أَنْتمُ الاَنْصَارُ عَلَى الْحَقِّ،
You are supporters of Truth
وَالاِخُوَانُ في الدِّينِ،
and brethren in faith.
وَالْجُنَنُ يَوْمَ الْبَأْسِ،
You are the shield on the day of tribulation,
وَالْبِطَانَةُ دُونَ النَّاسِ،
and (my) trustees among the rest of the people.
بِكُمْ أَضْرِبُ الْمُدْبِرَ،
With your support I strike the runner away
وَأَرْجُو طَاعَةَ الْمُقْبِلِ،
and hope for the obedience of him who advances forward.
فَأَعِينُوني بِمُنَاصَحَة خَلِيَّة مِنَ الْغِشِّ،
Therefore, extend to me support which is free from deceit
سَلِيمَة مِنَ الرَّيْبِ;
and pure from doubt
فَوَ اللهِ إِنِّي لاَوْلَى النَّاسِ بِالنَّاسِ!
because, by Allah, I am the most preferable of all for the people.
Alternative Sources for Sermon 118: Al-Tabari, Ta'rikh; Ibn Qutaybah, al-'Imamah, I, 121; al-Waqidi, in al-Jamal and; al-Mada'ini in his book, see Ibn Abi al-Hadid, Sharh, II, 259.
