أأبا الفضائل والفواضل والعلى

أأبا الفضائل والفواضل والعلى

والبر فضَّلت الإله على البشر

والبر فضَّلت الإله على البشر

O father of virtues, benefactions, and eminence,

O father of virtues, excellence, and high rank

and goodness—you have preferred God over humankind.

You have preferred God over humans in virtue and righteousness

بأبي خلائقك اللواتي شاكلت

بأبي خلائقك اللواتي شاكلت

روضا ينم به شمال في سحر

روضا ينم به شمال في سحر

May my father be ransom for your qualities, which resemble

By your creations, those gentle ladies you have shaped

a garden whose fragrance a north wind reveals before dawn.

Into a garden where North wind blows at dawn

أيجوز يا شمس المعالي والعلى

أيجوز يا شمس المعالي والعلى

أني أصيف في قميص من قمر

أني أصيف في قميص من قمر

Is it right, O sun of high honors and eminence,

Is it proper, O sun of glory and high stature

that I spend summer in a shirt of moonlight,

That I spend summer in a shirt of moonlight

من بعد مدحي الوزير مسيّرا

من بعد مدحي الوزير مسيّرا

فيه من المدح المنقع والغررا

فيه من المدح المنقع والغررا

after I praised the vizier, circulating

After praising the minister abundantly

in his honor lavish praise and shining verses—

With lavish praise and jewels of poetry

شعرا لو امتدح الشباب به وقد

شعرا لو امتدح الشباب به وقد

ولى لاقبل والزمان لما غدرُ

ولى لاقبل والزمان لما غدرُ

a poem such that, had youth been praised with it after it had

If I had praised youth with it before old age came

departed, it would have returned, and Time would not have betrayed?

And time had not betrayed, it would not be accepted

ولقد تنقب وجه حظي عنده

ولقد تنقب وجه حظي عنده

ومتى سفرت لنجح آمالي سفر

ومتى سفرت لنجح آمالي سفر

And indeed, the face of my fortune has veiled itself before him;

Yet my fortune's face has been veiled with him

and whenever I lift its veil to fulfill my hopes, it departs.

So when will my hopes succeed if I travel