أفاطم قد طال التدلّ والمطل

أفاطم قد طال التدلّ والمطل

أجدّك لا صرمٌ جليٌ ولا وصل

أجدّك لا صرمٌ جليٌ ولا وصل

O Fatima, coyness and delay have lasted long.

Afáṭim, your neglect has been prolonged,

Are you in earnest—neither a clear break nor a union?

I find you neither an intimate friend nor faithful lover.

زيادَتنا نعمانُ لا تحبسنّها

زيادَتنا نعمانُ لا تحبسنّها

خفِ الله فينا والكتابَ الذي تتلو

خفِ الله فينا والكتابَ الذي تتلو

Nuʿman, do not withhold our increase.

My increase, O Nu'man, do not withhold it,

Fear God concerning us, and the Book you recite.

Fear God regarding me and the Book you recite.

فإنك قد حُمّلتَ منّا أمانةً

فإنك قد حُمّلتَ منّا أمانةً

بما عجزت عنه الصّلاخمة البُزل

بما عجزت عنه الصّلاخمة البُزل

For you have been made to bear a trust from us,

For you have been entrusted by me with a trust,

A burden beyond the strength of massive, full-grown camels.

Which the vile hypocrites were too weak to bear.

فلا يك باب الشرّ تحسن فتحه

فلا يك باب الشرّ تحسن فتحه

وباب الندى والخيِّرات له قفل

وباب الندى والخيِّرات له قفل

Let not the gate of evil be one you deftly open,

Let not the gate of evil be what you are inclined to open,

While the gate of generosity and good deeds is locked.

While the gate of bounty and goodness remains locked.

وقد نلت سلطاناً عظيما فلا يكن

وقد نلت سلطاناً عظيما فلا يكن

لغيرك جمّات النّدى ولك البخل

لغيرك جمّات النّدى ولك البخل

You have gained great power; let it not be

You have attained great power, so let it not be

That others abound in generosity while you are miserly.

That bounty is for others, while you remain stingy.

وأنت امرؤٌ حلو اللسان بليغه

وأنت امرؤٌ حلو اللسان بليغه

فما باله عند الزيادة لا يحلو

فما باله عند الزيادة لا يحلو

You are a man with a sweet, eloquent tongue;

You are a man of sweet tongue and eloquent speech,

Why, then, is it not sweet when it comes to the increase?

Why then does it not sound sweet when you increase?

وقبلك قد كانوا علينا أئمةٌ

وقبلك قد كانوا علينا أئمةٌ

يهمُّهم تقويمنا وهم عصل

يهمُّهم تقويمنا وهم عصل

Before you there were leaders over us,

Before you there were leaders over us

Intent on straightening us, though crooked themselves.

Concerned with correcting us while they were crooked.

إِذا نصبوا للقول قالوا فأحسنوا

إِذا نصبوا للقول قالوا فأحسنوا

ولكنّ حسن القول خالفه الفعل

ولكنّ حسن القول خالفه الفعل

When they set themselves to speak, they spoke well,

When setting forth words they spoke well,

But their deeds contradicted their fine words.

But fair words were contrary to foul deeds.

يذمَون دنياهم وهم يَرضِعونها

يذمَون دنياهم وهم يَرضِعونها

أفاويق حتى ما يَدِرّ لها ثُعل

أفاويق حتى ما يَدِرّ لها ثُعل

They revile their worldly life while suckling at it,

They blamed the world while suckling from it,

Draught after draught, until not even its extra teat yields milk.

Imposters, until it weaned them not.

أبى الله لي والدين والتقى

أبى الله لي والدين والتقى

وبالشام إِن حكَّمته الحكم العدلُ

وبالشام إِن حكَّمته الحكم العدلُ

God, religion, and piety forbid such treatment of me,

God has refused me and religion and piety

As does the just arbiter in Syria, if you call on him to judge.

To be judged in Syria by unjust rule.

أريد أميرَ المؤمنين فإِنه

أريد أميرَ المؤمنين فإِنه

على كلٍّ أنحاء الرجال له الفضل

على كلٍّ أنحاء الرجال له الفضل

I mean the Commander of the Faithful, for he

I want the Commander of the Faithful, for he

Has preeminence over men of every kind.

Is superior to all men in merit.

مهاجرةُ الأنصار إنِّي أخوكم

مهاجرةُ الأنصار إنِّي أخوكم

وإِنِّي لمعروفٍ أتى منكمُ أهل

وإِنِّي لمعروفٍ أتى منكمُ أهل

Emigrants of the Ansar, I am your brother,

O Emigrants and Helpers I am your brother,

And I am worthy of kindness bestowed by you.

And I am grateful for the good that came to me from you.

ومن أجل إِيواء النبي ونصره

ومن أجل إِيواء النبي ونصره

يحبكم قلبي وغيركم الأصل

يحبكم قلبي وغيركم الأصل

And for sheltering the Prophet and aiding him,

And for the Prophet's sheltering and aid,

My heart loves you, though my lineage is not yours.

My heart loves you, though others are my lineage.

أيثبت ما قلتم وتُلغى زيادتي

أيثبت ما قلتم وتُلغى زيادتي

دمي إِن أسيغت هذه لكم بَسل

دمي إِن أسيغت هذه لكم بَسل

Will what you said stand, while my increase is annulled?

Will you affirm what you have said and revoke my increase?

My blood is forfeit if this is allowed to you.

My blood, if you accept this, is easy for you to spill.