1. أَمِن تَذَكُّرِ دَهرٍ غَيرِ مَأمونِ

    أَصبَحتَ مُكتَئِباً تَبكي كَمَحزونِ

    Is it from recalling an age not to be trusted

    that you have become dejected, weeping like one grief-stricken?

  2. أَم مِن تَذَكُّرِ أَقوامٍ ذَوي سَفَهٍ

    يَغشونَ بِالظُلمِ مَن يَدعو إِلى الدينِ

    Or from recalling foolish folk

    who assail with injustice whoever calls to the faith?

  3. لا يَنتَهونَ عَنِ الفَحشاءِ ما أُمِروا

    وَالغَدرُ فيهِم سَبيلٌ غَيرُ مَأمونِ

    They do not desist from wickedness when ordered to,

    and treachery among them is a path not to be trusted.

  4. أَلا يَرَونَ أَذَلَّ اللَهُ جَمعَهُمُ

    أَنّا غَضِبنا لِعُثمانَ بنِ مَظعونِ

    Do they not see—may God abase their company—

    that we have grown angry for Uthman ibn Maz'un?

  5. إِذا يَلطِمونَ وَلا يَخشَونَ مُقلَتَهُ

    طَعناً دِراكاً وَضَرباً غَيرَ مَرهونِ

    When they slap him, showing no concern for his eye—

    thrust upon thrust, and blows not held back.

  6. فَسَوفَ نَجزيهمُ إِن لَم يَمُت عَجِلاً

    كَيلاً بِكَيلٍ جَزاءً غَيرَ مَغبونِ

    So we shall repay them, if he does not die soon,

    measure for measure, an undiminished requital.

  7. أَو يَنتَهونَ عَنِ الأَمرِ الَّذي وَقَفوا

    فيهِ وَيَرضَونَ مِنّا بَعدُ بِالدونِ

    Or they must desist from the matter they have taken their stand

    on, and thereafter be content with less from us.

  8. وَنَمنَعُ الضَيمَ مَن يَبغِي مَضامَتَنا

    بِكُلِّ مُطَّرِدٍ في الكَفِّ مَسنونِ

    And we shall prevent whoever seeks our humiliation from wronging us,

    with every straight, sharpened spear in hand,

  9. وَمُرهَفاتٍ كَأَنَّ المِلحَ خالطَها

    يُشفى بِها الداءُ مِن هامِ المَجانينِ

    and keen-edged swords, as though salt were mingled with them,

    with which sickness is purged from the heads of madmen,

  10. حَتّى تُقِرَّ رِجالٌ لا حُلومَ لَها

    بَعدَ الصُعوبَةِ بِالإِسماحِ وَاللينِ

    until men devoid of sound judgment submit,

    after stubborn resistance, with willing compliance and gentleness,

  11. أَو يُؤمِنوا بِكتابٍ مُنزَلٍ عَجَبٍ

    عَلى نَبِيٍّ كَموسى أَو كَذي النونِ

    or believe in a wondrous book sent down

    to a prophet like Moses or like the Man of the Fish,

  12. يَأَتي بِأَمرٍ جَلِيٍّ غَيرِ ذو عِوَجٍ

    كَما تَبَيَّنَ في آياتِ ياسينِ

    who brings a clear command, free of crookedness,

    as has become clear in the verses of Ya-Sin.