قَضَيت قَضاءً فِي الخِلافَة لَم تَدَع

قَضَيت قَضاءً فِي الخِلافَة لَم تَدَع

لِذِي نَخوَةٍ يَرجُو الخِلافَة مرغَما

لِذِي نَخوَةٍ يَرجُو الخِلافَة مرغَما

You passed judgment on the caliphate that left

You ruled with justice, leaving no ambitious man

no recourse for any proud man aspiring to the caliphate.

Yearning for rule though coerced and unwilling.

رَضيت لَهُم مَا قَد رَضوا لِنُفوسِهِم

رَضيت لَهُم مَا قَد رَضوا لِنُفوسِهِم

وَأَفلَحتَ من قَد كانَ بِالحَقِّ أَعصَما

وَأَفلَحتَ من قَد كانَ بِالحَقِّ أَعصَما

You approved for them what they had approved for themselves,

You were content with what contented their souls,

and brought success to whoever had held fast to the truth.

And you succeeded, firmly holding to truth.

وَقَد رَامَ أَقوامٌ رداكَ فَعَالَجُوا

وَقَد رَامَ أَقوامٌ رداكَ فَعَالَجُوا

عَلَى رَغمِهِم أَمراً مِنَ اللَهِ مُحكَما

عَلَى رَغمِهِم أَمراً مِنَ اللَهِ مُحكَما

Some people had sought your ruin, and so they grappled,

Some people attempted to turn you back, but

to their chagrin, with a firmly established decree from God.

They confronted, despite themselves, God's decree.

قَضَى فَعَصَوهُ رَغبَةً عَن قَضائِهِ

قَضَى فَعَصَوهُ رَغبَةً عَن قَضائِهِ

فَلَم يَجدوا عَما أَرادُوك مَرغَما

فَلَم يَجدوا عَما أَرادُوك مَرغَما

He decreed, but they disobeyed Him, averse to His decree;

He ordained, but they disobeyed, desiring

so they found no escape from what they had intended for you.

Against His command, yet they could not coerce you.

أَبى لَهُمُ أَن يَخلُصُوا مِن هَوانِهِ

أَبى لَهُمُ أَن يَخلُصُوا مِن هَوانِهِ

وَأَن يَنزِعُوا إِكرامَ مَن كَانَ أَكرَما

وَأَن يَنزِعُوا إِكرامَ مَن كَانَ أَكرَما

He would not let them escape the humiliation He imposed,

He refused them escape from their disgrace

or strip honor from one He had honored.

Or removal of the honor of the most noble.

وَلَم يَترُكُوا ذا لِبسَةٍ رأيه عَمىً

وَلَم يَترُكُوا ذا لِبسَةٍ رأيه عَمىً

وَلَم يَترُكُوا ذا الدَرءِ حَتَّى تَقَوَّما

وَلَم يَترُكُوا ذا الدَرءِ حَتَّى تَقَوَّما

They did not leave any bewildered man whose judgment was blind,

They left not the blind of opinion or sight

nor any crooked man, until he was set straight.

Until the keen and piercing became enlightened.

بِأَسيافِها بَعد العَمَى نَصَرُوا الهُدَى

بِأَسيافِها بَعد العَمَى نَصَرُوا الهُدَى

يَقينَ البَيانِ لا الحَديث المُرَجَّما

يَقينَ البَيانِ لا الحَديث المُرَجَّما

With its swords, after blindness, they championed guidance—

With its swords after blindness they supported truth,

the certainty of clear proof, not conjectural talk.

The certainty of elucidation, not random tales.