يُحَنَّةُ إنْ تُؤمِنْ فَخيرٌ وإن تُرِدْ

يُحَنَّةُ إنْ تُؤمِنْ فَخيرٌ وإن تُرِدْ

سِوَى الحقِّ فَاعْلَمْ أنّ رأيكَ عَازِبُ

سِوَى الحقِّ فَاعْلَمْ أنّ رأيكَ عَازِبُ

Yuhanna, if you believe, that is best—but if you seek

Yuhanna, if you believe, that is better; but if you desire

anything other than truth, know that your judgment has strayed.

anything other than truth, know that your judgment is astray.

أتى بك من أكنافِ أيلةَ ما أتى

أتى بك من أكنافِ أيلةَ ما أتى

وليس لمن يَمَّمتَ في النّاسِ غَالِبُ

وليس لمن يَمَّمتَ في النّاسِ غَالِبُ

Whatever brought you from the reaches of Ayla has brought you here,

Whatever brought you has brought you from Ayla’s environs,

and none among mankind can overcome the one you have sought.

and among men none can overcome the one you sought.

دُعِيتَ إلى الإسلامِ فاخترْتَ جِزْيَةً

دُعِيتَ إلى الإسلامِ فاخترْتَ جِزْيَةً

تَنالُ بها الأمنَ الذي أنتَ طالبُ

تَنالُ بها الأمنَ الذي أنتَ طالبُ

You were summoned to Islam, but you chose the jizya,

You were called to Islam, but chose jizya,

that through it you might gain the security you seek.

through which you gain the security you seek.

ولو كنتَ ممّن يبتغي جانِبَ الهُدَى

ولو كنتَ ممّن يبتغي جانِبَ الهُدَى

هُدِيتَ ولكنَّ المُضلَّلَ خَائِبُ

هُدِيتَ ولكنَّ المُضلَّلَ خَائِبُ

Had you been one who sought the path of guidance,

And had you been among those who seek the side of guidance,

you would have been guided—but the deluded one is disappointed.

you would have been guided; but the misled one fails.

وما رَغِبَ المأمونُ فيها هَديَّةً

وما رَغِبَ المأمونُ فيها هَديَّةً

كساكَ بها البُرْدَ الذي أنت سَاحِبُ

كساكَ بها البُرْدَ الذي أنت سَاحِبُ

The man granted safety did not desire it as a gift;

And the trusted one did not desire it as a gift;

it clothed you in the mantle whose hem you trail.

with it he clothed you in the mantle you trail.

أتيتَ بقومٍ لو رأوا مِنكَ ناصحاً

أتيتَ بقومٍ لو رأوا مِنكَ ناصحاً

لما عاب منهم خُطّةَ الجدِّ لاعِبُ

لما عاب منهم خُطّةَ الجدِّ لاعِبُ

You came with a people who, had they seen in you an honest counselor,

You brought a people who, had they seen in you a sincere adviser,

no idler among them would have faulted the earnest course.

no trifler among them would have faulted the course of earnestness.

أتأبون دِينَ الحقِّ يا آلَإذرح

أتأبون دِينَ الحقِّ يا آلَإذرح

وجرباء حتى يجلب الخيل جالبُ

وجرباء حتى يجلب الخيل جالبُ

Do you refuse the religion of truth, O people of Adhruh

Do you refuse the religion of truth, O people of Idhruh

and Jarba, until a driver brings the cavalry against you?

and Jarba, until someone brings in the horses?

ألا فاشهدوا يا آل مقنا وأيْقِنُوا

ألا فاشهدوا يا آل مقنا وأيْقِنُوا

بأنْ سوفَ تَنْهى الجاهِلينَ العواقِبُ

بأنْ سوفَ تَنْهى الجاهِلينَ العواقِبُ

Then bear witness, O people of Maqna, and be certain

Behold, then bear witness, O people of Maqna, and be certain

that consequences will restrain the ignorant.

that the consequences will restrain the ignorant.

خُذوا من عهودِ الذُّلِّ ما اللَّهُ ضَارِبٌ

خُذوا من عهودِ الذُّلِّ ما اللَّهُ ضَارِبٌ

عليكم وما الدَّاعي إلى اللَّهِ كاتبُ

عليكم وما الدَّاعي إلى اللَّهِ كاتبُ

Accept those covenants of abasement which God lays

Accept such covenants of abasement as God imposes

upon you, and what the summoner to God records.

upon you, and what the caller to God writes.

وأدُّوا إليهِ المالَ لا تَبخلُوا به

وأدُّوا إليهِ المالَ لا تَبخلُوا به

ولا تغدروا فالبأسُ يَقظانُ دائبُ

ولا تغدروا فالبأسُ يَقظانُ دائبُ

Pay him the money; do not withhold it,

And pay him the money; do not be stingy with it,

and do not betray—for might stands wakeful and unceasing.

and do not act treacherously, for force is wakeful and unceasing.

وَسِيروا بأهليكم على الخُطَّةِ التي

وَسِيروا بأهليكم على الخُطَّةِ التي

رَضِيتُم لهم إنّ الطريقَ لَلاَحِبُ

رَضِيتُم لهم إنّ الطريقَ لَلاَحِبُ

Travel with your households upon the course

And proceed with your families along the course that

you accepted for them; the road lies broad and plain.

you accepted for them; indeed, the road is broad and clear.

أخا البغلةِ البيضاءِ لَيْتَكَ كُنْتها

أخا البغلةِ البيضاءِ لَيْتَكَ كُنْتها

لعلَّكَ تدرِي كيفَ تعلو المراتِبُ

لعلَّكَ تدرِي كيفَ تعلو المراتِبُ

O brother of the white mule, would that you were the mule—

O brother of the white mule, would that you were she,

perhaps then you would know how ranks are climbed!

perhaps you would know how ranks rise.

أتُعطَى من العزِّ البهيمةُ رِزقَها

أتُعطَى من العزِّ البهيمةُ رِزقَها

ويُحرَمُ منه المرءُ تِلكَ العجائبُ

ويُحرَمُ منه المرءُ تِلكَ العجائبُ

Is the beast granted its allotted share of honor,

Is the beast given its share of honor,

while a man is denied it? What a marvel!

while man is deprived of it? Such are the wonders!

يُحَنَّةُ هذا ما قضَى اللَّهُ فاعتبِرْ

يُحَنَّةُ هذا ما قضَى اللَّهُ فاعتبِرْ

وكيف اعتبارُ المرءِ والعقلُ ذاهِبُ

وكيف اعتبارُ المرءِ والعقلُ ذاهِبُ

Yuhanna, this is what God has decreed—so take heed;

Yuhanna, this is what God decreed; so take heed.

how can a man offer excuses when his reason has departed?

And how can a man take heed when his reason is gone?