1. أمة خلت يداها السننا

    ككثيب من رمال وهنا

    A nation whose hands are empty of the sacred ways

    is as frail as a dune of sand.

  2. سيرة المسلم شرع وكفى

    ذلكم باطن دين المصطفى

    The Muslim's way of life is sacred law, and that suffices;

    that is the inner essence of the Chosen One's faith.

  3. بانتظام الصوت تعلو النغمة

    وهي من دون نظام ضجة

    When sound is ordered, melody rises;

    without order, it is merely noise.

  4. إنما في الحلق موج من هواء

    يلعق النظم به فهو غناء

    In the throat there is only a wave of air;

    rhythmic order licks at it, and it becomes song.

  5. صاح هل تعلم ما سنتكا

    أي سر ضمنت قدرتكا

    Friend, do you know what your prescribed way is,

    what secret your power holds?

  6. الكتاب الحي والذكر الحكيم

    حكمة في الدهر تبقى لا تريم

    The living Book and the wise Reminder—

    a wisdom enduring through time, never departing.

  7. إن فيه سر تكوين الحياه

    يستمد النكس أيدا من قواه

    Within it lies the secret of life's creation;

    the weakling draws strength from its powers.

  8. لفظه لا ريب أو تبديل فيه

    آيه لا لبس أو تأويل فيه

    Its wording admits neither doubt nor alteration;

    its verses admit neither ambiguity nor reinterpretation.

  9. قوة فيه تشد الخورا

    وبها يرمي الزجاج الحجرا

    Within it is a power that strengthens the weak,

    and through it, glass strikes stone.

  10. قطع الأشراك عن صيد كسير

    فدعا الصياد منه بالثبور

    It cut the snares away from wounded prey,

    so the hunter cried out in woe because of it.

  11. ذا بلاع آخر للمرسلين

    قد تلاه رحمة للعالمين

    This is the messengers' final proclamation;

    the Mercy to all worlds has recited it.

  12. ترفع الخامل فيه رفعة

    وتقيم الرأس منه سجدة

    The dignity within it raises the obscure,

    and a prostration born of it raises the head.

  13. قاطعو الطرق هداة صيروا

    من كتاب كم كتاب سطروا

    Highwaymen were made into guides;

    from one Book, how many books they penned!

  14. والبوادي من سراج زهرا

    قد أضاءوا بالعلوم الفكرا

    And the desert folk, by a shining lamp,

    illuminated thought with the sciences.

  15. الذي يصدع منه الجبل

    وعلى الأفلاك منه وجل

    That before which the mountain splits,

    and at which the celestial spheres tremble—

  16. ذلك الينبوع من آمالنا

    قد حواه الصدر من أطفالنا

    that wellspring of our hopes,

    is held within our children's breasts.

  17. انظر الظمآن في حر القفار

    عينه حمراء من وقد النهار

    Look at the thirsty man in the heat of barren wastes:

    his eye is red from the blaze of day.

  18. عنسه كالظبي في تعدائها

    دمها كالنار في رمضائها

    His sturdy she-camel is like a gazelle in her running;

    her blood is like fire amid the desert's burning sands.

  19. طائف الصحراء يأبى الجدرا

    ضارب في البيد يقلي الحضرا

    The desert wanderer rejects walls;

    roaming the wastes, he detests settled life.

  20. خفقت في قلبه هذى السور

    فاستقر الموج فيه كالدرر

    These surahs fluttered within his heart,

    so the waves settled there like pearls.

  21. قرأ الدرس من الآي المبين

    فغدا بالحق حرا لا يمين

    He read the lesson from the clear verses,

    so through the Truth he became free, bound by no oath.

  22. حكم الدنيا جميعا عدله

    عرش جم وطئته رجله

    His justice ruled the whole world;

    his foot trod upon the throne of Jam.

  23. مدنا قد شيدت هبوته

    ورياضا أنبتت زهرته

    His drifting dust built cities,

    and his blossom made gardens grow.

  24. إن إيمانك في قيد الرسوم

    سنن الكفر لك السجن المقيم

    Indeed, your faith is fettered by outward forms;

    the ways of unbelief are your abiding prison.

  25. أمركم قطعتوا فهو زبر

    مسرعي السير إلى شيء نكر

    You have split your common cause, so it lies in fragments,

    rushing onward toward something dreadful.

  26. سكر الصوفي من أحواله

    وانتشى باللحن من قواله

    The Sufi grew drunk on his spiritual states,

    and grew ecstatic at his devotional singer's tune.

  27. قلبه شعر العراقي تلا

    ومن القرآن أقوى وخلا

    His heart recited al-Iraqi's poetry,

    but lay barren and empty of the Qur'an.

  28. تاجه والعرش صوف وحصير

    فقره يجبي رباطا للفقير

    His crown is wool, his throne a woven mat;

    his poverty procures a lodge for the poor.

  29. وأخو الوعظ جزافا قائل

    كلم عال ومعنى سافل

    And the preacher speaks recklessly:

    lofty words, and a base meaning.

  30. قوله من ديلمى وخطيب

    فعله حلف ضغيف وغريب

    His words come from Dailami and Khatib;

    his deeds are allied with the weak and the strange.

  31. لكتاب الله حق فاقرأن

    كل ما تبغيه منه فاطلبن

    God's Book has its due—so read it;

    whatever you desire, seek it from that Book.