قومٌa people إذاwhen أخِذَis taken المَديحُpraise قَصائداًas poems
قومٌ إذا أخِذَ المَديحُ قَصائداً
أخَذوهthey took it عَنْfrom طهTa-Ha وعَنْand from يسYa-Sin
أخَذوه عَنْ طه وعَنْ يس
A people who, when praise is cast into poems,
A people, if praise poems were seized
draw it from Ta-Ha and from Ya-Sin.
They took them from Taha and from Yaseen
وإذاand when انطوىfolded inward أرقُthe tenderest of الأضالعthe ribs وفَّرواthey reserved
وإذا انطوى أرقُ الأضالع وفَّروا
مَيْسورَavailable زادِهُمُtheir provisions علىfor المِسْكينِthe needy person
مَيْسورَ زادِهُمُ على المِسْكينِ
And when the tenderest of ribs folds inward, they reserve
And if the most tender ribs were folded
their available provisions for the needy.
They shared plenty with the destitute
وإذاand when عَصىdisobeyed أمْرَthe command of المَواليthe masters خادِمٌa servant
وإذا عَصى أمْرَ المَوالي خادِمٌ
نفَذتْtook effect أوامِرُهمْtheir commands علىover جِبْرينِJibrin (Gabriel)
نفَذتْ أوامِرُهمْ على جِبْرينِ
And when a servant disobeys his masters' command,
And if a servant disobeyed a master's order
their commands hold sway over Jibrin.
Their orders prevailed upon the compelled
وإذاand when تَفاخَرتِvied in boasting الرِّجالُthe men بسَيِّدٍof a lord
وإذا تَفاخَرتِ الرِّجالُ بسَيِّدٍ
فخَرواthey boasted بأنْزَعَof one bald at the temples فيin العُلومِthe branches of knowledge بَطينfull-bellied
فخَروا بأنْزَعَ في العُلومِ بَطين
And when men vie in boasting of a lord,
And if men boasted of a master
they boast of one bald at the temples, full-bellied with learning:
They fell praising the most learned of scholars
مُلْقيcaster-down of عمودthe pillar of الشِّرْكِpolytheism بعدafter قيامِهِits rising
مُلْقي عمود الشِّرْكِ بعد قيامِهِ
ومُبينِand revealer of دينِthe religion of اللّهِGod بعدَafter كُمونِconcealment
ومُبينِ دينِ اللّهِ بعدَ كُمونِ
who topples the pillar of polytheism after it has risen,
Casting down the pillar of polytheism after its establishment
and reveals God's religion after its concealment;
And clarifying the religion of Allah after its concealment
والمُسْتغاثُand the one sought for aid إذاwhen تَصافَحتِclasped hands with one another القَناthe spears
والمُسْتغاثُ إذا تَصافَحتِ القَنا
وغَدتْand became صُفونُthe ones poised at rest الخيلof the horses غيرnot صُفونpoised at rest
وغَدتْ صُفونُ الخيل غير صُفون
and the one called upon for aid when spears clasp hands,
The one sought for help, when the spears intertwined
and horses once poised at rest are poised no longer.
And the cavalry lines were no longer in line
ماnever أشكلَتْproved perplexing يومَon the day of الجِدالdebate قضيَّةٌa matter
ما أشكلَتْ يومَ الجِدال قضيَّةٌ
إلاَّexcept وبَدَّلَand he replaced شكَّهاits doubt بيَقينِwith certainty
إلاَّ وبَدَّلَ شكَّها بيَقينِ
Never did a matter prove perplexing on the day of debate
No issue perplexed on the day of debate
without his replacing its doubt with certainty.
Except he changed its doubt into certainty
مُسْتودَعُrepository of السرِّthe secret الخَفيِّhidden وموْضِعُand the abode of
مُسْتودَعُ السرِّ الخَفيِّ وموْضِعُ
الخُلقmoral character الجَليِّmanifest وفِتْنةُand the fascination of المَفْتونِthe enthralled one
الخُلق الجَليِّ وفِتْنةُ المَفْتونِ
The repository of the hidden secret, and the abode of
The repository of hidden secrets and place of
manifest moral character, and the fascination of the enthralled.
Apparent morals, and temptation of the infatuated