يا أَبا إِسحاقَ أَخلا

يا أَبا إِسحاقَ أَخلا

قُكَ ماءٌ وَهَواءُ

قُكَ ماءٌ وَهَواءُ

O Abu Ishaq, your character

O Abu Ishaq, my dear friend

is water and air.

You are water and air

وَلَكَ الفَضلُ الَّذي لَم

وَلَكَ الفَضلُ الَّذي لَم

يَعدُهُ قَطُّ رَجاءُ

يَعدُهُ قَطُّ رَجاءُ

And yours is a bounty that no

And you have favor that was never

hope has ever surpassed.

Awaited by any wish

فَأَبِن لي أَيُّها ال

فَأَبِن لي أَيُّها ال

خِلُّ الَّذي فيهِ حَياءُ

خِلُّ الَّذي فيهِ حَياءُ

So explain to me, O

So explain to me, O my friend

friend in whom there is modesty:

Full of modesty

لِمَ عَفا رَسمُ الزَيارا

لِمَ عَفا رَسمُ الزَيارا

تِ وَلَم رَيَّ اللِقاءُ

تِ وَلَم رَيَّ اللِقاءُ

why has the trace of visits faded,

Why the image of visitations faded

and why has meeting's refreshment vanished?

And the sight of meetings disappeared

ما اِنطَوى ظِلُّ المُراعا

ما اِنطَوى ظِلُّ المُراعا

ةِ وَلا غاضَ الوَفاءُ

ةِ وَلا غاضَ الوَفاءُ

The shade of care has not folded away,

The shadow of caring did not diminish

nor has fidelity ebbed.

Nor affection decline

عُد إِلى عاداتِكَ الأو

عُد إِلى عاداتِكَ الأو

لى فَقَد عَزَّ العَزاءُ

لى فَقَد عَزَّ العَزاءُ

Return to your former ways,

Return to your early habits

for consolation has grown scarce.

For solace has become difficult

فَأَنا المُطنِبُ في شُك

فَأَنا المُطنِبُ في شُك

رِكَ وَالشُكرُ جَزاءُ

رِكَ وَالشُكرُ جَزاءُ

For I am profuse in

So I praise you abundantly

my thanks to you, and gratitude is recompense.

And gratitude is the reward

خَيرُ ما يُهدى إِلى مِث

خَيرُ ما يُهدى إِلى مِث

لِكَ مِن مِثلي الثَناءُ

لِكَ مِن مِثلي الثَناءُ

The best gift offered to one like

The best gift for your like

you by one like me is praise.

Is praise from one like me