ما ردَّهُ الباغي إِذا ردَّتْ بهِ

ما ردَّهُ الباغي إِذا ردَّتْ بهِ

أيدي الجَلالةِ عنكَ إِلاَّ رِدَّتُهْ

أيدي الجَلالةِ عنكَ إِلاَّ رِدَّتُهْ

Nothing turned the transgressor back—when

When the tyrant is turned back by the august hands,

The hands of Majesty drove him away from you—except his apostasy.

What does it avail him save to turn him back?

الحَظُّ أقْصَرهُ وقدَّ حِبالَهُ

الحَظُّ أقْصَرهُ وقدَّ حِبالَهُ

فَتعلَّقتْ بالغَيْرِ شُؤماً همَّتُهْ

فَتعلَّقتْ بالغَيْرِ شُؤماً همَّتُهْ

Fortune checked him and severed his ropes,

Fortune has shortened his tether and tied his ropes,

So his aspiration clung, to his misfortune, to others.

So his ambitious thoughts have clung to others disastrously.

رُدَّتْ رجالٌ والنَّبيُّ إمامُهُمْ

رُدَّتْ رجالٌ والنَّبيُّ إمامُهُمْ

لِتَطُمَّهُمْ من بأسِ ربِّكَ نِقمتُهْ

لِتَطُمَّهُمْ من بأسِ ربِّكَ نِقمتُهْ

Men were turned away, though the Prophet was their leader,

Men were turned back, and the Prophet was their imam,

So that His vengeance might engulf them with your Lord's might.

So that the vengeance of your Lord might smite them.

دعْ من تَلصَّصَ في الفسادِ مُوارباً

دعْ من تَلصَّصَ في الفسادِ مُوارباً

واهْملهُ قَدْ عَمِيتْ بُنَيَّ بَصيرتُهْ

واهْملهُ قَدْ عَمِيتْ بُنَيَّ بَصيرتُهْ

Leave whoever skulks in corruption, dissembling,

Leave him who insinuates corruption furtively;

And ignore him, my dear son: his insight has already gone blind.

Disregard him, for his insight has been blinded.

لوْ كانَ للرَّحمنِ فيه عِنايةٌ

لوْ كانَ للرَّحمنِ فيه عِنايةٌ

قَطعتْهُ عن هذا التَّلصُّصِ نظرتُهْ

قَطعتْهُ عن هذا التَّلصُّصِ نظرتُهْ

Had the All-Merciful shown him care,

If the Merciful had cared for him,

His gaze would have cut him off from this skulking.

His gaze would have been cut off from this creeping.

والوارِثُ النَّبويُّ في أحوالِهِ

والوارِثُ النَّبويُّ في أحوالِهِ

معنًى يُشاكِلُهُ النَّبيُّ وسيرتُهْ

معنًى يُشاكِلُهُ النَّبيُّ وسيرتُهْ

And the prophetic heir, in his states,

And the Prophetic Heir in his conditions

Is an inner reality mirrored by the Prophet and his conduct.

Resembles the Prophet in his way and his practice.

فارجعْ لربِّكَ لا تُؤمِّلْ غيرهُ

فارجعْ لربِّكَ لا تُؤمِّلْ غيرهُ

لا بدَّ توليكَ العنايةَ نُصرتُهْ

لا بدَّ توليكَ العنايةَ نُصرتُهْ

So return to your Lord; hope in none but Him.

Return to your Lord, do not hope in any but Him;

His aid will surely bestow care upon you.

His aid will surely take care of you.

ودعِ الحسودَ بِغَيظهِ وعنادهِ

ودعِ الحسودَ بِغَيظهِ وعنادهِ

تَشْويهِ في طيِّ المَفاسدِ زفرَتُهْ

تَشْويهِ في طيِّ المَفاسدِ زفرَتُهْ

And leave the envious one to his rage and obstinacy;

And leave the envious one to his rage and stubbornness,

His sigh scorches him within corruption's folds.

The whistling of his breath amidst the spread of corruption.

كمْ طائرٍ طلبَ العُلى حطَّتْ به

كمْ طائرٍ طلبَ العُلى حطَّتْ به

ضمنَ الحَضيضِ بغيرِ قصدٍ نهضتُهْ

ضمنَ الحَضيضِ بغيرِ قصدٍ نهضتُهْ

How many a bird sought the heights, yet was brought down

How many a bird sought the heights and was brought down

Into the depths, unintentionally, by its ascent!

To the depths without intention by its soaring!

ولكمْ ضَعيفٍ ذي انْكسارٍ خالصٍ

ولكمْ ضَعيفٍ ذي انْكسارٍ خالصٍ

ألقتهُ في رُتَبِ المعزَّةِ ذِلَّتُهْ

ألقتهُ في رُتَبِ المعزَّةِ ذِلَّتُهْ

And how many a weak one, truly broken in spirit,

And how many a weak one, broken and sincere,

Was cast into the ranks of honor by his lowliness!

His abasement has cast into the ranks of honor!

والعبدُ في الأمرَيْنِ مأسورُ القَضا

والعبدُ في الأمرَيْنِ مأسورُ القَضا

تأتي لهُ من غيرِ سعيٍ قِسمتُهْ

تأتي لهُ من غيرِ سعيٍ قِسمتُهْ

And the servant, in both cases, is captive to divine decree;

And the servant in both matters is bound by destiny;

His allotted share comes to him without striving.

His appointed lot comes to him without effort.