أَبا قُدامَةَ قَد قَدَّمتَ لي قَدَماً

أَبا قُدامَةَ قَد قَدَّمتَ لي قَدَماً

مِنَ المَكارِمِ صِدقاً غَيرَ ما مَينِ

مِنَ المَكارِمِ صِدقاً غَيرَ ما مَينِ

O Abu Qudamah, you have already bestowed a favor on me,

Abu Qudamah, you have offered me a step

of noble generosity, true and free of falsehood.

Of sincere virtues, without any deviation.

ضِقنا بِدَينِكَ فَاِحتَجنا إِلى الدَينِ

ضِقنا بِدَينِكَ فَاِحتَجنا إِلى الدَينِ

مُذ غِبتَ عَنّا بِوَجهٍ ساطِعِ الزَينِ

مُذ غِبتَ عَنّا بِوَجهٍ ساطِعِ الزَينِ

We were hard-pressed by our debt to you, so we needed to borrow,

We were constricted by your debt, so we needed the debt

since you departed from us, your face radiant with beauty.

Since you left us with a shining face.

وَكُنتَ عَوناً إِذا دَهرٌ تَخَوَّنَنا

وَكُنتَ عَوناً إِذا دَهرٌ تَخَوَّنَنا

عَيناً عَلَينا فَأَنتَ العَونُ بِالعَينِ

عَيناً عَلَينا فَأَنتَ العَونُ بِالعَينِ

And you were a help whenever Time betrayed us,

You were a helper whenever time betrayed us.

a watchful eye over us—you are our help with ready cash.

An eye over us, so you are the helper with the eye.

إِنَّ الجِيادَ عَلى عِلّاتِها صُبُرٌ

إِنَّ الجِيادَ عَلى عِلّاتِها صُبُرٌ

ما إِن تَشَكّى الوَجا في حالَةِ الأَينِ

ما إِن تَشَكّى الوَجا في حالَةِ الأَينِ

Indeed, noble horses are steadfast despite their ailments;

Surely, the stallions with their ailments have patience

they never complain of sore hooves when weary.

They do not complain while in the state of weakness.

وَالنَصلُ يَعمَلُ إِخلاصاً بِجَوهَرِهِ

وَالنَصلُ يَعمَلُ إِخلاصاً بِجَوهَرِهِ

لا بِاِتِّكالٍ عَلى شَحذٍ مِنَ القَينِ

لا بِاِتِّكالٍ عَلى شَحذٍ مِنَ القَينِ

And the blade works purely by virtue of its own metal,

And the sword works sincerely with its essence

not by relying on sharpening from the smith.

Not by reliance on sharpening by the whetstone.