شَهِدتُ عَلَيكُم أَنَّكُم سَبَئِيَّةٌ

شَهِدتُ عَلَيكُم أَنَّكُم سَبَئِيَّةٌ

وَإِنّي بِكُم يا شُرطَةَ الكُفرِ عارِفُ

وَإِنّي بِكُم يا شُرطَةَ الكُفرِ عارِفُ

I testify against you that you are Sabaʾiyya.

I bear witness against you that you are Sabians

And indeed I know you, O elite guard of unbelief.

And I know you well, O police of blasphemy

وَأُقسِمُ ما كُرسِيُّكُم بِسَكينَةٍ

وَأُقسِمُ ما كُرسِيُّكُم بِسَكينَةٍ

وَإِن كانَ قَد لُفَّت عَلَيهِ اللَفائِفُ

وَإِن كانَ قَد لُفَّت عَلَيهِ اللَفائِفُ

And I swear: your chair brings no divine peace,

I swear your throne is not one of tranquility

Even if wrappings have been wound around it,

Even if it is wrapped in fancy garments

وإِن لُبِّسَ التابوتُ فُتناً وَإِن سَعَت

وإِن لُبِّسَ التابوتُ فُتناً وَإِن سَعَت

حَمامٌ حَوالَيهِ وَفيكُم زَخارِفُ

حَمامٌ حَوالَيهِ وَفيكُم زَخارِفُ

And even if the Ark was cloaked in deceptions, and even if there moved

The Ark is dressed in sedition, though doves flock around it

Doves around it—and among you are false embellishments.

And it is adorned, but with vain embellishments

وَإِنّي اِمرُؤٌ أَحبَبتُ آلَ مُحَمَّدٍ

وَإِنّي اِمرُؤٌ أَحبَبتُ آلَ مُحَمَّدٍ

وآثَرتُ وَحياً ضُمِّنَتهُ المَصاحِفُ

وآثَرتُ وَحياً ضُمِّنَتهُ المَصاحِفُ

And I am a man who has loved Muhammad's family,

I am a man who loves Muhammad’s family

And preferred revelation preserved in the Qur'an codices,

And I prefer the Quran's living revelations

وَإِن شاكِرٌ طافَت بِهِ وَتَمَسَّحَت

وَإِن شاكِرٌ طافَت بِهِ وَتَمَسَّحَت

بِأَعوادِهِ أَو دَبَّرَت لا تُساعِفُ

بِأَعوادِهِ أَو دَبَّرَت لا تُساعِفُ

Even if Shakir circled it and rubbed themselves

I am grateful that Shakir circumambulated it

Against its timbers, or plotted, offering no aid.

And wiped himself with its poles, not doubling his efforts

وَدانَت بِهِ لِاِبنِ الزُبَيرِ رِقابُنا

وَدانَت بِهِ لِاِبنِ الزُبَيرِ رِقابُنا

وَلا غَبنَ فيها أَو تُحَزَّ السَوالِفُ

وَلا غَبنَ فيها أَو تُحَزَّ السَوالِفُ

And through it our necks bowed to Ibn al-Zubayr,

Our necks bowed to Ibn Al-Zubair

And there is no loss in this, unless throats are slit.

Without any deceit or frivolous motives

وَتابَعتُ عَبدَ اللَهِ لَمّا تَتابَعَت

وَتابَعتُ عَبدَ اللَهِ لَمّا تَتابَعَت

عَلَيهِ قُرَيشٌ شَمطَها وَالغَطارِفُ

عَلَيهِ قُرَيشٌ شَمطَها وَالغَطارِفُ

And I followed Abd Allah when there came, one after another,

I followed Abdullah when Quraish moved against him

To him Quraysh—its gray-haired elders and nobles.

Mobbing him while wearing their finest clothes

وَأَحسَبُ عُقباها لِآلِ مُحَمَّدٍ

وَأَحسَبُ عُقباها لِآلِ مُحَمَّدٍ

فَيُنصُرُ مَظلومٌ وَيَأمَنُ خائِفُ

فَيُنصُرُ مَظلومٌ وَيَأمَنُ خائِفُ

And I reckon its outcome will belong to Muhammad's family,

I reckon its consequences will be for Muhammad’s family

So the wronged will be helped, and the fearful be safe.

So the oppressed will be victorious and the fearful, safe

وَيَجمَعُ رَبّي أُمَّةً قَد تَشَتَّت

وَيَجمَعُ رَبّي أُمَّةً قَد تَشَتَّت

وَهاجَت حُروبٌ بَينَهُم وَحسائِفُ

وَهاجَت حُروبٌ بَينَهُم وَحسائِفُ

And my Lord will gather a community that has become scattered,

My Lord will unite a nation torn asunder

And wars and grudges have flared among them.

By wars between them and dreadful calamities