أما بعد، وَقَدْ بَلَغَنِي مَوْجِدَتُكَ مِنْ تَسْرِيحِ الاْشْتَرِ إِلَى عَمَلِكَ
I have come to know of your anger at the posting of al-Ashtar in your place,
وَإِنِّي لَمْ أَفْعَلْ ذلِكَ اسْتِبْطَاءً لَكَ فِي الجَهْدِ،
but I did not do so because of any shortcoming on your part
وَلاَ ازدِياداً لَكَ فِي الْجِدِّ،
or to get you to increase your efforts,
وَلَوْ نَزَعْتُ مَا تَحْتَ يَدِكَ مِنْ سُلْطَانِكَ،
but when I had taken away what was under your authority
لَوَلَّيْتُكَ مَا هُوَ أَيْسَرُ عَلَيْكَ مَؤُونَةً،
I would have placed you at a position which would have been less exacting
وَأَعْجَبُ إِلَيْكَ وِلاَيَةً
and more attractive to you.
إِنَّ الرَّجُلَ الَّذِي كُنْتُ وَلَّيْتُهُ أَمْرَ مِصْرَ كَانَ رَجُلاً لَنَا نَاصِحاً،
The man whom I have made Governor of Egypt was my well-wisher,
وَعَلَى عَدُوِّنَا شَدِيداً نَاقِماً
and very severe and vengeful towards our enemies.
فَرَحِمَهُ اللهُ!
May Allah have mercy on him,
فَلَقَدِ اسْتَكْمَلَ أَيَّامَهُ،
as he has finished his days
وَلاَقَى حِمَامَهُ
and met his death.
وَنَحْنُ عَنْهُ رَاضونَ،
I am quite pleased with him.
أَوْلاَهُ اللهُ رِضْوَانَهُ،
May Allah too accord him His pleasure,
وَضَاعَفَ الثَّوَابَ لَهُ.
and multiply his reward.
فَأَصْحِرْـ لِعَدُوِّكَ،
Now get ready for your enemy
وَامْضِ عَلَى بَصيرَتِكَ،
and act according to your intelligence.
وَشَمِّرْ لِحَرْبِ مَنْ حَارَبَكَ،
Prepare for fighting him who fights you
وَادْعُ إِلَى سَبِيلِ رَبِّكَ،
and calling to the path of Allah.
وَأَكْثِرِ الاِسْتِعَانَةَ بِاللهِ يَكْفِكَ مَا أَهَمَّكَ،
Seek Allah's help exceedingly.
وَيُعِنْكَ عَلَى مَا يُنْزِلُ بِكَ،
He will assist you in what worries you and help you with what befalls you.
إِنْ شَاءَ اللهُ.
If Allah wills
