يفديك من كل محذورٍ أبو حسنِ

يفديك من كل محذورٍ أبو حسنِ

يا من جرى منه مجرى الروح في البدنِ

يا من جرى منه مجرى الروح في البدنِ

May Abu Hasan ransom you from every peril,

Abu Hasan, may he protect you from all harm,

O you who flow through him as the soul flows through the body.

O you who flows in me like the soul flows through the body,

باللَّهِ أحلفُ لا مَيْناً ولا كذِباً

باللَّهِ أحلفُ لا مَيْناً ولا كذِباً

ما غبتُ إلا بعذرٍ واضح السَّننِ

ما غبتُ إلا بعذرٍ واضح السَّننِ

By God I swear, without falsehood or lies:

I swear by Allah, no wavering or lying,

I was absent only with an excuse whose course was clear.

I was absent for only clear and valid reasons,

إيناسُ ضيفٍ دعاني فاستجبتُ له

إيناسُ ضيفٍ دعاني فاستجبتُ له

وظَلْتُ والحقُّ مقرونين في قَرنِ

وظَلْتُ والحقُّ مقرونين في قَرنِ

Keeping a guest company called me, and I answered its call,

The hospitality of a guest invited me and I accepted,

And truth and I remained bound together by a single tether.

And remained with him, as truth and I are inseparable friends,

لم أقرِه بعدَ مفروض القِرى نُزلاً

لم أقرِه بعدَ مفروض القِرى نُزلاً

إلا أحاديثَ ما تُسدي من المِنن

إلا أحاديثَ ما تُسدي من المِنن

After the hospitality due, I offered him no further fare

I did not settle with him, after the hospitality of homes was obligatory,

Except accounts of the favors you bestow.

Except for conversations that revealed kindnesses,

أصغَى وظل لما حدثتُ متهماً

أصغَى وظل لما حدثتُ متهماً

لولا شواهدُه من وجهك الحسن

لولا شواهدُه من وجهك الحسن

He listened, and would have remained suspicious of my account,

He listened while I spoke suspecting,

Had your handsome face not borne witness to it.

If not for evidence from your beautiful face,

ومن يحدّثْ بنعمى لا نظير لها

ومن يحدّثْ بنعمى لا نظير لها

فقد تعرَّض للتكذيب والظِّنن

فقد تعرَّض للتكذيب والظِّنن

And whoever tells of a bounty that has no equal

And who speaks of unmatched blessings,

Has indeed laid himself open to disbelief and suspicion.

Exposes himself to disbelief and suspicion,

وأنت علَّمتني رَعْيَ الحقوق إذا

وأنت علَّمتني رَعْيَ الحقوق إذا

نابت وأدَّبتني بالصبر للمحن

نابت وأدَّبتني بالصبر للمحن

And you taught me to honor obligations when

You taught me to tend to rights, when

They arise, and schooled me in patience amid trials.

They return, and schooled me in patience during tribulations,

وكيف أجفوك لا أصبو إلى أنَس

وكيف أجفوك لا أصبو إلى أنَس

ينوبُ عنك ولا آوى ألى سَكن

ينوبُ عنك ولا آوى ألى سَكن

And how could I shun you? I long for no companionship

How can I spurn you, I aspire to no intimacy,

That takes your place, nor do I seek refuge in another haven.

That can replace you, or take any other shelter,

وما لقربك عندي ساعةً ثمنٌ

وما لقربك عندي ساعةً ثمنٌ

أنَّى وهل لنعيم الدهر من ثمن

أنَّى وهل لنعيم الدهر من ثمن

And to me, an hour close to you is beyond price.

Being close to you is never a price for me,

How could it? And does a lifetime's bliss have any price?

How can it be, does worldly bliss have a price?

وهل يبيع امرؤٌ صحَّت قريحته

وهل يبيع امرؤٌ صحَّت قريحته

قُربَ الأحبة بالتعريج في الدِّمن

قُربَ الأحبة بالتعريج في الدِّمن

And would a man whose judgment is sound sell

How can a man sell the health of his soul,

Closeness to loved ones for a halt among dung-stained ruins?

The nearness of loved ones, by wandering astray?