إني لأقسم بالذي تدريه

إني لأقسم بالذي تدريه

في كل ما أمضيه أو أجريه

في كل ما أمضيه أو أجريه

Indeed, I swear by what you know,

I swear by Him whom you know

In all that I carry out or set in motion.

In all I decide or execute

لو بيع من منع المشرع بيعة

لو بيع من منع المشرع بيعة

لحق الخسار ببائع يشريه

لحق الخسار ببائع يشريه

If someone whose sale the Lawgiver forbade were sold,

If what the Legislator has forbidden were sold

Loss would befall a seller who sells him.

The seller would suffer loss though he feigns to offer it

وإن اقتدى فيه بإخوة يوسفَ

وإن اقتدى فيه بإخوة يوسفَ

فلذاك حكمٌ كلنا ندريه

فلذاك حكمٌ كلنا ندريه

And even if he followed Joseph's brothers in this,

And if he follows the example of Joseph's brothers

For that, then, there is a ruling we all know.

That is a judgment we all know

إنا تعبدنا بشرع محمدٍ

إنا تعبدنا بشرع محمدٍ

وكفاك هذا القدر من تنبيه

وكفاك هذا القدر من تنبيه

We are indeed bound to worship by Muhammad's law,

We worshipped according to Muhammad's Law

And this much of a reminder is enough for you.

And this much advice suffices

أنا لا أفضل أمّة قد أخرجت

أنا لا أفضل أمّة قد أخرجت

للناسِ في تنزيه أو تشبيه

للناسِ في تنزيه أو تشبيه

I do not prefer a community that has been brought forth

I do not prefer any community

For humankind, in affirming transcendence or resemblance.

Brought out to mankind in glorification or analogy

إن الذي قال الزمان بفضله

إن الذي قال الزمان بفضله

حكمُ القضاءِ بما يرضيه

حكمُ القضاءِ بما يرضيه

Indeed, for the one whose excellence Time proclaims,

He by whose excellence time has been judged

Fate's decree accords with what pleases him.

Judgment of destiny satisfies him

فتراه واحدَ عَصرِه في حاله

فتراه واحدَ عَصرِه في حاله

في كلِّ ما يبغيه أو يمضيه

في كلِّ ما يبغيه أو يمضيه

So you see him as the unique one of his age, in his state,

You see him unique in his time in his state

In everything he seeks or carries out.

In all he desires or decrees

إني اتبعت لكلِّ صاحبِ علةٍ

إني اتبعت لكلِّ صاحبِ علةٍ

استحكمت منه التي تشفيه

استحكمت منه التي تشفيه

Indeed, for each person with an ailment, I have followed

I have followed for every proponent of a doctrine

What heals him once that ailment has taken firm hold.

That which cures him that is established with him

فإذا الخطاب لربنا من سرِّنا

فإذا الخطاب لربنا من سرِّنا

أني لما أُبديه ما أخفيه

أني لما أُبديه ما أخفيه

Then behold, the address to our Lord comes from our secret:

So when the discourse is to our Lord from our secret

That I am indeed what I reveal—what I conceal.

I do not disclose what I hide of what I divulge

من ليس يقدر قدر ما أعطيته

من ليس يقدر قدر ما أعطيته

في نفسه مني فما أبغيه

في نفسه مني فما أبغيه

Whoever does not appreciate the worth of what I have given him

He who cannot appreciate what I have given him

Within himself, from me—then I do not seek him.

In himself from me, I do not want him

جهلَ الحقائقَ من يخلط أمرها

جهلَ الحقائقَ من يخلط أمرها

والعالمُ المسعودُ من يلغيه

والعالمُ المسعودُ من يلغيه

He who confuses their affairs is ignorant of the realities,

He is ignorant of the realities who confuses their matter

And the fortunate knower is he who dismisses him.

And the learned man made happy is he who transcends him

إني جعلت لكلِّ حقِّ موطناً

إني جعلت لكلِّ حقِّ موطناً

يدري به الشخصُ الذي في فيه

يدري به الشخصُ الذي في فيه

Indeed, I have made a dwelling for every truth,

I have made for every right a place

Known to the person in whose mouth are

Which the person possessing it knows

دررُ البيانِ مسرَّحاً ومقيَّداً

دررُ البيانِ مسرَّحاً ومقيَّداً

فله التحكم من وجودي فيه

فله التحكم من وجودي فيه

Pearls of eloquence, whether he is unbound or bound.

The jewels of rhetoric arranged and rhymed

So his mastery comes from my existence within it.

So he has sway over me by existing in it