أبا حسنٍ صِلْ حاجتي بوصالها

أبا حسنٍ صِلْ حاجتي بوصالها

وإلا فدعْ لي صفحتي بِصقالِها

وإلا فدعْ لي صفحتي بِصقالِها

O Abu Hasan, join my request to its fulfillment;

O Abu Hassan, fulfill my need through her company,

otherwise, leave my face with its luster intact.

Or else, leave me to polish my sword with her.

بدأتَ بمعروفٍ فثنّ بمثلِه

بدأتَ بمعروفٍ فثنّ بمثلِه

حميداً وأطلقْ حاجتي من عقالِها

حميداً وأطلقْ حاجتي من عقالِها

You began with a kindness; follow it with another,

You began with kindness, so match it with the like,

winning praise, and free my request from its tether.

With praise, and release my need from her reins.

وإلا فأعتِق طامعاً من مَطامعٍ

وإلا فأعتِق طامعاً من مَطامعٍ

يروح ويغدو عانياً في حبالِها

يروح ويغدو عانياً في حبالِها

Otherwise, free a hopeful man from hopes

Or else, set free an ambitious man from ambitions,

in whose snares he comes and goes, a captive, at dusk and dawn.

Who comes and goes suffering in her ropes.

بذلتُ لك التقريظَ غيرَ مماطلٍ

بذلتُ لك التقريظَ غيرَ مماطلٍ

فلا تبلُني في حاجتي بمطالِها

فلا تبلُني في حاجتي بمطالِها

I offered you praise without delay;

I have given you sincere praise without procrastination,

so do not try me by delaying my request.

So do not fail me regarding my need with delays.

فعنديَ بذلُ الشكر عندَ قضائها

فعنديَ بذلُ الشكر عندَ قضائها

وعنديَ بذل العذر عند اعتلالِها

وعنديَ بذل العذر عند اعتلالِها

For I have thanks to offer when it is fulfilled,

For I give thanks when it is fulfilled,

and allowances to make when its fulfillment is hindered.

And I give excuses when it is hindered.

متى تكسُني من حاجتي ثوب نفعِها

متى تكسُني من حاجتي ثوب نفعِها

فأنت الفتى المكسوُّ ثوبَ جمالِها

فأنت الفتى المكسوُّ ثوبَ جمالِها

Whenever you clothe me in the robe of the benefit I seek,

When will you clothe me with the garment of its benefit,

you are the man clothed in the robe of its beauty.

For you are the young man clothed in the gown of her beauty.

جرت سننٌ للفاعلين ذوي العلا

جرت سننٌ للفاعلين ذوي العلا

وأنت حقيق يا ابنهم بامتثالِها

وأنت حقيق يا ابنهم بامتثالِها

Traditions have prevailed among men of action and high standing,

Ways have continued for the eminent ones among them,

and you, their son, are worthy of following them.

And you, O son, are truthful in following them.

فجدْ لي بوجهٍ صونُه في ابتذاله

فجدْ لي بوجهٍ صونُه في ابتذاله

وكم من وجوه صونها في ابتذالِها

وكم من وجوه صونها في ابتذالِها

So give me your countenance: its honor lies in freely offering it;

So strive for me with a face whose dignity is preserved in its abasement,

and many a face keeps its honor by being freely offered.

And how many faces had their dignity preserved in their abasement!

وما من علاءٍ في يدٍ عند ملكها

وما من علاءٍ في يدٍ عند ملكها

ولكنه لا شكّ عند فعالِها

ولكنه لا شكّ عند فعالِها

And no glory comes to a hand through what it owns,

No eminent person has anything in the hand of its possessor,

but rather, without doubt, through what it does.

But undoubtedly, it is in the hands of its Doer.

فعجّل ولا تمطلْ بما أنت أهلُه

فعجّل ولا تمطلْ بما أنت أهلُه

فخيرات أفعال الفتى في عِجالِها

فخيرات أفعال الفتى في عِجالِها

So hasten, and do not put off what befits you;

So hurry and do not delay with what you are suited for,

for a man's finest deeds are those done promptly.

For the best deeds of a young man are in his hastening.

وما للرجال المخلفين عداتِهم

وما للرجال المخلفين عداتِهم

من الفَعِلات الزُّهْر غير انتحالِها

من الفَعِلات الزُّهْر غير انتحالِها

And men who break their promises have no share

And the warriors have nothing but their braces,

in radiant deeds, save falsely claiming them.

Of deeds whose flowers are not but their gathering.