أبْلغ أبا سهلٍ فتى العَجَم الذي

أبْلغ أبا سهلٍ فتى العَجَم الذي

أضحتْ تَمنَّى كونَهُ منها العَرَبْ

أضحتْ تَمنَّى كونَهُ منها العَرَبْ

Tell Abu Sahl, the non-Arab youth whom

Convey to Abu Sahl, the noble Persian youth, whom

the Arabs have come to wish were one of their own:

The Arabs have come to wish would become one of them,

يا من غَدا وعزيمُهُ ولسانُهُ

يا من غَدا وعزيمُهُ ولسانُهُ

سيفان شتّى في الخُطوب وفي الخُطَبْ

سيفان شتّى في الخُطوب وفي الخُطَبْ

O you whose resolve and tongue have become

O you whose resolve and tongue the next morning

two distinct swords, in crises and in speeches.

Became two swords, keen in battles and in orations,

الحمدُ للّه الذي من فضلِهِ

الحمدُ للّه الذي من فضلِهِ

أنَّا رُزِقْنا فيك حُسْنَ المنقلبْ

أنَّا رُزِقْنا فيك حُسْنَ المنقلبْ

Praise be to God, through whose grace

Thanks be to Allah who, from His bounty,

we have been granted, in you, a happy outcome.

Granted us in you beauty in reversal of fortunes,

والحمدُ للّه الذي صَرف الردى

والحمدُ للّه الذي صَرف الردى

والحمد للّه الذي كشف الكُرَبْ

والحمد للّه الذي كشف الكُرَبْ

And praise be to God, who turned death away,

And thanks be to Allah who turned adversity aside,

and praise be to God, who dispelled distress.

And thanks to Allah who removed distress,

كُنّا نُكلِّفك المواهبَ مرةً

كُنّا نُكلِّفك المواهبَ مرةً

حتى إذا استُنْقِذْت من كفِّ العطَبْ

حتى إذا استُنْقِذْت من كفِّ العطَبْ

We once used to press you for gifts,

We used to grant you gifts time after time

until, when you were rescued from ruin's grasp,

Until, when you were rescued from the grasp of sterility,

عَظُمتْ بك النُّعمى فقد ألهيتنا

عَظُمتْ بك النُّعمى فقد ألهيتنا

عن كل شيء كان فيه لنا أرَبْ

عن كل شيء كان فيه لنا أرَبْ

the blessing grew immense through you, for you have diverted us

Great gifts accrued to you, for you made us forget

from everything for which we had a desire.

Everything in which we had taken pride,

فدع المواهب أنت موهبةٌ لنا

فدع المواهب أنت موهبةٌ لنا

من ذي المعارج والمواهب لا تهبْ

من ذي المعارج والمواهب لا تهبْ

So leave gifts aside: you yourself are a gift to us

So leave off gifts! You yourself are a gift to us

from the Lord of the ways of ascent; and bestow no gifts.

From Him of the Ladders, and gifts should not be demanded,

إنا لَنستحيي وقد وافيتنا

إنا لَنستحيي وقد وافيتنا

من بعد يأسٍ أنْ نَكُدَّك بالطّلَبْ

من بعد يأسٍ أنْ نَكُدَّك بالطّلَبْ

We are indeed ashamed, now that you have come to us,

We are too shy, now that you have come to us,

after despair, to burden you with requests.

After despair, to weary you with requests,

من ذا يراكَ وقد سلِمتَ فلا يرى

من ذا يراكَ وقد سلِمتَ فلا يرى

فيك الغِنى لا في اللُّجين ولا الذهبْ

فيك الغِنى لا في اللُّجين ولا الذهبْ

Who can see you, now that you are safe, and not see

Who sees you, when you are safe, and does not see

wealth in you, not in silver or gold?

Richness in you, not in pearls or gold?

لا نَبْتغي شيئاً سواك وإنما

لا نَبْتغي شيئاً سواك وإنما

طَلَبُ امرىءٍ ما بعدَ حاجتهِ كَلَبْ

طَلَبُ امرىءٍ ما بعدَ حاجتهِ كَلَبْ

We seek nothing but you; and it is nothing but

We seek nothing but you; the craving of a man

ravenous greed for a man to seek beyond his need.

For more than his needs is the craving of a dog.