَها

مِن أَن أُجِيبَ بِها ذَوِي الطُّغيانِ

مِن أَن أُجِيبَ بِها ذَوِي الطُّغيانِ

And I safeguard the Book's verses and their dignity

I protect the Verses of the Book and its decree,

From being used to answer the transgressors;

From responding to the tyrants.

لَكِن بِمَعقُول أَتَى عَن فِطرَةٍ

لَكِن بِمَعقُول أَتَى عَن فِطرَةٍ

قَد نُوِّرَت بِالشَّرعِ وَالبُرهانِ

قَد نُوِّرَت بِالشَّرعِ وَالبُرهانِ

But I answer with a rational argument drawn from an innate disposition

But with reason inspired by primal nature,

That has been illumined by sacred law and proof:

Illuminated by Sacred Law and proof:

إِنَّ النِّساءَ مَواضِعٌ لِوَدائِعٍ

إِنَّ النِّساءَ مَواضِعٌ لِوَدائِعٍ

نُطَفٍ تَكُونُ لأَشرَفِ الأَكوانِ

نُطَفٍ تَكُونُ لأَشرَفِ الأَكوانِ

Women are indeed repositories for deposits—

Women are repositories for precious deposits-

Drops of seed meant for the noblest of beings.

Embryos that become the most noble of creatures.

فَإِذا بَرَزنَ وَخالَطَت مَن تَشتَهِي

فَإِذا بَرَزنَ وَخالَطَت مَن تَشتَهِي

ضَاعَت لَدَيها نِسبَةُ الإِنسانِ

ضَاعَت لَدَيها نِسبَةُ الإِنسانِ

So if they come forth, and a woman mingles with whomever she desires,

So when they mingle with those they desire,

A person's lineage is lost through her.

The human connection is lost to them.

فَافهَم لِحِكمَةِ مُحسِنٍ صُنعَ الوَرَى

فَافهَم لِحِكمَةِ مُحسِنٍ صُنعَ الوَرَى

لا ما تَقُولُ بِجَهلِكَ الفَتّانِ

لا ما تَقُولُ بِجَهلِكَ الفَتّانِ

So grasp the wisdom of one who perfected humankind's creation,

Understand the wisdom of excellent workmanship,

Not what you say in your mischief-making ignorance.

Not your ignorant, tempting talk.

وَاسمَع مِثالاً واعتَبِر فَلَرُبَّما

وَاسمَع مِثالاً واعتَبِر فَلَرُبَّما

أَبدَى المِثالُ غَرائِبَ الإِحسانِ

أَبدَى المِثالُ غَرائِبَ الإِحسانِ

And hear an example and take heed, for often

And listen to a parable and take heed, perhaps

An example reveals the wonders of excellence.

The parable may show the wonders of nobility:

نُلفيكَ إِن أَودَعتَ حَصبا لُؤلؤاً

نُلفيكَ إِن أَودَعتَ حَصبا لُؤلؤاً

تَختِم عَلَيها خِيفَةً مِن جانِ

تَختِم عَلَيها خِيفَةً مِن جانِ

We find that if you deposit pearls among pebbles,

If you entrust a jewel to a purse,

You seal them up for fear of a wrongdoer.

Would you not seal it away from strangers?

أَتُضاعُ كُلُّ كَريمَةٍ في قَومِها

أَتُضاعُ كُلُّ كَريمَةٍ في قَومِها

وَيُصانُ ذَيَّاكَ الحَقِيرُ الداني

وَيُصانُ ذَيَّاكَ الحَقِيرُ الداني

Is every noblewoman to be neglected among her people,

Is not every precious one veiled amongst her folk,

While that paltry, lowly thing is safeguarded?

While your trivial nobodies go about naked?

ما كانَ أَشبَهَ جَهلَكُم بِطِباعِكُم

ما كانَ أَشبَهَ جَهلَكُم بِطِباعِكُم

وَطِباعُكُم وَعُلُومُكُم سِيّانِ

وَطِباعُكُم وَعُلُومُكُم سِيّانِ

How closely your ignorance resembles your natures!

How similar is your ignorance to your nature,

And your natures and your learning are one and the same.

And your nature and learning are equal.

أَنتُم خَفافِيشٌ وَجُعلانٌ عَلَى

أَنتُم خَفافِيشٌ وَجُعلانٌ عَلَى

طِيبِ الرَّوائحِ أَو سَنا النِّيرانِ

طِيبِ الرَّوائحِ أَو سَنا النِّيرانِ

You are bats and dung beetles before

You are bats and vampires upon,

Sweet fragrances or the radiance of fires.

The fragrance of goodness or brightness of fire.

فَعَلى الظَّلامِ مَسِيرُكُم وَحَياتُكُم

فَعَلى الظَّلامِ مَسِيرُكُم وَحَياتُكُم

تَنمُو عَلَى الأَقذارِ والأَنتانِ

تَنمُو عَلَى الأَقذارِ والأَنتانِ

So your course is in darkness, and your life

For your path and life is but darkness,

Thrives on filth and foul odors.

Flourishing upon filth and stench.