اتَّقِ اللهَ الَّذِي لاَبُدّ لَكَ مِنْ لِقَائِهِ،
Fear Allah before Whom attendance is inevitable,
وَلاَ مُنْتَهَى لَكَ دُونَهُ،
and with other than Whom there is no meeting.
وَلاَ تُقَاتِلَنَّ إِلاَّ مَنْ قَاتَلَكَ،
Do not fight except with those who fight you.
وَسِرِ الْبَرْدَيْنِ،
Travel in the two cool periods (i.e., morning and evening).
غَوِّرْ بِالنَّاسِ،
Let the men have a midday sleep.
وَرَفِّهْ فِي السَّيْرِ،
March easily
وَلاَ تَسِرْ أَوَّلَ اللَّيْلِ،
and do not travel during the early night
فَإِنَّ اللهَ جَعَلَهُ سَكَناً،
for Allah has made it for resting
وَقَدَّرَهُ مُقَاماً لاَ ظَعْناً،
and has ordained it for staying, nor for journeying.
فَأَرِحْ فِيهِ بَدَنَكَ،
Therefore, give rest to your body in the night
وَرَوِّحْ ظَهْرَكَ،
and let your carrier-beasts also rest.
فَإِذَا وَقَفْتَ حِينَ يَنْبَطِحُ السَّحَرُ،
When you are sure that morning has appeared
أَوْ حِينَ يَنْفَجِرُ الْفَجْرُ،
and when dawn has dawned,
فَسِرْ عَلَى بَرَكَةِ اللهِ،
commence your journey with Allah's blessings.
فَإِذَا لَقِيتَ الْعَدُوَّ فَقِفْ مِنْ أَصْحَابِكَ وَسَطاً،
If and when you face the enemy stand in the midst of your comrades.
وَلاَ تَدْنُ مِنَ الْقَوْمِ دُنُوَّ مَنْ يُريدُ أَنْ يُنْشِبَ الْحَرْبَ،
Do not get too near the foe like one who wants to commence the fighting,
وَلاَ تَبَاعَدْ منهم تَبَاعُدَ مَنْ يَهَابُ الْبَأْسَ،
nor remain too distant like one who is afraid of action,
حَتَّى يَأْتِيَكَ أَمْرِي،
till you receive my orders.
وَلاَ يَحْمِلَنَّكُمْ شَنَآنُهُمْ عَلَى قِتَالِهِمْ،
Hatred for them should not lead you to fight
قَبْلَ دُعَائِهِمْ
before inviting them (to guidance)
وَالاْعْذَارِ إِلَيْهِمْ.
and exhausting your pleas before them.
