عدوكمyour enemy بخطوبِby calamities of الدهرِtime مقصودُtargeted
عدوكم بخطوبِ الدهرِ مقصودُ
وأمركُمand your cause باتصالِwith continuity of النصرِvictory مَوعودُpromised
وأمركُم باتصالِ النصرِ مَوعودُ
Your enemy is targeted by the calamities of time.
Your enemy is destined for misfortune
And your cause is promised unbroken victory.
While your cause is promised victory
رأىdeemed الشقاءَmisery ابنson of إسحاقٍIshaq أحقّmore fitting بهِfor him
رأى الشقاءَ ابن إسحاقٍ أحقّ بهِ
منthan السعادةhappiness والمحدودُand the ill-fated محدودُill-fated
من السعادة والمحدودُ محدودُ
Ibn Ishaq deemed misery more fitting for him
Ishaq's son saw misery more deserving of him
than happiness—and the ill-fated remains ill-fated.
Than good fortune, and finite things are finite
وكيفand how يحظىcan he prosper بدنياin this world أوor بآخرةin the hereafter
وكيف يحظى بدنيا أو بآخرة
مخلافةhabitual promise-breaker عنfrom طريقthe path of الحقِّtruth مطرودُdriven out
مخلافة عن طريق الحقِّ مطرودُ
And how can he prosper in this world or the next—
How can one who strays from the path of truth
a habitual promise-breaker, driven from the path of truth?
Attain this world or the next, when he is banished?
أعمىblind ونورُwhile the light of الهُدَىguidance بادٍplain لهto him وكذاand likewise
أعمى ونورُ الهُدَى بادٍ له وكذا
منwhoever لمnot يساعِدهaids him توفيقٌdivine favor وتسديدُand right direction
من لم يساعِده توفيقٌ وتسديدُ
Blind, though guidance's light is plain to him; so too
Blind, with the light of guidance extinguished for him
is whoever is unaided by divine favor and right direction.
As is one not aided by providence and righteousness
لمdid not يُصغِlisten للوعظِto admonition لاneither قلباًheart ولاnor أذناًear
لم يُصغِ للوعظِ لا قلباً ولا أذناً
وكيفand how تُصغيcan listen إلىto الوعظِadmonition الجلاميدُsolid boulders
وكيف تُصغي إلى الوعظِ الجلاميدُ
He listened to admonition with neither heart nor ear;
He lent no ear to counsel, neither heart nor hearing
and how can solid boulders listen to admonition?
How can one heed counsel who is stubborn as stone?
لجّتpersisted stubbornly ثَمُودٌThamud وعادٌand ʿAd فيin ضَلالِهُمtheir error
لجّت ثَمُودٌ وعادٌ في ضَلالِهُم
ولمand did not يدعleave unoffered صالحٌSalih نُصحاًcounsel ولاnor هودُHud
ولم يدع صالحٌ نُصحاً ولا هودُ
Thamud and ʿAd persisted stubbornly in their error,
Thamud and Aad persisted in their misguidance
and Salih left no counsel unoffered, nor did Hud.
While Salih and Hud left no advice unspoken
والسيفُand the sword أبلغُmore persuasive فيمنto one whom ليسnot يردعُهُdeters him
والسيفُ أبلغُ فيمن ليس يردعُهُ
عنfrom الغِوايةِerror إبعادٌbanishment وتهديدُand threats
عن الغِوايةِ إبعادٌ وتهديدُ
And the sword is more persuasive to one whom
The sword is more eloquent for one not dissuaded
banishment and threats cannot deter from error.
From error by distance and intimidation
أولىwoe لهto him لوif تراخىhe lingered ساعةًan hour لغداwould have become
أولى له لو تراخى ساعةً لغدا
وريدُهُhis jugular vein وَهُوَwhile it was بالخطيِّby a Khatti spear مَورودُreached
وريدُهُ وَهُوَ بالخطيِّ مَورودُ
Woe to him! Had he lingered an hour,
Better for him had he tarried but an hour
his jugular would have been reached by a Khatti spear.
For his veins would have flowed while he was fettered
أماdid not درىhe know لاmay he not درىknow عقبىthe outcome of عداوتكمenmity toward you
أما درى لا درى عقبى عداوتكم
كلٌّeach بحدِّby the edge of حُسامِthe keen sword of الحقِّtruth محصُودُreaped
كلٌّ بحدِّ حُسامِ الحقِّ محصُودُ
Did he not know—may he never know—the outcome of enmity toward you?
Does he not know - or not know - the consequence of your enmity
Each is reaped by the edge of truth's keen sword.
Each is harvested by the blades of truth?
ألقىcast down السلاحَthe weapons وولىand fled يبتغيseeking أمداa distance
ألقى السلاحَ وولى يبتغي أمدا
يُنجيهِwould save him وهوَwhile he was مَروُعُterrified القَلبِin heart مفؤودheart-stricken
يُنجيهِ وهوَ مَروُعُ القَلبِ مفؤود
He cast down his weapons and fled, seeking distance
He cast down his weapons and fled seeking respite
that would save him, his heart terrified and stricken.
To save him, while his heart quaked with dejection
ماnever مرhe passed يوماًever ببابِby a doorway ظنِّهِhe deemed it سبَباًa means
ما مر يوماً ببابِ ظنِّهِ سبَباً
إلىto التخلصِescape إلاexcept وهوَwhile it was مَسدودُblocked
إلى التخلصِ إلا وهوَ مَسدودُ
He never passed a doorway he deemed a means
Never did the gate of his hopes offer a path
of escape that did not prove blocked.
To salvation, for it was ever shut
وهبهُand suppose him عاشto have lived أليسis not الموتُdeath أهونَeasier منthan
وهبهُ عاش أليس الموتُ أهونَ من
عيشٍa life يخالِطُهmingles with it همُّanxiety وتنكيدُand distress
عيشٍ يخالِطُه همُّ وتنكيدُ
And suppose he lived—is death not easier than
Yet he lives - is not death preferable to a life
a life mingled with anxiety and distress?
Commingled with sorrow and tribulation?
أنحىassailed الزمانُtime علىupon الأعداءthe enemies واجتهدتand strove
أنحى الزمانُ على الأعداء واجتهدت
فيin قَطعِcutting down خضرائِهِمtheir verdant ranks أحداثُهُits calamities السوُدُdark
في قَطعِ خضرائِهِم أحداثُهُ السوُدُ
Time assailed the enemies, and hard at work
Time has brought low the enemies, while its events
were its dark calamities, cutting down their verdant ranks.
Strove in cutting down their greenery, O you whose complexion is dark!
ونازَعَتهُمand contended with them نُفُوسُthe souls of الهندِIndian blades أنفُسهُمfor their souls
ونازَعَتهُم نُفُوسُ الهندِ أنفُسهُم
فلمso did not يُفِدهِمbenefit them علىon الهَيجاءِthe battlefield تَعريدُflight in fear
فلم يُفِدهِم على الهَيجاءِ تَعريدُ
And the souls of Indian blades wrestled with them for their souls;
The souls of India battled their own souls
so flight on the battlefield did them no good.
Yet inciting them to passion did not benefit them
فهمso they علىupon التربthe dust صرعىslain مثلهlike it عدداin number
فهم على الترب صرعى مثله عددا
إنif كانit were يُقضَىjudged بأنَّthat التُرَبَthe dust مَعدُودُcountable
إن كان يُقضَى بأنَّ التُرَبَ مَعدُودُ
So they lie slain upon the dust, as numerous as it,
They lie in the dust like him in number
if dust may be deemed countable.
If it be ordained that dust be numbered
وَلُّواthey fled فلاand no صاحبٌcompanion عنon behalf of نَفسthe life of صاحِبِهhis companion
وَلُّوا فلا صاحبٌ عن نَفس صاحِبِه
يُغنِيcan help ولاnor والدٌfather يَرجُوهُhopes in him مَولُودُa child
يُغنِي ولا والدٌ يَرجُوهُ مَولُودُ
They fled; no companion could save his companion's life,
They fled and no companion could save his fellow
nor could a father be a source of hope to his child.
Nor father hope for his newborn son
يومٌa day جديرٌworthy بتعظيمِof veneration الأنامِhumankind لَهُfor it
يومٌ جديرٌ بتعظيمِ الأنامِ لَهُ
فَمَاfor no يقاسُcan be compared بِهِwith it فيin حسنِهِits beauty عِيدُfestival
فَمَا يقاسُ بِهِ في حسنِهِ عِيدُ
A day worthy of mankind's reverence;
A day worthy of the glorification of all people
for no festival can match it in beauty.
None compares in its beauty to this feast
أَضحَتhave come to علىfor فضلِهits excellence الأيَّامُthe days تحسدُهُenvy it
أَضحَت على فضلِه الأيَّامُ تحسدُهُ
إنindeed النبيهَthe illustrious الرفيعَlofty القَدرِin rank مَحسودُenvied
إن النبيهَ الرفيعَ القَدرِ مَحسودُ
The days have come to envy it for its excellence;
By its virtue the days envy it
indeed, the illustrious one of lofty rank is envied.
Verily the noble, exalted Prophet is envied!
أنتمyou سليمانُSolomon فيin المُلكِsovereignty العظيمmighty وفيand in
أنتم سليمانُ في المُلكِ العظيم وفي
طولِlength of التَهَجُّدِnight prayer فيin المحرابِthe prayer chamber داوودُDavid
طولِ التَهَجُّدِ في المحرابِ داوودُ
You are Solomon in mighty sovereignty, and in
You are Solomon in your vast dominion and in
long night vigils in the prayer chamber, David.
Your prolonged vigilance in the sanctuary, O David!
قدindeed أبهجhas gladdened الدينَreligion والدنياand the world مقامُكُمُyour station
قد أبهج الدينَ والدنيا مقامُكُمُ
وكُيفَand how لاnot وَهوَwhen it is عندin the sight of اللَهِGod محمودُpraised
وكُيفَ لا وَهوَ عند اللَهِ محمودُ
Your station has gladdened religion and the world;
Your abode has gladdened religion and the world
and how could it not, when it is praised in God's sight?
Why not, when it is praiseworthy to God?
جارىstrove to match مناقِبكُمyour virtues شِعريmy poetry فَقَصَّرَand fell short عنof
جارى مناقِبكُم شِعري فَقَصَّرَ عن
بلوغreaching أدنىthe least of مداهاtheir extent وَهوَalthough it is مجهودُstrained to its utmost
بلوغ أدنى مداها وَهوَ مجهودُ
My poetry strove to match your virtues, but fell short of
My poetry falls short of reaching even the lowest level
reaching their least extent, though strained to its utmost.
In describing your virtues, though striving is dutiful
مَنwhoever ليسis not مُعتَقِداbelieving إيجابَthe obligation of طاعَتكُمُobedience to you
مَن ليس مُعتَقِدا إيجابَ طاعَتكُمُ
فليسَthen not يُغنيهِavails him إيمانٌfaith وتوحيدُand belief in God's oneness
فليسَ يُغنيهِ إيمانٌ وتوحيدُ
Whoever does not believe obedience to you obligatory
Whoever does not positively believe in obedience to you
will find no help in faith or belief in God's oneness.
No faith or monotheism can avail him
رضاكُمُyour favor الدينُreligion والدنياand the world وعدلُكُمُand your justice
رضاكُمُ الدينُ والدنيا وعدلُكُمُ
ظلٌّshade ظليلٌdeep علىover الأيامِthe days ممدودُoutstretched
ظلٌّ ظليلٌ على الأيامِ ممدودُ
Your favor is religion and the world; your justice
Your pleasure is religion and life, your justice
is deep shade stretched across the days.
A shady shelter outstretched over the days
دُمتُمmay you endure حَيَاةًin life مدىthroughout the span of الدُنياthe world ودامَand may endure لَكُمُfor you
دُمتُم حَيَاةً مدى الدُنيا ودامَ لَكُمُ
نَصرٌvictory وفتحٌand conquest وتَمكينٌand secure dominion وتَأييدُand support
نَصرٌ وفتحٌ وتَمكينٌ وتَأييدُ
May you live throughout the world's span, and may there endure for you
May you remain, for the world’s duration, triumphing
victory, conquest, secure dominion, and support.
With victory, openings, empowerment and support!