خذtake ماwhat صفاis clear ودعand leave الكدرthe murk
خذ ما صفا ودع الكدر
وكلentrust أموركyour affairs للقدرto destiny
وكل أمورك للقدر
Take what is clear, and leave the murk.
Take what is pure and leave the murk,
Entrust your affairs to destiny,
And leave all your matters to fate.
مهماwhenever غلبتyou are overcome كماas مرpassed (probably 'commanded')
مهما غلبت كما مر
هاديthe guide الورىof creation خيرthe best البشرof humankind
هادي الورى خير البشر
whenever you are overcome, as [commanded by]
No matter how often you are overwhelmed, as has passed,
the guide of creation, the best of humankind.
The Guide of existence is the best of humans.
إنindeed الأمورthe affairs جرىran بهاwith them
إن الأمور جرى بها
قلمa pen علىupon اللوحthe Tablet الأغرradiant
قلم على اللوح الأغر
Indeed, all affairs were inscribed by
Verily all matters are predetermined,
a pen upon the radiant Tablet,
By a pen on the Guarded Tablet,
فيin سابقprior العلمknowledge القديeternal (continued next line)
في سابق العلم القدي
مcompletes 'eternal' منfrom قبلbefore إيجادbringing into being الصوردprobably 'forms'
م من قبل إيجاد الصورد
in eternal foreknowledge,
With foreknowledge, before forms were created,
before [forms] were brought into being.
So leave your worries, for they are
ودعand leave الهمومworries فإنهاfor they are
ودع الهموم فإنها
ياO صاحبيmy companion محضnothing but الضررharm
يا صاحبي محض الضرر
And leave your worries, for they are,
Just harm, my friend.
my companion, nothing but harm.
And seize your time and relax,
واغنمand make the most of زمانكyour time واسترحand find relief
واغنم زمانك واسترح
منfrom لو'if only' ولمand 'did not' تلقyou will attain الظفرsuccess
من لو ولم تلق الظفر
And make the most of your time, and find relief
If you have not attained success.
from 'if only' and 'did not'; you will attain success.
And return to God if
وارجعand return إلىto اللَهGod إذاwhenever
وارجع إلى اللَه إذا
مالحunclear; probably 'looms' خطبa calamity أوor عصرtime (probably 'hardship')
مالح خطب أو عصر
And return to God whenever
Misfortunes or harm beset you.
a calamity [looms] or [hardship arises].
And if you are afflicted with tribulation,
وإذاand when بليتyou are afflicted بمحنةwith an ordeal
وإذا بليت بمحنة
فاصبرthen endure patiently لهاthrough it فيمنamong those who صبرendured patiently
فاصبر لها فيمن صبر
And when you are afflicted with an ordeal,
Then be patient with it, among the patient.
bear it patiently among those who endured:
Whoever does good, believing,
منamong كلevery برrighteous person موقنfirm in faith
من كل بر موقن
متوقرcomposed عندamid الغيرreversals of fortune
متوقر عند الغير
every righteous person of firm faith,
Is honored among others.
composed amid reversals of fortune.
And if you are distinguished with blessings
وإذاand when خصصتyou are singled out بنعمةwith a blessing
وإذا خصصت بنعمة
فاشكرthen give thanks لهاfor it معwith منthose who شكرgave thanks
فاشكر لها مع من شكر
And when you are favored with a blessing,
Then give thanks among the thankful.
give thanks for it with those who give thanks
To God, Lord of the worlds,
للَهto God ربLord العالمينof the worlds
للَه رب العالمين
تعطyou will be given المزيدmore كماas ذكرHe declared
تعط المزيد كما ذكر
to God, Lord of the worlds;
Continue to give, as mentioned.
you will be given more, as He has declared.
And work righteousness for yourself,
واعملand do لنفسكfor yourself صالحاًrighteous work
واعمل لنفسك صالحاً
تنجوyou will escape بهthrough it منfrom كلevery شرevil
تنجو به من كل شر
And do righteous work for yourself;
To be saved from all evil.
through it you will escape every evil
And you will succeed in goodness –
وتفوزand attain بالحسنىthe finest reward هيit is الthe (continued next line)
وتفوز بالحسنى هي ال
جناتGardens نعمhow excellent المستقرthe abode
جنات نعم المستقر
and attain the finest reward, which is the
It is gardens. What an abode!
Gardens—how excellent an abode!
The abode of eternity, bliss,
دارabode البقاeverlasting life النعيمbliss
دار البقا النعيم
دارabode الكرامةhonor والنظرand beholding [God]
دار الكرامة والنظر
The abode of everlasting bliss,
The abode of honor and beholding.
the abode of honor and of beholding God.
And prepare your provision for the return,
وأعدand prepare زادكyour provisions للمعادfor the final return
وأعد زادك للمعاد
منfrom قبلbefore يفجأكtakes you by surprise الحذرwhat is feared
من قبل يفجأك الحذر
And prepare your provisions for the final return,
Before the suddenness surprises you.
before what you dread takes you by surprise.
For death is coming soon,
فالموتfor death آتis coming عنin قريبa short while
فالموت آت عن قريب
ولعلand perhaps يومكyour day قدalready حضرhas arrived
ولعل يومك قد حضر
For death is coming soon,
And perhaps your day is present.
and perhaps your day has already arrived.
O Lord, You are the goal,
ياO ربLord أنتYou are المبتغىthe One sought
يا رب أنت المبتغى
والمرنجيprobably 'and the One hoped for' والمدخرand the treasure held in reserve
والمرنجي والمدخر
O Lord, You are the One sought,
The shelterer and preserver.
and the [One hoped for], and the treasure held in reserve.
O Lord, so veil and pardon me,
ياO ربLord فاسترso conceal [our faults] واسمحنand grant pardon
يا رب فاستر واسمحن
فأنتfor You are أكرمthe most generous منof those who سترconcealed [faults]
فأنت أكرم من ستر
O Lord, cover our faults and pardon us,
For You are the most generous of the veilers.
for You are the most generous of those who conceal faults.
O Lord, and seal for us
ياO ربناour Lord واختمand conclude [our lives] لناfor us
يا ربنا واختم لنا
بالخيرwith goodness إنwhen حانthe time arrives السفرfor the journey
بالخير إن حان السفر
O our Lord, bring our lives to a close
With good, if the journey has come.
in goodness when the journey's hour arrives.
O Lord, and look upon us –
ياO ربناour Lord وانظرand look إليtoward (continued next line)
يا ربنا وانظر إلي
ناus (completes previous word) أنتYou are أحسنthe best منof those who نظرlooked
نا أنت أحسن من نظر
O our Lord, look upon
You are the best of beholders.
us; You are the best of those who look.
Then send prayers on the Messenger,
ثمthen الصلاةblessings علىupon الرسولthe Messenger
ثم الصلاة على الرسول
خيرthe best البريةof creation منfrom مضرMudar
خير البرية من مضر
Then blessings upon the Messenger,
The best of humankind, of Mudar.
the best of creation, from Mudar,
The seal of the honored prophets,
ختمthe seal النبيينof the prophets الكرامnoble
ختم النبيين الكرام
نعمhow excellent المصابيحthe lamps الغررradiant
نعم المصابيح الغرر
the seal of the noble prophets—
What excellent lanterns they are!
how excellent those radiant lamps!
And his family and companions,
وآلهand his family وصحبهand his companions
وآله وصحبه
والتابعينand those who follow علىalong الأثرthe footsteps
والتابعين على الأثر
And upon his family and his companions,
And the followers, upon the traces,
and those who follow in their footsteps,
As long as the breezes stir
ماas long as هبتblow النسماتthe breezes
ما هبت النسمات
بالعرفwith fragrance المعنبرambergris-scented بالسحرbefore dawn
بالعرف المعنبر بالسحر
as long as the breezes blow
The fragrant aloe-wood at dawn,
with ambergris-scented fragrance before dawn,
Or the leaves of the sanctuary rustle
أوor غدرتbetrayed (probably 'sang') ورقgray doves الحمىof the sanctuary
أو غدرت ورق الحمى
فوقupon الغصونthe branches منof الشجرthe trees
فوق الغصون من الشجر
or the sanctuary's gray doves [sing]
Above the branches of trees.
upon the branches of the trees.
Partial English translation: 49 of 50 Arabic lines translated.