Third John
Chapter 1
1
From the sheikh to the beloved Gaius, whom I love in the truth.
مِنَ الشَّيْخِ إِلَى «غَايَ» الْحَبِيبِ الَّذِي أُحِبُّهُ فِي الْحَقِّ.
2
Beloved one, I pray dua' to Allah for your success in all goodness, and that you would be in good health, as you are in abundant goodness spiritually.
أَيُّهَا الْحَبِيبُ، أَدْعُو اللهَ لِأَجْلِ تَوْفِيقِكَ فِي كُلِّ خَيْرٍ وَلِكَيْ تَكُونَ فِي صِحَّةٍ جَيِّدَةٍ، كَمَا أَنَّكَ بِخَيْرٍ وَافِرٍ رُوحِيًّا.
3
I rejoiced greatly when some of the brothers came to me giving shahada that you hold firmly to the truth and that you really walk the path of the truth.
لَقَدْ فَرِحْتُ كَثِيرًا عِنْدَمَا أَتَانِي بَعْضُ الْإِخْوَةِ يَشْهَدُونَ لَكَ أَنَّكَ مُتَمَسِّكٌ بِالْحَقِّ وَأَنَّكَ فِعْلًا تَسْلُكُ سَبِيلَ الْحَقِّ.
5
Beloved one, you faithfully do what is good for the benefit of the brothers, even though they are strangers.
أَيُّهَا الْحَبِيبُ، أَنْتَ تَعْمَلُ الْخَيْرَ بِأَمَانَةٍ لِصَالِحِ الْإِخْوَةِ مَعَ أَنَّهُمْ غُرَبَاءُ،
6
They testified to your love in front of the jama'a of chosen people. Please help them in their travels with behavior that gives rida to Allah. This is a good deed.
فَهَؤُلَاءِ شَهِدُوا بِمَحَبَّتِكَ أَمَامَ جَمَاعَةِ الْمُصْطَفَيْنَ، فَأَرْجُو أَنْ تُسَاعِدَهُمْ فِي سَفَرِهِمْ بِسُلُوكٍ يَرْضَى اللهُ عَنْهُ، فَهَذَا عَمَلٌ حَسَنٌ،
7
For the sake of his name, they have gone out and have not taken anything from the kuffar.
إِذْ فِي سَبِيلِ اسْمِهِ انْطَلَقُوا وَلَمْ يَأْخُذُوا شَيْئًا مِنَ الْكُفَّارِ،
8
We must support people like them, so that we can be their partners in deeds of truth.
فَعَلَيْنَا أَنْ نُسَانِدَ مِثْلَ هَؤُلَاءِ، حَتَّى نُشَارِكَهُمْ فِي عَمَلِ الْحَقِّ.
10
When I come to you, I will mention his deeds and evil, reviling words against us. This is not enough for him. Rather, he refuses to receive the brothers, and prevents a person who wants to welcome them from doing so. In fact, he expels them from the jama'a of chosen people!
وَإِذَا جِئْتُ عِنْدَكُمْ، سَأَذْكُرُ أَعْمَالَهُ وَكَلَامَهُ الشَّرِيرَ التَّشْهِيرِيَّ ضِدَّنَا. إِنَّهُ لَا يَكْتَفِي بِهَذِهِ بَلْ يَرْفُضُ أَنْ يَقْبَلَ الْإِخْوَةَ وَيَمْنَعُ مَنْ يُرِيدُ اسْتِقْبَالَهُمْ، بَلْ يُخْرِجُهُمْ مِنْ جَمَاعَةِ الْمُصْطَفَيْنَ!
11
Beloved one, do not be mentored by evil but rather by goodness. The one who does good deeds is from Allah. The one who does evil deeds has no insight nor knowledge of Allah.
أَيُّهَا الْحَبِيبُ، لَا تَقْتَدِ بِالشَّرِّ بَلْ بِالْخَيْرِ، إِذْ مَنْ يَعْمَلُ الْخَيْرَ فَهُوَ مِنَ اللهِ، وَمَنْ يَعْمَلُ الشَّرَّ فَلَيْسَتْ لَهُ بَصِيرَةٌ وَلَا مَعْرِفَةٌ بِاللهِ.
12
Everyone gives a shahada to Demetrius, and the truth also gives shahada to him. We also give a shahada about him, and you know that our shahada is true.
يَشْهَدُ الْجَمِيعُ لِدِمِيتْرِي كَمَا يَشْهَدُ لَهُ الْحَقُّ، وَنَحْنُ أَيْضًا نَشْهَدُ لَهُ، وَتَعْلَمُ أَنَّ شَهَادَتَنَا حَقٌّ.
13
I had much that I wanted to write about to you, but I do not want to write to you with pen and ink.
كَانَ لَدَيَّ كَثِيرٌ مِمَّا أَرَدْتُ كِتَابَتَهُ لَكَ، لَكِنَّنِي لَا أُرِيدُ أَنْ أَكْتُبَ إِلَيْكَ بِالْحِبْرِ وَالْقَلَمِ،
14
Rather, I hope to see you soon, and we will talk face to face.
بَلْ أَتَمَنَّى أَنْ أَرَاكَ قَرِيبًا فَنَتَكَلَّمَ وَجْهًا لِوَجْهٍ.