الفَضلُ أَولَى أبَا الفَض

الفَضلُ أَولَى أبَا الفَض

لِ أن يُساسَ ويُخدَم

لِ أن يُساسَ ويُخدَم

Virtue is more deserving, O Abu al-Fadl,

O Abu Al-Fadl, preference is foremost

of being governed and served.

For you to be aided and served

وفيكَ مِنه خِصالٌ

وفيكَ مِنه خِصالٌ

مَشهُورةٌ ليسَ تُكتَم

مَشهُورةٌ ليسَ تُكتَم

And in you are qualities of it,

And you possess traits

well known, not concealed:

Well-known, not concealed,

بَذلُ النَّدى واعتِراضُ ال

بَذلُ النَّدى واعتِراضُ ال

عُلى أَقولُ فأعلَم

عُلى أَقولُ فأعلَم

the bestowal of bounty and the pursuit of

Giving advice and objecting

lofty rank—I speak, and I know.

To my sayings, so I know,

والشُّكرُ يُؤخَذُ في الدَّه

والشُّكرُ يُؤخَذُ في الدَّه

رِ فُرصَةً ثمَّ يُعدَم

رِ فُرصَةً ثمَّ يُعدَم

And gratitude is seized in the course of time

Gratitude taken at times

as an opportunity, then is lost.

Then perishes,

ولى لِسانٌ عَلى الشُّك

ولى لِسانٌ عَلى الشُّك

رِ والثَّناءِ مَحَكَّم

رِ والثَّناءِ مَحَكَّم

And I have a tongue that, over gratitude

A tongue fluent in

and praise, is given authority.

Thanks and praise,

وَعدٌ تأخَّرَ عَنه ال

وَعدٌ تأخَّرَ عَنه ال

وَفاءُ لمَّا تَقَدَّم

وَفاءُ لمَّا تَقَدَّم

A promise, behind which lagged

A promise whose

fulfillment, once it had been made.

Fulfillment was delayed when promised,

فهَل رَضِيتَ بِأنِّي

فهَل رَضِيتَ بِأنِّي

أقولُ والقَولُ يُفهَم

أقولُ والقَولُ يُفهَم

So, are you content that I

So are you satisfied that

speak—and speech is understood?

I say and my words understood?