أَأَسلَمتَني يا جَعفَرُ بنَ أَبي الفَضلِ

فَمَن لي إِذا أَسلَمتَني يا أَبا الفَضلِ

O Ja'far ibn Abi al-Fadl, have you forsaken me?

Have you surrendered me, O Ja'far son of Abi al-Fadl?

If you forsake me, who then can I hope for, O Abu al-Fadl?

For whom have I left if you forsake me, O Abu al-Fadl?

وَأَيُّ فَتىً في الناسِ أَرجو مَقامَهُ

إِذا أَنتَ لَم تَفعَل وَأَنتَ أَخو الفَضلِ

What youth among people can take your place

And what noble youth among men could I hope to stand in your place,

If you do not act, you who are the epitome of virtue?

If you fail to act, you who are the sworn brother of Virtue?

فَقُل لِأَبي العَبّاسِ إِن كُنتُ مُذنِباً

فَأَنتَ أَحَقُّ الناسِ بِالأَخذِ بِالفَضلِ

Say to Abul 'Abbas that if I have sinned

So say to Abu al-Abbas: if I have indeed committed a sin,

You are the most entitled of all to be magnanimous.

Then you are the worthiest of people to meet it with grace.

وَلا تَجحَدوا بي وُدَّ عِشرينَ حِجَّةٍ

وَلا تُفسِدوا ما كانَ مِنكُم مِنَ الفَضلِ

Do not deny me the love of twenty pilgrimages

Do not disavow the friendship of twenty years past,

Nor spoil the favor you have shown me.

Nor spoil the legacy of bounty that has come from you.