1. حَمداً لِرَبٍّ جلَّ عَن نَديدِ

    وَجَلَّ عن قَبائِحِ العَبيدِ

    Praise to a Lord exalted above any peer,

    And exalted above the vile deeds of His servants.

  2. أُدينُهُ بِالعَدلِ وَالتَوحيدِ

    وَالصِدقِ في الوَعدِ وَفي الوَعيدِ

    I profess faith in Him through justice and oneness,

    And truthfulness in promise and warning.

  3. ثُمَّ الصَلاةَ عَدَدَ الوَسمِيِّ

    وَعَدَدَ الحَبِيِّ وَالوَلِيِّ

    Then blessings, as numerous as the first autumn rains,

    And as the low-lying rainclouds and the rains that follow,

  4. عَلى النَبِيِّ أَحمَد الزكيِّ

    وَصنوِهِ الزاكي الوَصِي عَلِيِّ

    Upon the pure Prophet Aḥmad,

    And his pure counterpart, the legatee, ʿAlī,

  5. وَآلهِ جَميع أَهلِ الزُلفَةِ

    وَالدين وَالتَقوى وَأَهل الصِفَةِ

    And all his family, the people of nearness,

    Of faith and piety, and possessors of these qualities,

  6. أَكرَمِ أَقوامٍ وَخيرِ عترةِ

    أَفضلِ مَن أُخرِجَ من ذريَّة

    The noblest people and the finest kindred,

    The best of those brought forth as progeny.

  7. قَصيدَةٌ قَد صاغَها مُوَحِّدُ

    يَكمَدُ اِذ يُصغي إِلَيها المُلحِد

    A poem that a monotheist has fashioned;

    The heretic grieves when he listens to it.

  8. يُهدى الَّذي بِنورِها يَستَرشِدُ

    هِدايَةً يَلوحُ فيها الجَددِّ

    Whoever seeks direction by its light is guided,

    With guidance in which the clear path shines.

  9. أَصغ إِلى وَصفي حُدوثَ العالَمِ

    بِحُجَّةٍ كَحَدِّ سَيفٍ صارِم

    Listen to my account of the world's coming into being,

    With a proof like the edge of a sharp sword.

  10. كَم أَعجَزت من فَيلَسوفٍ عالِمِ

    فَعادَ لِلحَقِّ بِأَنفٍ راغِمِ

    How many a learned philosopher it has confounded,

    So he returned to the truth with his nose in the dust.

  11. جَميعُ ما نشهدُهُ مُؤَلَّفُ

    مركَّبٌ مُنَوَّعٌ مُصَنَّفُ

    Everything we witness is assembled,

    Composite, varied, and classified.

  12. وَفيهِ لِلصُّنعِ دَليلٌ يُعرَفُ

    لِأَنَّهُ مدبَّر مُصَرَّف

    Within it is recognizable evidence of workmanship,

    For it is ordered and directed.

  13. ما بَينَ ماء الظَهرِ مِنهُ دافِقُ

    حَتّى يَكونَ مِنهُ حَيٌّ ناطِقُ

    From the fluid of the loins as it gushes forth,

    Until a living, speaking being comes from it.

  14. فَها هُنا قَد ذَلَّت الخَلائِق

    وَعَزَّ ذو العَرشِ القَديمُ الخالِق

    Here, indeed, the creatures have been humbled,

    And the pre-eternal Creator, Lord of the Throne, is exalted.

  15. ثُمَّ اِختِلافُ اللَيلِ وَالنَهارِ

    وَمخرجُ الغروس وَالأَشجارِ

    Then the alternation of night and day,

    And the emergence of planted growth and trees,

  16. وَمَهبَط الثُلوجِ وَالأَمطارِ

    جَميعُ ذا من صُنعةِ الجَبّارِ

    And the falling of snows and rains:

    All this is the workmanship of the Almighty.

  17. وَالصُنعُ لا بُدَّ لهُ من صانِع

    لا سِيَّما مَع كَثرَةِ البَدائِعِ

    Workmanship must have a maker,

    Especially amid so many wonders.

  18. وَاِنَّما تَمَّ بِلا مُنازِع

    وَالمُلكُ لا يَبقى عَلى التَمانُع

    It was accomplished without a rival,

    And dominion cannot endure mutual obstruction.

  19. وَما لَهُ مِثلٌ من الأَمثالِ

    وَلا لَهُ شَكل من الأَشكالِ

    He has no likeness among any counterparts,

    Nor does He have a form among forms.

  20. علا وَجلَّ غايَةَ التَعالي

    دَلَّ عَلَيهِ مُتقَنُ الأَفعالِ

    He is supremely exalted and majestic;

    Perfectly wrought deeds point to Him.

  21. عَزَّ فَما تُدرِكُهُ الأَبصارُ

    كَلّا وَلا تبلغُهُ الأَفكارُ

    He is exalted, so eyes cannot perceive Him;

    No indeed, nor can thoughts reach Him.

  22. وَلا لَهُ كَيف وَلا اِستِقرارُ

    وَلا لَهُ أَينٌ وَلا أَقطارُ

    He has no 'how,' nor any resting place,

    Nor any 'where,' nor spatial regions.

  23. كانَ وَلا عَرشٌ وَلا مَكانُ

    كانَ وَلا حَيثٌ وَلا زَمانُ

    He existed when there was no throne or place;

    He existed when there was no 'where' or time;

  24. كانَ وَلا نُطقٌ وَلا لِسانُ

    وَلا زبورٌ لا وَلا فُرقانُ

    He existed when there was no speech or tongue,

    Nor Psalms—no, nor the Criterion.

  25. لَو كانَ مَحسوساً بِعَينِ ناظِرِ

    لكانَ مَلموساً بِكف زائِرِ

    Were He perceptible to an observer's eye,

    He would be tangible to a visitor's palm,

  26. وَكانَ ذا كُلٍّ وَبَعضٍ ظاهِرِ

    وَكانَ ذا حدٍّ من المَقادِرِ

    And would possess a whole and a visible part,

    And would be bounded by dimensions.

  27. أَو صَحَّ أَن ينزلَ أَو أَن يَصعَدا

    لَصَحَّ أَن يَنامُ أَو أَن يَسهَدا

    Or, if He could descend or ascend,

    He could sleep or remain sleepless,

  28. وَصَحَّ أَن يَجلِسَ أَو أَن يَقعدا

    وَصَحَّ أَن يولَدَ أَو أَن يَلِدا

    And could sit or sit down,

    And could be born or beget.

  29. في كُلِّ هذا فَالقِياسُ واحِدُ

    إِذا أَصاخً عارِفٌ أَو ناقِدُ

    In all this, the analogy is one,

    If a knowledgeable person or critic listens closely.

  30. بَلى هو الرَبُّ المَليكُ الماجِدُ

    الصَمَدُ الفَردُ العَزيزُ الواحِدُ

    Indeed, He is the Lord, the glorious Sovereign,

    The Self-Sufficient, the Unique, the Mighty, the One,

  31. العالِمُ الذاتِ القَديرُ الذاتِ

    بَرى بِلا عَينٍ وَلا آلاتِ

    Knowing by His essence, powerful by His essence.

    He created without an eye or instruments,

  32. وَهكَذا السامِعُ لِلأَصواتِ

    لَيسَ كَقَولِ فرقة الصفات

    And likewise hears sounds,

    Not as the sect of the attributes maintains.

  33. فَاِنَّها في الحُكمِ كَالنَصارى

    قَد أَصبَحت في دينِها حَيارى

    For in judgment it is like the Christians;

    It has become bewildered in its religion,

  34. وَحَصَّلَت في عَقدِها التَبارا

    وَثَلَّثَت فَهيَ تَحوزُ النارا

    And has acquired ruin through its creed.

    It affirmed a trinity, and thus gains the Fire.

  35. قَد جَهلت في قِدَمِ القُرآنِ

    كَمثلِ جَهلِ عابِدِ الصُلبانِ

    It has shown ignorance concerning the Qur'an's eternity,

    Like the ignorance of a worshiper of crosses.

  36. قالَت قَديمٌ لَيسَ بِالرَحمنِ

    وَصارَ هذا كَمسيحٍ ثاني

    It says, 'It is eternal, yet is not the All-Merciful,'

    And this becomes like a second Messiah.

  37. وَقد نَزَعنا كلَّ مَن يُثلِّثُ

    وَكلَّ مَن عَهدَ اليَقينِ يَنكُثُ

    We have cast aside everyone who affirms a trinity,

    And everyone who breaks the covenant of certainty,

  38. وَكُلَّ مَن يُلحِدُ لَيسَ يَلبَثُ

    وَقَولُنا إِنَّ القُرآنَ مُحدَثُ

    And every heretic who does not pause.

    And we hold that the Qur'an is brought into being.

  39. فَهكَذا قَد جاءَ في التَنزيلِ

    في مُحكَمِ القَولِ بِلا تَأويلِ

    For thus it has come in the revelation,

    In unambiguous speech, without interpretation,

  40. وَلا بِتَخريجٍ وَلا تَعليلِ

    عَن خالِق الخَلقِ بِلا تَبديلِ

    Nor through deduction or causal explanation,

    From the Creator of creation, without alteration.

  41. قَد خَلَقَ الخَلقَ إِلى العِبادَه

    وَقَرَنَ الأَمرَ إِلى الإِرادَه

    He created creatures for worship,

    And joined His command to His will.

  42. وَلم يُرِد من عَبدِهِ عِنادَه

    وَلم يُحِبَّ نيةً فَسادَه

    He did not desire obstinacy from His servant,

    Nor did He love his corrupt intention.

  43. بَل أَوضَحَ الصِراطَ لِلنَجدَينِ

    وَقالَ يا ذا العَقلِ وَالعَينَينِ

    Rather, He made plain the way to the two high roads,

    And said, 'O possessor of reason and two eyes,

  44. اِختَر طَريقَ الرُشدِ من هذَينِ

    فَلَم أُحَيِّركَ بِقَول مَينِ

    Choose the path of right guidance from these two,

    For I have not bewildered you with lying speech.'

  45. أَزاحَ كُلَّ عِلَّةٍ لِلطّاعَه

    وَلم يُكَلِّفكَ بِلا اِستِطاعَه

    He removed every impediment to obedience,

    And did not burden you without ability.

  46. قَدَّمَنا بِاللُطفِ لِلجَماعَه

    وَاِنَّما الفائِزُ مَن أَطاعَه

    He brought us forward with gracious aid into the community,

    And only whoever obeys Him succeeds.

  47. هَدى ثَمودَ وَهيَ تَختارُ العَمى

    أَما قَرَأتَ مُنزَلًا هذا أَما

    He guided Thamūd, while it chose blindness.

    Have you not read this revelation—have you not?

  48. اِسمَع وَلا تَجلب إِلَيكَ الصَمَما

    فَقَد أَتى بَردُ اليَقينِ أَمَما

    Listen, and do not bring deafness upon yourself,

    For the coolness of certainty has come close at hand.

  49. يُضِل عَن ثَوابَه أَعداءه

    وَلم يُصَيِّرهُ لَه جَزاءَه

    He turns His enemies away from His reward,

    And did not make it his recompense.

  50. وَلم يُرِد في حالَةٍ اِغواءَه

    بَل جَلَبَ الاِنسانُ ما قَد ساءَه

    Nor did He ever wish to lead him astray;

    Rather, man brought upon himself what harmed him.

  51. وَلَو أَرادَ رَبُّنا أَن يُشتَما

    وَفَعَلَ الشاتِمُ ما قَد حَتَما

    Had our Lord wished to be reviled,

    And the reviler done what He had decreed,

  52. لَكانَ فيهِ طائِعاً قَد عُلِما

    وَكان مَن عَذَّبه قَد ظَلَما

    He would be obedient in this, as is known,

    And whoever punished him would have acted unjustly.

  53. أَو كَلَّفَ الأَمرَ بِلا اِستِطاعَه

    ما ذَمَّ مِن عَدُوِّهِ اِمتِناعَه

    Or, had He imposed the command without ability,

    He would not have blamed His enemy's refusal,

  54. وَلا أَقامَ لِلعِقابِ الساعَه

    أُفٍّ لِهذا القَولُ من شَناعَه

    Nor established the Hour for punishment.

    Fie on this saying, for its hideousness!

  55. لَو كانَ كُلُّ شَسَعٍ من عِندِه

    لَم يَكُ ذاكَ مُنكَراً مِن عَبدِهِ

    If every sandal-strap came from Him,

    That would not be reprehensible in His servant,

  56. فَإِنَّهُ مُتابِع لِقَصدِهِ

    وَاِنَّهُ مُوافِق لِجهدِه

    For he is following His purpose,

    And is in accord with His endeavor.

  57. فَإِن يُجَدِّد مُجبَرٌ سؤالَه

    بِالخُرقِ وَالحُمقِ وَبِالجهالَ

    If a compelled person renews his question,

    With rashness, stupidity, and ignorance,

  58. وَقلَّة الاِصغاءِ لِلدلالَه

    وَكَثرَةِ الاِعجابِ بِالضَلالَه

    And little attention to the evidence,

    And much admiration for error,

  59. فَقالَ هل يُفعَل ما لا يُؤثِرُ

    إِذاً عَن المُلكِ العَظيمِ يقصرُ

    And says, 'Is what He does not choose done?

    Then He falls short of mighty dominion!'

  60. فَقُل كَما يُفعَل ما لا يأمُر

    وَهو المَليكُ وَالالهُ الأَقدَرُ

    Say, 'Just as what He does not command is done,

    While He is the Sovereign and the most powerful God.'

  61. وَلَو أَرادَ مَنعَنا بِالقَسرِ

    لكانَ سَهلاً ما بِهِ مِن عُسرِ

    Had He wished to restrain us by force,

    Whatever difficulty there is would have been easy.

  62. لكِنَّه اِسقاطُ بابِ الأَمرِ

    وَفَتحُ بابِ الجَبرِ ثُمَّ الكُفرِ

    But that would abolish the door of command,

    And open the door of compulsion, then unbelief.

  63. وَلَيسَ ذا مُستَحسَناً في العَقلِ

    اِن لَم يَكُن يَسلُك نَهجَ الجَهلِ

    This is not approved by reason,

    If it is not treading the path of ignorance.

  64. هذا بَيانٌ لِرِجال الفَضلِ

    وَكلِّ مَن أَصغى لِقَولٍ فَصل

    This is an explanation for men of virtue,

    And everyone who listens to decisive speech.

  65. قَد خالَفوا في القَدَرِ المَذمومِ

    وَأَثبَتوا لِلواحِدِ الكَريمِ

    They disagreed over blameworthy predestination,

    And ascribed it to the One, the Generous,

  66. وَقد نَفَيناهُ عن الحَكيمِ

    بِغايَةِ التَنزيهِ وَالتَعظيمِ

    While we have denied it of the Wise One,

    With the utmost declaration of transcendence and glorification.

  67. وَالحَكَمانِ مَوضِعُ الآثامِ

    إِذ يُجعَلانِ صَفوَةَ الأَنامِ

    The two arbiters are the seat of sins,

    When they are made the choicest of mankind.

  68. عَلَيهُما لعائِنُ العَلّامِ

    تَترى عَلى التَمامِ وَالدَوامِ

    Upon them both are the curses of the All-Knowing,

    Following one another, fully and forever.

  69. وَتَمَّت الأَبياتُ بِالرَشادِ

    عَلى اِرتِجالٍ مِن فَتى عَبّادِ

    The verses are completed with right guidance,

    Improvised by the young man of ʿAbbād,

  70. قَد صَدَرت مِن خالِص اِعتِقادِ

    بِالخيرَة وَالتَوفيقِ وَالاِسعادِ

    Issued from sincere conviction,

    With good choice, divine aid, and felicity.