لك الخير فامدد كف جودك بالبذل

واكفف بكف البذل عنى يد المطل

You are generous, so extend your hand of generosity in giving

And refrain your hand of giving from me, O asking hand

واجزل لمثلى فى مهم يهمه

عطاك فلا عذر لمثلك عن مثلى

And give abundantly to my like in an important matter that concerns him

Your gift, so you have no excuse to refrain from my like

وإياك أن تضطرنى فى لبانة

فلست أرى للفضل غيرك من أهلى

And beware of forcing me to ask

For I see none deserving of merit other than you among my people

فقد كورت شمس المكارم وانمحت

معالم أرباب الفضائل والفضل

You have folded the sun of virtues and erased

The features of the virtuous and the meritorious

وودع من قد يدعى الفضل فضله

وشد نطاق الدهر بالبخل والجهل

And farewell to one who claims his merit while his merit has departed

And the age has girded itself with stinginess and ignorance

فكن لى معينا بالذى أنت أهله

من الفضل واستصحاب قولك بالفعل

So be my helper in what you deserve

Of merit and upholding your word with action

فكن لى معينا الفكر فى كل لفظة

تريك بمرآة الذكا صورة العقل

So be my helper in thinking through every word

That shows you in the mirror of wisdom the image of reason

نظام أتى كالدر من خالص القول

وكالصبح ضاهى فى المقالة والفعل

A systematically composed poem like a pearl of pure words

And like the dawn, equally lucid in speech and deed

بدا من لبيب لوذعى مهذب

وفرع زكا أنعم به طاب من نجل

Issuing from an eloquent one, well-mannered, if he claimed it

A pure scion, graced with it, of good stock

سمىُّ الخليل العابد الورع الذى

تميز بالتقوى وناهيك بالعقل

Named the Friend of God, the devout, the pious, who

Was distinguished by his devotion, and needless to mention, his reason

وضحت لنا من غامض الحال ما خفى

وأبديت عنوانا يدل على الفضل

You have clarified for us from the ambiguous situation what was hidden

And shown a title that indicates merit

وبالعقل يسمو من سما لا بصورة

وبالعفة البيضاء يزكو على المثل

By reason one excels, not by appearance

And by pure virtue becomes excellent as an ideal

وعقدك للآمال فينا محقق

بحسن اختيار صح عندى بلا نقل

Your stringing hopes in us is guaranteed

By excellent choice, confirmed in my view without transmission

فقر بنا عينا سنوليك بالرضى

لما رمته نوعا من البر والوصل

We have become poor, so favor us with acceptance

For an aspect of righteousness and connection you have aimed

بحال وفيما بعد لست بغافل

وحسبك انجاح الامور على مهل

For now and hereafter, I will not be heedless

And success in matters is enough for you gradually