لَو قيلَ لِلمُجبَرِ المَعتوهِ اِنَّ لَهُ

لَو قيلَ لِلمُجبَرِ المَعتوهِ اِنَّ لَهُ

أَباً يُريدُ فَساداً طاحَ من غَضَبِهِ

أَباً يُريدُ فَساداً طاحَ من غَضَبِهِ

If the witless determinist were told that he had

Had it been said to the compeller, lost in folly,

a father who desired corruption, he would collapse in rage.

That he has a father who wishes corruption through his rage,

وَظَلَّ يَدفَعُ ما قَد قيلَ من أَنفٍ

وَظَلَّ يَدفَعُ ما قَد قيلَ من أَنفٍ

مُجَدِّداً عُجبَهُ فيه إِلى عَجَبِه

مُجَدِّداً عُجبَهُ فيه إِلى عَجَبِه

And he would keep rejecting what had been said, out of pride,

He would have continued to reject what was said out of spite

adding renewed self-conceit over it to his astonishment.

Renewing his wonder at it, to his wonder,

فَكَيفَ قالَ يريدُ اللَهُ فاحِشَةً

فَكَيفَ قالَ يريدُ اللَهُ فاحِشَةً

يَذُمُّها من زَناءِ المَرءِ أَو كَذِبِه

يَذُمُّها من زَناءِ المَرءِ أَو كَذِبِه

How, then, could he say that God wills a shameful deed

How could it be said that God wants immorality

which He condemns—such as a man's fornication or his lying—

Which He condemns, be it from fornication or lies?

لَولا التَجاهُلُ عَزَّ اللَهُ معتَلِياً

لَولا التَجاهُلُ عَزَّ اللَهُ معتَلِياً

عَمّا يُقَوِّه ذو الاِجبارِ في خَطبِهِ

عَمّا يُقَوِّه ذو الاِجبارِ في خَطبِهِ

except through feigned ignorance? God is mighty, exalted

Were it not for ignorance, God would be exalted

above what the advocate of compulsion says in his speeches.

From what the compeller alleges in his discourse,

وَهو المُريدُ صَلاحَ الخَلقِ أَجمَعِهِم

وَهو المُريدُ صَلاحَ الخَلقِ أَجمَعِهِم

كَذاكَ أَنبَأَنا في النَصِّ من كُتُبِهِ

كَذاكَ أَنبَأَنا في النَصِّ من كُتُبِهِ

And He is the One who wills righteousness for all creatures;

And He wants righteousness for all creation

thus He has told us in the text of His books.

As He informed us in His scriptures,

وَالذُمُّ يَلحَق عِندَ الخَلق مُوجِدَهُ

وَالذُمُّ يَلحَق عِندَ الخَلق مُوجِدَهُ

وَالاِثمُ يَحصَلُ في ميزانِ مُكتَسِبِه

وَالاِثمُ يَحصَلُ في ميزانِ مُكتَسِبِه

And in people's judgment, blame attaches to its originator,

And blame attaches to its originator in people's eyes

and sin accrues in the scales of the one who earns it.

While sin accrues in the balance of its committer.