إذا كُنْتَ في دُنْياكَ والدِّينِ تابعا

إذا كُنْتَ في دُنْياكَ والدِّينِ تابعا

لِهَدْي خِتامِ الأَنْبياءِ مُحَمّدِ

لِهَدْي خِتامِ الأَنْبياءِ مُحَمّدِ

If, in your worldly life and religion, you follow

If in your world and religion you follow

the guidance of Muhammad, the last of the prophets,

The guidance of the seal of prophets, Muhammad

وعامَلتَ مَوْلاكَ الكريمَ بما أَتَى

وعامَلتَ مَوْلاكَ الكريمَ بما أَتَى

بِهِ الذِّكْرُ أَو مَا صَحَّ منْ كُلّ مُسْنَدِ

بِهِ الذِّكْرُ أَو مَا صَحَّ منْ كُلّ مُسْنَدِ

and act toward your generous Lord according to what is brought

And treat your noble Master according to what came

by the Qur'an, or what is authentic in any chain-transmitted report,

In the Revelation or what is authentic from every tradition

وأَلْفَيْتَ رَأْياً خالَفَتْهُ رِوايَةٌ

وأَلْفَيْتَ رَأْياً خالَفَتْهُ رِوايَةٌ

جِهاراً ولم تَحْفِل بِقَوْل المفَنِّدِ

جِهاراً ولم تَحْفِل بِقَوْل المفَنِّدِ

and find an opinion contradicted by a transmitted report

And you hold an opinion contradicted by a narration

plainly, and pay no heed to the detractor's words,

Openly and pay no heed to the words of the faultfinder

فأَنْتَ عَلَى الحَقِّ الْمُبِينِ وإِنْ أَبَى

فأَنْتَ عَلَى الحَقِّ الْمُبِينِ وإِنْ أَبَى

مَقالَكَ جَهْلاً كُلُّ فَدْمٍ مُبَلَّدِ

مَقالَكَ جَهْلاً كُلُّ فَدْمٍ مُبَلَّدِ

then you stand upon the manifest truth, even if

Then you are upon the clear truth even if

every dull-witted fool rejects your words in ignorance.

Every ignorant, stubborn person rejects your words

لَوْلاَ ثَلاثٌ لَمْ أَخَفْ صَرْعَتي

لَوْلاَ ثَلاثٌ لَمْ أَخَفْ صَرْعَتي

لَيْسَتْ كما قَالَ فَتَى العَبْدِ

لَيْسَتْ كما قَالَ فَتَى العَبْدِ

Were it not for three things, I would not fear my death—

If not for three things, I would not fear my demise

they are not the ones al-ʿAbd's son spoke of:

It is not as the young man said

أن أنصُرَ التوْحِيدَ والعَدْلَ في

أن أنصُرَ التوْحِيدَ والعَدْلَ في

كُلِ مَكانٍ باذلاً جَهْدي

كُلِ مَكانٍ باذلاً جَهْدي

to champion God's oneness and justice in

That I champion monotheism and justice everywhere

every place, expending my effort;

Exerting myself

وأَنْ أُناجي اللهَ مُسْتَمتعاً

وأَنْ أُناجي اللهَ مُسْتَمتعاً

بِخَلْوةٍ أَحْلى مِنَ الشَّهْدِ

بِخَلْوةٍ أَحْلى مِنَ الشَّهْدِ

and to commune with God, taking delight

That I converse with God, delighting

in solitude sweeter than honey;

In a retreat sweeter than honey

وأن أَتِيهَ الدَّهْرَ كِبْراً عَلَى

وأن أَتِيهَ الدَّهْرَ كِبْراً عَلَى

كُلِّ لَئيمٍ أَصْعَرِ الخَدِّ

كُلِّ لَئيمٍ أَصْعَرِ الخَدِّ

and to be forever haughty, in pride, toward

And that I face the days growing old against

every base man with his cheek turned aside in disdain.

Every despicable, ashen-faced villain