دَعاكُمcalled you إِلىto خَيرِthe best of الأُمورِmatters مُحَمَّدٌMuhammad
دَعاكُم إِلى خَيرِ الأُمورِ مُحَمَّدٌ
وَلَيسَand are not العَواليthe upper ends فيin القَناthe spears كَالسَوافِلِlike the lower ends
وَلَيسَ العَوالي في القَنا كَالسَوافِلِ
Muhammad called you to the best of deeds,
And the tips of spears are not like their bases.
حَداكُمurged you عَلىtoward تَعظيمِreverence for مَنthe One who خَلَقَcreated الضُحىthe morning light
حَداكُم عَلى تَعظيمِ مَن خَلَقَ الضُحى
وَشُهبَand the bright stars الدُجىof darkness مِنincluding طالِعاتٍrising ones وَآفِلand a setting one
وَشُهبَ الدُجى مِن طالِعاتٍ وَآفِل
He urged you to revere the One who created morning light
And night's bright stars, rising and setting.
وَأَلزَمَكُمand he enjoined on you ماwhat لَيسَdoes not يُعجِزُoverburden حَملُهُbearing it
وَأَلزَمَكُم ما لَيسَ يُعجِزُ حَملُهُ
أَخاa man afflicted with الضَعفِweakness مِنof فَرضٍprescribed duty لَهُfor him وَنَوافِلُand voluntary devotions
أَخا الضَعفِ مِن فَرضٍ لَهُ وَنَوافِلُ
And he enjoined on you what cannot overburden
A weak man—his prescribed duties and voluntary devotions.
وَحَثَّand he urged عَلىtoward تَطهيرِcleansing جِسمٍa body وَمَلبَسٍand clothing
وَحَثَّ عَلى تَطهيرِ جِسمٍ وَمَلبَسٍ
وَعاقَبَand he punished فيfor قَذفِslandering النِساءِthe women الفَواضِلُthe virtuous
وَعاقَبَ في قَذفِ النِساءِ الفَواضِلُ
And he urged the cleansing of body and clothing,
And punished the slandering of virtuous women.
وَحَرَّمَand he forbade خَراًunclear as written; apparently 'wine' (خَمراً) خِلتُI deemed أَلبابَthe minds شِربِهاits drinkers
وَحَرَّمَ خَراً خِلتُ أَلبابَ شِربِها
مِنَthrough الطَيشِrecklessness أَلبابَthe minds النَعامِof ostriches الجَوافِلُthe fleeing ones
مِنَ الطَيشِ أَلبابَ النَعامِ الجَوافِلُ
And he forbade wine; I deemed its drinkers' minds,
In their recklessness, the minds of fleeing ostriches.
يَجُرّونَthey trail ثَوبَthe robe المُلكِof kingship جَرَّas the trailing of أَوانِسٍyoung maidens
يَجُرّونَ ثَوبَ المُلكِ جَرَّ أَوانِسٍ
لَدىamong البَدوِthe Bedouin أَذيالَthe hems الغَوانيof beautiful women الرَوافِلِtrailing their robes
لَدى البَدوِ أَذيالَ الغَواني الرَوافِلِ
They trail the robe of kingship as young maidens trail,
Among the Bedouin, the hems of beauties in flowing robes.
فَصَلّىso may He bestow blessings عَلَيهِupon him اللَهُGod ماas long as ذَرَّrises شارِقٌa sun
فَصَلّى عَلَيهِ اللَهُ ما ذَرَّ شارِقٌ
وَماand as long as فَتَّcrumbles مِسكاًmusk ذِكرُهُmention of him فيin المَحافِلِthe gatherings
وَما فَتَّ مِسكاً ذِكرُهُ في المَحافِلِ
So may God bless him as long as a sun rises,
And as long as mention of him crumbles musk in gatherings.