بَعَثَهُ حِينَ لاَ عَلَمٌ قَائِمٌ،
Allah deputed the Prophet when no sign of guidance existed,
وَلاَ مَنَارٌ سَاطِعٌ،
no beacon was giving light
وَلاَ مَنْهَجٌ وَاضِحٌ.
and no passage was clear.
أُوصِيكُمْ عِبَادَ اللهِ،
I advise you, O creatures of Allah,
بِتَقْوَى اللهِ،
to have fear of Allah,
وَأُحَذِّرُكُمُ الدُّنْيَا،
and I warn you of this world
فإِنَّهَا دَارُ شُخُوص،
which is a house from which departure is inevitable
وَمَحَلَّةُ تَنْغِيص،
and a place of discomfort.
سَاكِنُهَا ظَاعِنٌ،
He who lives in it has to depart,
وَقَاطِنُهَا بَائِنٌ،
and he who stays here has to leave it.
تَمِيدُ بِأَهْلِهَا مَيَدَانَ السَّفِينَةِ
It is drifting with its people like a boat
تَقْصِفُهَا الْعَوَاصِفُ فِي لُجَجِ الْبِحَارِ،
whom severe winds dash (here and there) in the deep sea.
فَمِنْهُمُ الْغَرِقُ الْوَبِقُ
Some of them get drowned and die,
وَمِنْهُمُ النَّاجِي عَلى مُتُونِ الاْمْوَاجِ،
while some of them escape on the surface of the waves,
تَحْفِزُهُ الرِّيَاحُ بِأَذْيَالِهَا،
where winds push them with their currents
وَتَحْمِلُهُ عَلى أَهْوَالِهَا،
and carry them towards their dangers.
فَمَا غَرِقَ مِنْهَا فَلَيْسَ بِمُسْتَدْرَك،
So, whatever is drowned cannot be restored,
وَمَا نَجَا مِنْهَا فَإِلى مَهْلَك!
and whatever escapes is on the way to destruction.
عِبَادَ اللهِ،
O creatures of Allah,
الاْنَ فَاعْلَمُوا،
you should know now that you have to perform (good) acts,
وَالاْلْسُنُ مُطْلَقَةٌ،
because (at present) your tongues are free,
وَالاْبدَانُ صَحِيحَةٌ،
your bodies are healthy,
وَالاْعْضَاءُ لَدْنَةٌ،
your limbs have movement,
وَالْمُنقَلَبُ فَسِيحٌ،
the area of your coming and going is vast
وَالْـمَجَالُ عَرِيضٌ،
and the course of your running is wide;
قَبْلَ إِرْهَاقِ الْفَوْتِ،
before the loss of opportunity
وَحُلُولِ الْمَوْتِ،
or the approach of death.
فَحَقّقُوا عَلَيْكُمْ نُزُولَهُ،
Take death's approach as an accomplished fact
وَلاَ تَنْتَظِرُوا قُدُومَهُ
and do not think it will come (hereafter).
Alternative Sources for Sermon 196: Al-'Amidi, Ghurar, 87.
