السيفُ أَبْهى للعُلا

السيفُ أَبْهى للعُلا

والحَزْمُ أَبْلَغُ فِي المَدى

والحَزْمُ أَبْلَغُ فِي المَدى

The sword is more splendid for lofty glory,

The sword is most eloquent in the highlands,

and resolve reaches farther.

And patience most effective in the long run.

وشَرَائِعُ الحَقِّ الَّذِي

وشَرَائِعُ الحَقِّ الَّذِي

يَمَّمْتَ أَهْدى لِلْهُدى

يَمَّمْتَ أَهْدى لِلْهُدى

And the laws of the truth that

The precepts of truth which you have resolved

you have sought lead more surely to guidance.

To follow are the best guides to guidance.

وعواقِبُ الأَيَّامِ أَوْ

وعواقِبُ الأَيَّامِ أَوْ

لَى أَنْ يَفِينَ لِمَنْ وَفى

لَى أَنْ يَفِينَ لِمَنْ وَفى

And the outcomes of the days ought rather

The days' sequences are certainly

to keep faith with whoever has kept faith.

Most fair to him who is faithful.

والغَدْرُ أَقْبَحُ مَا تَزَو

والغَدْرُ أَقْبَحُ مَا تَزَو

وَدَ مَنْ دَنا أَوْ مَنْ نَأَى

وَدَ مَنْ دَنا أَوْ مَنْ نَأَى

And treachery is the foulest thing

Treacherous cunning is foulest of all

taken as provision by anyone near or far.

That creeps into souls of intimate or stranger.

لو تَغْدِرُ الشَّمْسُ انْتَهَتْ

لو تَغْدِرُ الشَّمْسُ انْتَهَتْ

فِي دُونِ مقدارِ السُّها

فِي دُونِ مقدارِ السُّها

If the sun were treacherous, it would end up

If the sun played traitor from the sky,

below the stature of Suha.

In less than the twinkling of an eye all would perish.

أَو دَبَّ غَدْرٌ فِي الجِبا

أَو دَبَّ غَدْرٌ فِي الجِبا

لِ لَعُدْنَ أَمثالَ الحَصى

لِ لَعُدْنَ أَمثالَ الحَصى

Or if treachery crept into the mountains,

Or if the hills betrayed their awful trust

they would become like pebbles.

And brought avalanches crashing down like pebbles without number,

وإِقالَةُ العَثَراتِ أَحْ

وإِقالَةُ العَثَراتِ أَحْ

يا لِلنُّفوسِ مِنَ الرَّدى

يا لِلنُّفوسِ مِنَ الرَّدى

And pardoning missteps is more life-giving

To forgive frailties is best

to souls than death.

For saving the spirit from endless loss.

نَفْسٌ إذَا أَحْيَيْتَها

نَفْسٌ إذَا أَحْيَيْتَها

فكأَنَّمَا تُحْيِي الوَرى

فكأَنَّمَا تُحْيِي الوَرى

If you give life to a soul,

When you give life to a soul, it is as if

then it is as though you give life to all humankind.

You gave life to all the world.

واللهُ قَدْ ضَمِنَ الجَزَا

واللهُ قَدْ ضَمِنَ الجَزَا

ءَ لِكُلِّ مُقْتَدِرٍ عَفا

ءَ لِكُلِّ مُقْتَدِرٍ عَفا

And God has indeed guaranteed the reward

God has decreed that every wilful wrong

for everyone with power who pardons.

Shall carry its punishment, though the doer be undetected.

وهُوَ الَّذِي أَوْحى بأَن

وهُوَ الَّذِي أَوْحى بأَن

نَ العَفْوَ أَقْرَبُ لِلتُّقى

نَ العَفْوَ أَقْرَبُ لِلتُّقى

And He is the One who revealed that

And He revealed that forgiveness is closer to piety

forgiveness is nearer to piety.

Because it is best for peace.

وسَلامُ منْ يُسْمِي السَّلا

وسَلامُ منْ يُسْمِي السَّلا

مَ عَلَيْكَ مَا مَتَعَ الضُّحى

مَ عَلَيْكَ مَا مَتَعَ الضُّحى

And peace from one who raises his greeting

Peace be with you always,

to you, as long as the morning rises high.

As dawn gives peace and fullness to the breaking day.