إِن تَرجُ طولَ عُبَيدِ اللَهِ لا تَخِبِ

إِن تَرجُ طولَ عُبَيدِ اللَهِ لا تَخِبِ

أَو تَرمِ في غَرَضٍ مِن سَيبِهِ تَصِبِ

أَو تَرمِ في غَرَضٍ مِن سَيبِهِ تَصِبِ

If you hope for Ubayd Allah's bounty, you will not be disappointed,

If you hope for the kindness of servants of God, you will not be disappointed,

Or, if you aim at a mark in his largesse, you will hit it.

Or if you aim for some of their youthfulness, you will succeed.

لَم تَلقَ مِثلَ مَساعيهِ الَّتي اِتَّصَلَت

لَم تَلقَ مِثلَ مَساعيهِ الَّتي اِتَّصَلَت

وَما تَقَيَّلَ مِنها عَن أَبٍ فَأَبِ

وَما تَقَيَّلَ مِنها عَن أَبٍ فَأَبِ

You have never seen the like of his noble deeds, which have continued unbroken,

You will not find anyone whose efforts are equal

Nor of those in which he followed father after father.

To those which have continued, not ceasing for a moment.

رَأيٌ صَليبٌ عَلى الأَيّامِ يَتبَعُهُ

رَأيٌ صَليبٌ عَلى الأَيّامِ يَتبَعُهُ

ظَرفٌ مَتى يَعتَرِض في عَيشِنا يَطِبِ

ظَرفٌ مَتى يَعتَرِض في عَيشِنا يَطِبِ

Judgment steadfast through the days, accompanied by

An opinion, a cross upon the days, which he follows,

Refinement that, whenever it enters our life, makes it pleasant.

A manner which, whenever it interferes with our life, is good.

ذاكُم أَخٌ أَفتَديهِ إِن يُحِسَّ أَسىً

ذاكُم أَخٌ أَفتَديهِ إِن يُحِسَّ أَسىً

بِالنَفسِ مِمّا تَوَقّاهُ وَبِالنَشَبِ

بِالنَفسِ مِمّا تَوَقّاهُ وَبِالنَشَبِ

That is a brother I would ransom, should he feel sorrow,

That brother of yours, I would sacrifice myself for him if he feels any sorrow,

With my life and my wealth, from whatever he guards against.

With my soul, from that which he desires, and with vigor.

إِن كانَ مِن فارِسٍ في بَيتِ سُؤدُدِها

إِن كانَ مِن فارِسٍ في بَيتِ سُؤدُدِها

وَكُنتُ مِن طَيِّئٍ في البَيتِ ذي الحَسَبِ

وَكُنتُ مِن طَيِّئٍ في البَيتِ ذي الحَسَبِ

If he is from Persia, from its house of eminence,

If he is from a noble Persian family in their abode of generosity,

And I am from Tayy, from the house of noble lineage,

While I am from Tayyi’ in the house of pedigree.

فَلَم يَضِرنا تَنائي المَنصِبَينِ وَقَد

فَلَم يَضِرنا تَنائي المَنصِبَينِ وَقَد

رُحنا نَسيبَينِ في خُلقٍ وَفي أَدَبِ

رُحنا نَسيبَينِ في خُلقٍ وَفي أَدَبِ

Then the distance between our two lineages has not harmed us, for

The differing of our positions does not harm us, and we have indeed

We have become kinsmen in character and refinement.

Become relatives in manners and in politeness.

إِذا تَشاكَلَتِ الأَخلاقُ وَاِقتَرَبَت

إِذا تَشاكَلَتِ الأَخلاقُ وَاِقتَرَبَت

دَنَت مَسافَةُ بَينَ العَجمِ وَالعَرَبِ

دَنَت مَسافَةُ بَينَ العَجمِ وَالعَرَبِ

When characters resemble one another and draw close,

When manners become similar and draw near,

The distance between non-Arabs and Arabs narrows.

The distance between non-Arab and Arab shrinks.

إِسلَم وَلا زِلتَ في سِترٍ مِنَ النُوَبِ

إِسلَم وَلا زِلتَ في سِترٍ مِنَ النُوَبِ

وَعِش حَميداً عَلى الأَيّامِ وَالحِقَبِ

وَعِش حَميداً عَلى الأَيّامِ وَالحِقَبِ

Stay safe, and may you always be sheltered from calamities,

Convert to Islam while you are still veiled in blessings,

And live esteemed through the days and ages.

And live a praiseworthy life throughout the days and eras.

وَليَهنِكَ البُرءُ مِمّا كُنتَ تَألَمُهُ

وَليَهنِكَ البُرءُ مِمّا كُنتَ تَألَمُهُ

فَالأَجرُ في عُقبِ ذاكَ الشَكوِ وَالوَصَبِ

فَالأَجرُ في عُقبِ ذاكَ الشَكوِ وَالوَصَبِ

And may recovery from what pained you bring you joy,

And let being cleared of what you used to suffer make you happy,

For reward follows that affliction and pain.

For the reward comes after that complaint and difficulty.

أَوحَشتَ مُذ غِبتَ قَوماً كُنتَ أُنسَهُمُ

أَوحَشتَ مُذ غِبتَ قَوماً كُنتَ أُنسَهُمُ

إِذا شَهِدتَهُمُ فَاِشهَد وَلا تَغِبِ

إِذا شَهِدتَهُمُ فَاِشهَد وَلا تَغِبِ

Since you went away, you have left desolate those whose solace you were.

You have become lonely since you went away from a people who were your friends

When you are among them, stay, and do not go away.

When you visited them, so visit and do not go away.

إِلّا تَكُن مَلِكاً تُثنى تَحِيَّتُهُ

إِلّا تَكُن مَلِكاً تُثنى تَحِيَّتُهُ

فَإِنَّكَ اِبنُ مُلوكٍ سادَةٍ نُجُبِ

فَإِنَّكَ اِبنُ مُلوكٍ سادَةٍ نُجُبِ

If you are not a king whose salutation is offered twice,

Unless you are a king who is greeted,

Yet you are the son of kings, noble lords.

For you are the son of noble, eminent kings.

وَإِن فَصَدتَ اِبتِغاءَ البُرءِ مِن سَقَمٍ

وَإِن فَصَدتَ اِبتِغاءَ البُرءِ مِن سَقَمٍ

فَقَد أَرَقتَ دَماً يَشفي مِنَ الكَلَبِ

فَقَد أَرَقتَ دَماً يَشفي مِنَ الكَلَبِ

And if you have let blood, seeking recovery from sickness,

And if you have turned away seeking to be rid of sickness,

Then you have shed blood that cures rabies.

Then you have shed blood that cures from dog-bite.