لَو كُنتُ في ديني مِنَ الأَبطالِ

لَو كُنتُ في ديني مِنَ الأَبطالِ

ما كُنتُ بِأَلواني وَلا البَطَّالِ

ما كُنتُ بِأَلواني وَلا البَطَّالِ

If I were among the champions in my faith,

If I were among the brave in my religion,

I would be neither sluggish nor idle,

I would not be known for my colors or idle.

وَلَبِستُ مِنهُ لَأمَةً فَضفاضَةً

وَلَبِستُ مِنهُ لَأمَةً فَضفاضَةً

مَسرودَةً مِن صالِحِ الأَعمالِ

مَسرودَةً مِن صالِحِ الأَعمالِ

and would don its ample coat of mail,

And I would have worn for the nation a loose garment,

woven from righteous deeds.

Flowing, made of righteous deeds.

لَكِنَّني عَطَّلتُ أَقواسَ التُقى

لَكِنَّني عَطَّلتُ أَقواسَ التُقى

مِن نَبلِها فَرَمَت بِغَيرِ نِبالِ

مِن نَبلِها فَرَمَت بِغَيرِ نِبالِ

But I stripped the bows of piety

But I disabled the bows of piety,

of their arrows, so they shot without shafts.

So it shot without arrows.

وَرَمى العَدوُ بِسَهمِهِ فَأَصابَني

وَرَمى العَدوُ بِسَهمِهِ فَأَصابَني

إِذ لَم أُحَصِّن جُنَّةً لِنِضالِ

إِذ لَم أُحَصِّن جُنَّةً لِنِضالِ

And the enemy shot his arrow and struck me,

And the enemy shot his arrow, hitting me

since I had secured no shield for combat.

When I did not fortify a shield for the fight.

فَأَنا كَمَن يَلقى الكَتيبَةَ أَعزَلاً

فَأَنا كَمَن يَلقى الكَتيبَةَ أَعزَلاً

في مَأزِقٍ مُتَعَرِّضاً لِنِزالِ

في مَأزِقٍ مُتَعَرِّضاً لِنِزالِ

So I am like one facing a battalion unarmed,

So I am like one who faces the battalion unarmed

in a narrow pass, exposing himself to combat.

In dire straits, exposed to fighting.

لَولا رَجاءُ العَفوِ كُنتُ كَناقِعٍ

لَولا رَجاءُ العَفوِ كُنتُ كَناقِعٍ

بَرحَ الغَليلِ بِرَشفِ لَمعِ الآلِ

بَرحَ الغَليلِ بِرَشفِ لَمعِ الآلِ

Were it not for hope of pardon, I would be like one quenching

Were it not for hoping for pardon, I would be like the fading stars

the torment of thirst by sipping a mirage's shimmer.

Whose shining light is extinguished.

شابَ القُذالُ فَآنَ لي أَن أَرعَوي

شابَ القُذالُ فَآنَ لي أَن أَرعَوي

لَو كُنتُ مُتَّعِظاً بِشَيبِ قَذالِ

لَو كُنتُ مُتَّعِظاً بِشَيبِ قَذالِ

The back of my head has grayed; it is time I came to my senses,

My youth faded, so it is time for me to shepherd

if I took warning from the gray at the back of my head.

If I had been admonished by the white hair of fading.

وَلَو أَنَّني مُستَبصِرٌ إِذ حَلَّ بي

وَلَو أَنَّني مُستَبصِرٌ إِذ حَلَّ بي

لَعَلِمتُ أَنَّ حُلولَهُ تَرحالي

لَعَلِمتُ أَنَّ حُلولَهُ تَرحالي

Had I been clear-sighted when it came upon me,

And if I had insight when it befell me,

I would have known that its arrival meant my departure,

I would have known that its occurrence is my departure.

فَنَظَرتُ في زادٍ لِدارِ إِقامَتي

فَنَظَرتُ في زادٍ لِدارِ إِقامَتي

وَسَأَلتُ رَبّي أَن يَحُلَّ عِقالي

وَسَأَلتُ رَبّي أَن يَحُلَّ عِقالي

and considered provisions for my lasting abode,

So I looked at provisions for the house of my stay,

and asked my Lord to undo my tether.

And asked my Lord to restore my sanity.

فَلَكَم هَمَمتُ بِتَوبَةٍ فَمُنِعتُها

فَلَكَم هَمَمتُ بِتَوبَةٍ فَمُنِعتُها

إِذ لَم أَكُن أَهلاً لَها وَبَدا لي

إِذ لَم أَكُن أَهلاً لَها وَبَدا لي

How often I resolved to repent, yet was denied it,

How often I intended to repent but was prevented

for I was unworthy of it, and I changed my mind.

When I was not worthy of it and it was clear to me.

وَيَعِزُّ ذاكَ عَلَيَّ إِلّا أَنَّني

وَيَعِزُّ ذاكَ عَلَيَّ إِلّا أَنَّني

مُتَقَلِّبٌ في قَبضَةِ المُتَعالي

مُتَقَلِّبٌ في قَبضَةِ المُتَعالي

And that grieves me, yet I

And that is hard on me unless I

am turned about in the grasp of the Most High.

Am turning in the grasp of the Most High.

وَوَصَلتُ دُنيا سَوفَ تَقطَعُ شَأفَتي

وَوَصَلتُ دُنيا سَوفَ تَقطَعُ شَأفَتي

بِأُفولِ أَنجُمِها وَخَسفِ هِلالي

بِأُفولِ أَنجُمِها وَخَسفِ هِلالي

And I clung to a world that will cut me off at the root,

And I reached a world that will soon sever my pursuits

with the setting of its stars and the eclipse of my crescent.

By the setting of its stars and the waning of its crescent.

شَغَلَت مُفَتَّنَ أَهلِها بِفُتونِها

شَغَلَت مُفَتَّنَ أَهلِها بِفُتونِها

وَمِنَ المُحالِ تَشاغُلٌ بِمُحالِ

وَمِنَ المُحالِ تَشاغُلٌ بِمُحالِ

It has engrossed the beguiled among its people with its temptations,

It distracted its tempted people with its temptations,

and it is folly to be occupied with folly.

And it is impossible to be preoccupied with the impossible.

لا شَيءَ أَخسَرُ صَفقَةً مِن عالِمٍ

لا شَيءَ أَخسَرُ صَفقَةً مِن عالِمٍ

لَعِبَت بِهِ الدُنيا مَعَ الجُهالِ

لَعِبَت بِهِ الدُنيا مَعَ الجُهالِ

No one makes a worse bargain than a scholar

Nothing loses a deal more than a scholar

whom the world has toyed with alongside the ignorant.

Whose religion was played with by the ignorant.

فَغَدا يُفَرِّقُ دينَهُ أَيدي سَبا

فَغَدا يُفَرِّقُ دينَهُ أَيدي سَبا

وَيُزيلُهُ حِرصاً لِجَمعِ المالِ

وَيُزيلُهُ حِرصاً لِجَمعِ المالِ

So he scatters his faith like Saba's scattered bands,

So he started distributing his religion by the hands of youths

and casts it away in his greed to amass wealth.

And removing it greedily to gather money.

لا خَيرَ في كَسبِ الحَرامِ وَقَلَّما

لا خَيرَ في كَسبِ الحَرامِ وَقَلَّما

يُرجى الخَلاصُ لِكاسِبٍ لِحَلالِ

يُرجى الخَلاصُ لِكاسِبٍ لِحَلالِ

There is no good in unlawful gain, and seldom

There is no good in illicit earnings and seldom

is salvation hoped for even for one who earns lawfully.

Is salvation hoped for by the earner of the lawful.

ما إِن سَمِعتُ بِعائِلٍ تُكوى غَداً

ما إِن سَمِعتُ بِعائِلٍ تُكوى غَداً

بِالنارِ جَبهَتُهُ عَلى الإِقلالِ

بِالنارِ جَبهَتُهُ عَلى الإِقلالِ

Never have I heard of a poor man who will be branded tomorrow

When I heard of a family being scorched tomorrow

with fire upon his brow for his poverty.

With fire, my forehead sweated with anxiety.

وَإِن أَرَدتَ صَحيحَ مَن يُكوى بِها

وَإِن أَرَدتَ صَحيحَ مَن يُكوى بِها

فَاِقرَأ عَقيبَةَ سورَةِ الأَنفالِ

فَاِقرَأ عَقيبَةَ سورَةِ الأَنفالِ

And if you want the truth about those branded with it,

And if you want the truth of those who will be scorched by it

then read the surah following al-Anfal.

Then read the consequences of Surat Al-Anfal.

ما يَثقُلُ الميزانُ إِلّا بِاِمرِئٍ

ما يَثقُلُ الميزانُ إِلّا بِاِمرِئٍ

قَد خَفَّ كاهِلُهُ مِنَ الأَثقالِ

قَد خَفَّ كاهِلُهُ مِنَ الأَثقالِ

The scales grow heavy only for one

The scale weighs down only by one

whose back has grown light of burdens.

Whose shoulders have lightened from burdens.

فَخُذِ الكَفافَ وَلا تَكُن ذا فَضلَةٍ

فَخُذِ الكَفافَ وَلا تَكُن ذا فَضلَةٍ

فَالفَضلُ تُسأَلُ عَنهُ أَيَّ سُؤالِ

فَالفَضلُ تُسأَلُ عَنهُ أَيَّ سُؤالِ

So take what suffices, and keep no surplus,

So take only enough and do not have surplus

for you will be questioned about surplus—what a questioning!

For surplus, you will be asked all sorts of questions.

وَدَعِ المَطارِفَ وَالمَطِيَّ لِأَهلِها

وَدَعِ المَطارِفَ وَالمَطِيَّ لِأَهلِها

وَاِقنَع بِأَطمارٍ وَلُبسِ نِعالِ

وَاِقنَع بِأَطمارٍ وَلُبسِ نِعالِ

And leave fine cloaks and mounts to their owners,

And leave luxury and fine garments to their people

and be content to wear rags and sandals.

And be content with coarse wool and the wearing of slippers.

فَهُمُ وَأَنتَ وَفَقرُنا وَغِناهُم

فَهُمُ وَأَنتَ وَفَقرُنا وَغِناهُم

لا يَستَقِرُّ وَلا يَدومُ بِحالِ

لا يَستَقِرُّ وَلا يَدومُ بِحالِ

For they and you, our poverty and their wealth,

For they and you, our poverty and their wealth,

neither stay fixed nor endure in any state.

Do not settle or last in any condition.

وَطُفِ البِلادَ لِكَي تَرى آثارَ مَن

وَطُفِ البِلادَ لِكَي تَرى آثارَ مَن

قَد كانَ يَملِكُها مِنَ الأَقيالِ

قَد كانَ يَملِكُها مِنَ الأَقيالِ

And roam the lands to see the traces of those

And roam the countries that you may see the ruins of those

who once ruled them as kings.

Who used to rule them, the heaviest of rulers.

عَصَفَت بِهِم ريحُ الرَدى فَذَرَتهُمُ

عَصَفَت بِهِم ريحُ الرَدى فَذَرَتهُمُ

ذَروَ الرِياحِ الهَوجِ حِقفَ رِمالِ

ذَروَ الرِياحِ الهَوجِ حِقفَ رِمالِ

The wind of death swept over them and scattered them,

The wind of demise blew them away and scattered them

as raging winds scatter a curving dune of sand.

Like the scattering of light particles of sand.

وَتَزَلزَلَت بِهُمُ المَنابِرُ بَعدَ ما

وَتَزَلزَلَت بِهُمُ المَنابِرُ بَعدَ ما

ثَبَتَت وَكانوا فَوقَها كَجِبالِ

ثَبَتَت وَكانوا فَوقَها كَجِبالِ

And the pulpits quaked beneath them after

And the pulpits shook them after they were firmly established

they had stood firm, with those upon them like mountains.

And they were atop them like mountains.

وَاِحبِس قَلوصَكَ ساعَةً بِطُلولِهِم

وَاِحبِس قَلوصَكَ ساعَةً بِطُلولِهِم

وَاِحذَر عَلَيكَ بِها مِنَ الأَغوالِ

وَاِحذَر عَلَيكَ بِها مِنَ الأَغوالِ

And halt your young she-camel awhile at their ruins,

And restrain your imagination for an hour thinking of their length

and guard yourself there against ghouls.

And beware upon you from the calamities.

فَلَكَم بِها مِن أَرقَمٍ صِلٍّ وَكَم

فَلَكَم بِها مِن أَرقَمٍ صِلٍّ وَكَم

قَد كانَ فيها مِن مَهاً وَغَزالِ

قَد كانَ فيها مِن مَهاً وَغَزالِ

For how many spotted, deadly serpents are there—and how many

How many integrated and fine men were in them

oryxes and gazelles once dwelt there!

And how much glory and beauty were in them.

وَلَكَم غَدَت مِنها وَراحَت حَلَبَةً

وَلَكَم غَدَت مِنها وَراحَت حَلَبَةً

لِلحَربِ يَقدُمُها أَبو الأَشبالِ

لِلحَربِ يَقدُمُها أَبو الأَشبالِ

And how many a troop went forth from them at dawn and dusk

And how many of them have become ruins and deserted places

to war, led by the father of lion cubs!

For war, brought by the father of cubs.

فَتَقَطَّعَت أَسبابُهُم وَتَمَزَّقَت

فَتَقَطَّعَت أَسبابُهُم وَتَمَزَّقَت

وَلَقَبلَ ما كانوا كَنَظمِ لَآَلِ

وَلَقَبلَ ما كانوا كَنَظمِ لَآَلِ

Then their bonds were severed and torn apart,

Their ties were severed and torn apart

though before they had been like a string of pearls.

And they met what they had been like strung pearls.

وَإِذا أَتَيتَ قُبورَهُم فَاِسأَلهُم

وَإِذا أَتَيتَ قُبورَهُم فَاِسأَلهُم

عَما لَقوا فيها مِنَ الأَهوالِ

عَما لَقوا فيها مِنَ الأَهوالِ

And when you come to their graves, ask them

And when you come upon their graves, then ask them

about the terrors they encountered within.

About what horrors they met inside them.

فَسَيُخبِرونَكَ إِن فَهِمتَ بِحالِهِم

فَسَيُخبِرونَكَ إِن فَهِمتَ بِحالِهِم

بِعِبارَةٍ كَالوَحيِ لا بِمَقالِ

بِعِبارَةٍ كَالوَحيِ لا بِمَقالِ

Then, if you understand, they will tell you through their state,

They will inform you, if you understand their state,

in a message like revelation, not in speech:

With an expression like revelation, not speech.

إِنّا بِها رَهنٌ إِلى يَومِ الجَزا

إِنّا بِها رَهنٌ إِلى يَومِ الجَزا

بِجَرائِمِ الأَقوالِ وَالأَفعالِ

بِجَرائِمِ الأَقوالِ وَالأَفعالِ

We are held here in pledge until the Day of Recompense,

“We are pawned here till the Day of Reward

for the sins of our words and deeds.

For the crimes of words and deeds.

مَن لا يُراقِبُ رَبَّهُ وَيَخافُهُ

مَن لا يُراقِبُ رَبَّهُ وَيَخافُهُ

تَبَّت يَداهُ وَما لَهُ مِن والِ

تَبَّت يَداهُ وَما لَهُ مِن والِ

Whoever neither heeds his Lord nor fears Him—

Whoever does not watch over his Lord and fear Him

his hands are ruined, and he has no protector.

His hands are twisted and he has no protector.”