حاطَكَ اللَهُ يا أَبا أِسحاقِ

حاطَكَ اللَهُ يا أَبا أِسحاقِ

وَوَقاكَ المَكروهَ أَجمَعَ واقِ

وَوَقاكَ المَكروهَ أَجمَعَ واقِ

May God guard you, O Abu Ishaq,

O Abu Ishaq, may Allah protect you

and may a guardian shield you from all harm.

And guard you from all harm and evil altogether

قَد هَزَزناكَ بِالقَواقي وَفيها

قَد هَزَزناكَ بِالقَواقي وَفيها

دَرَجاتٌ إِلى العُلا وَمَراقِ

دَرَجاتٌ إِلى العُلا وَمَراقِ

We have stirred you with rhymes, and in them

We have agitated you with rhymes, and in them

are steps to lofty glory, and ladders.

Are steps to the heights and passageways

وَالثَناءُ المُحَلُّ يَفنى وَما يُع

وَالثَناءُ المُحَلُّ يَفنى وَما يُع

قَدُ بِالشِعرِ مُدَّةَ الدَهرِ باقِ

قَدُ بِالشِعرِ مُدَّةَ الدَهرِ باقِ

Unbound praise fades, but what is bound

Praise that is focused fades, while that which

in verse endures for all time.

Through poetry, lasts the ages, remains

ما أَبو جَعفَرٍ بِمُستَقصَرِ الجَد

ما أَبو جَعفَرٍ بِمُستَقصَرِ الجَد

وى وَلا سالِكٍ سَبيلَ النِفاقِ

وى وَلا سالِكٍ سَبيلَ النِفاقِ

Abu Jaʿfar is not judged deficient in bounty,

Abu Ja'far is no man of weak resolve

nor does he tread the path of hypocrisy.

Nor one who walks the path of hypocrisy

عِندَهُ نُجُحُ ما يَقولُ وَمِنهُم

عِندَهُ نُجُحُ ما يَقولُ وَمِنهُم

مُعدِم مِن مَكارِمِ الأَخلاقِ

مُعدِم مِن مَكارِمِ الأَخلاقِ

With him, what he says is fulfilled; and among them

What he says rings true, while among them are those

is one bereft of noble character.

Who lack all noble traits of character

إِن تُعاوِدُهُ مُذكِراً لا تُعاوِد

إِن تُعاوِدُهُ مُذكِراً لا تُعاوِد

ذائِبَ القَولِ جامِدَ الأَوراقِ

ذائِبَ القَولِ جامِدَ الأَوراقِ

If you revisit him with a reminder, you will not revisit

If you remind him again, do not remind

one with melting words but frozen silver.

One of frivolous words, frozen pages