1. بَنِيَّ اِهتَدوا في ما اِهتَدَيتُ سَبيلَهُ

    فَأَكرَمُ هَذا الناسَ مَن كانَ هادِيا

    My sons, follow the path to which I was guided.

    For the noblest of these people is one who guides.

  2. عَنَيتُ زَماناً لَستُ أَعرِفُ ما الهُدى

    وَقَد كانَ ذاكُم ضَلَّةً مِن ضَلالِيا

    I suffered for a time, not knowing what guidance was,

    And that was indeed an error among my errors.

  3. فَلَمّا أَرادَ اللَهُ رُشدي وَزُلفَتي

    أَضاءَ سَبيلَ الحَقِّ لي وَهَدانِيا

    Then, when God willed my right guidance and nearness to Him,

    He illuminated the path of truth for me and guided me.

  4. فَأَلقَيتُ عَنّي الغَيَّ لِلرُشدِ وَالهُدى

    وَيَمَّمتُ نوراً لِلحَنيفَةِ بادِيا

    So I cast error away from me in favor of right judgment and guidance,

    And turned toward a light of the upright faith, shining forth.

  5. وَصِرتُ إِلى عيسى بنُ مَريَمَ هادِيا

    رَشيداً فَسَمّاني المَسيحُ حَوارِيا

    And I came to Jesus, son of Mary, following the right path,

    Rightly guided; and the Messiah called me a disciple.

  6. بَنِيَّ اِتَّقوا اللَهَ الَّذي هُوَ رَبُّكُم

    بَراكُم لَهُ فيما بَرا وَبَرانِيا

    My sons, be mindful of God, who is your Lord.

    He created you for Himself among what He created, and created me,

  7. لِنَعبُدَهُ سُبحانَهُ دونَ غَيرِهِ

    لِنَستَدفِعَ البَلوى بِهِ وَالدَواهِيا

    That we might worship Him—glory be to Him—and no other,

    That through Him we might ward off affliction and calamities,

  8. وَنُؤمِنَ بِالإِنجيلِ وَالصُحُفِ الَّتي

    بِها يَهتَدي مَن كانَ لِلوَحيِ تالِيا

    And believe in the Gospel and the scriptures

    Through which whoever recites revelation finds guidance.

  9. بَنِيَّ صَحِبتُ الناسَ ثُمَّ خَبِرتُهُم

    فَأَفضُلُهُم أَلفَيتُ مَن كانَ واعِيا

    My sons, I kept company with people, then came to know them;

    And I found the best of them to be those who were discerning.

  10. وَأَلفَيتُ أَسناهُم مَحَلّاً وَمَنصِباً

    رَشيداً عَنِ الفَحشاءِ وَالإِفكِ ناِهِيا

    And I found the highest of them in standing and rank

    Rightly guided, forbidding indecency and falsehood.

  11. وَأَلفَيتُ أَوهاهُم لَدى كُلِّ أَمرَةٍ

    مُضِلّاً لِتَضلالِ العَشيرَةِ غاوِيا

    And I found the weakest of them in every position of command

    A misleader bent on misleading the clan, himself astray.

  12. بَنِيَّ اِحفَظوا لِلجارِ واجِبَ حَقِّهِ

    وَلا تَسلِموا في النائِباتِ المَوالِيا

    My sons, preserve your neighbor's rightful due,

    And do not abandon allies amid calamities.

  13. وَشُبّوا عَلى فَرعِ اليَفاعَةِ نارَكُم

    لِيَأتيها الضَيفُ الَّذي باتَ سارِيا

    And kindle your fire on the crest of the high ground,

    So the guest who spends the night traveling may come to it.

  14. وَلا تَبدأوا بِالحَربِ مَن لَم يَكُن لَكُم

    مِنَ الناسِ لِلعُدوانِ وَالظُلمِ بادِيا

    And do not begin war against anyone who has not, toward you,

    Been the first among people to commit aggression and injustice.

  15. وَمَهما اِزدَرَعتُم يابَنِيَّ فَإِنَّهُ

    سَيُحصَدُ يَوماً بَذرُ ما كانَ زاكِيا

    And whatever you sow, my sons, surely

    The seed of what has flourished will one day be reaped.