كُلُّ وَاحِد مِنْهُمَا يَرْجُو الاْمْرَ لَهُ،
Both of these two (Talhah and az-Zubayr) wishes the Caliphate for himself,
وَيَعْطِفُهُ عَلَيْهِ دُونَ صَاحِبِهِ،
and is drawing towards himself as against the other fellow.
لاَ يَمُتَّانِ إِلَى اللهِ بِحَبْل،
They do not employ any connection for getting access to Allah
وَلاَ يَمُدَّانِ إِلَيْهِ بَسَبَب.
nor proceed towards Him through any means.
كُلُّ واحِد مِنْهُمَا حَامِلُ ضَبٍّ لِصَاحِبِهِ،
Both of them bear malice against the other.
وَعَمَّا قَلِيل يُكْشَفُ قِنَاعُهُ بِهِ!
Shortly his veil over it will be uncovered.
وَاللهِ لَئِنْ أَصَابُوا الَّذِي يُرِيدُونَ لَيَنْتَزِعَنَّ هذَا نَفْسَ هذَا،
By Allah, if they achieve what they aim at, one of them will kill the other,
وَلَيَأْتِيَنَّ هذَا عَلَى هذَا،
and one will finish the other.
قَدْ قَامَتِ الْفِئَةُ الْبَاغِيَةُ،
The rebellious party has stood up.
فَأَيْنَ الْـمُحْتَسِبُونَ؟!
Where are the seekers of virtue,
قَدْ سُنَّتْ لَهُمُ السُّنَنُ،
for the paths have already been determined
وَقُدِّمَ لَهُمُ الْخَبَرُ،
and they have been given the news?
وَلِكُلِّ ضَلَّة عِلَّةٌ،
For every misguidance there is a cause
وَلِكُلِّ نَاكِث شُبْهِةٌ.
and for every break of pledge there is a misrepresentation.
وَاللهِ لاَ أَكُونُ كَمُسْتَمِعِ اللَّدْمِ،
By Allah, I shall not be like him who listens to the voice of mourning,
يَسْمَعُ النَّاعِيَ،
hears the man who brings news of death
وَيَحْضُرُ الْبَاكِيَ،
and also visits the mourner,
ثُمَّ لاَ يَعْتَبِرُ!
yet does not take lesson.
Alternative Sources for Sermon 148: Abu Mikhnaf, al-Jamal, see Ibn Abi al-Hadid, Sharh, I, 78; al-Mufid, al-'Irshad, 142.
