فَدَتكَ يَدي مِن عاتِبٍ وَلِسانِيا

فَدَتكَ يَدي مِن عاتِبٍ وَلِسانِيا

وَقَولِيَ في حُكمِ العُلا وَفَعالِيا

وَقَولِيَ في حُكمِ العُلا وَفَعالِيا

May my hand and tongue ransom you from a reproacher,

My hands and tongue ransom you from any blamer,

And my words and deeds, as high honor decrees.

And my judgment, actions and speech are sublime.

فَإِنَّ يَزيدَ وَالمُهَلَّبَ حَبَّبا

فَإِنَّ يَزيدَ وَالمُهَلَّبَ حَبَّبا

إِلَيكَالمَعالي إِذ أَحَبّا المَعالِيا

إِلَيكَالمَعالي إِذ أَحَبّا المَعالِيا

For Yazid and al-Muhallab made

For Yazid and Al-Muhallab made lofty virtues pleasing to you

Lofty deeds dear to you, since they both loved lofty deeds.

When they loved virtuous deeds.

وَلَم يورِثاكَ القَولَ لا فِعلَ بَعدَهُ

وَلَم يورِثاكَ القَولَ لا فِعلَ بَعدَهُ

وَما خَيرُ حَليِ السَيفِ إِن كانَ نابِيا

وَما خَيرُ حَليِ السَيفِ إِن كانَ نابِيا

And they did not bequeath you words with no deeds to follow;

They left you no words or actions afterward,

What good is a sword's ornament if it cannot cut?

And of what use is the striking sword if it is bent?

تَرى الناسَ فَوضى في السَماحِ وَلَن تَرى

تَرى الناسَ فَوضى في السَماحِ وَلَن تَرى

فَتى القَومِ إِلّا الواهِبَ المُتَغاضِيا

فَتى القَومِ إِلّا الواهِبَ المُتَغاضِيا

You see people unranked in generosity, yet you will not see

You see people immersed in forgiveness, and you will not see

A people's finest man except the giver who overlooks faults.

A noble youth except one who pardons and overlooks.

وَإِنّي صَديقٌ غَيرَ أَن لَستُ واجِداً

وَإِنّي صَديقٌ غَيرَ أَن لَستُ واجِداً

لِفَضلِكَ فَضلاً أَو يَعُمَّ الأَعادِيا

لِفَضلِكَ فَضلاً أَو يَعُمَّ الأَعادِيا

And I am a friend, yet I find no

And I am a friend, though I cannot find

Merit in your bounty unless it extends even to enemies.

Favors equal to yours, not even if all enemies reconciled.

وَلا مَجدَ إِلّا حينَ تُحسِنُ عائِداً

وَلا مَجدَ إِلّا حينَ تُحسِنُ عائِداً

وَكُلُّ فَتىً في الناسِ يُحسِنُ بادِيا

وَكُلُّ فَتىً في الناسِ يُحسِنُ بادِيا

And there is no glory unless you do good again,

Glory comes only when you treat a transgressor kindly,

While every young man among the people does good at first.

And every noble youth treats the foolish kindly.

وَما لَكَ عُذرٌ في تَأَخُّرِ حاجَتي

وَما لَكَ عُذرٌ في تَأَخُّرِ حاجَتي

لَدَيكَ وَقَد أَرسَلتُ فيها القَوافِيا

لَدَيكَ وَقَد أَرسَلتُ فيها القَوافِيا

And you have no excuse for delaying my request

You have no excuse to delay fulfilling my need

In your keeping, when I have already sent verses about it.

When I have sent you verses making request.

حَرامٌ عَلَيَّ غَزوُ بَذٍّ وَأَهلِها

حَرامٌ عَلَيَّ غَزوُ بَذٍّ وَأَهلِها

إِذا سِرتُ وَالعِشرونَ أَلفاً وَرائِيا

إِذا سِرتُ وَالعِشرونَ أَلفاً وَرائِيا

It is forbidden to me to raid Badhdh and its people

It is forbidden for me to raid the evil and their tribes

When I march with twenty thousand behind me.

When I travel and twenty thousand are behind me.

فَلا تُفسِدَن بِالمَطلِ مَنّاً تَمُنُّهُ

فَلا تُفسِدَن بِالمَطلِ مَنّاً تَمُنُّهُ

فَخَيرُ السَحابِ ما يَكونُ غَوادِيا

فَخَيرُ السَحابِ ما يَكونُ غَوادِيا

So do not spoil through delay a favor you bestow;

So do not ruin, by delaying, favor hoped for.

For the best clouds are those that arrive early.

The best clouds are those pouring rain.

فَإِن يَكُ في المَجدِ اِشتِراءٌ فَإِنَّهُ اِش

فَإِن يَكُ في المَجدِ اِشتِراءٌ فَإِنَّهُ اِش

تِراؤُكَ شُكري طولَ دَهري بِمالِيا

تِراؤُكَ شُكري طولَ دَهري بِمالِيا

For if glory involves a purchase, then it is

If glory can be purchased, my purchasing

Your purchase of my lifelong gratitude with my money.

Your gratitude the length of my life with my money.