رأيت بني الدنيا يؤمل نفعهم

رأيت بني الدنيا يؤمل نفعهم

على بخل أيد واختلال مكاسبِ

على بخل أيد واختلال مكاسبِ

I have seen the sons of this world, their help hoped for,

I saw among people their hope for benefit

despite miserly hands and faltering earnings.

From the stinginess of hands and corrupt gains

وأجدر بالتأميل في كل معضل

وأجدر بالتأميل في كل معضل

بنو الدين والراجون حسن العواقب

بنو الدين والراجون حسن العواقب

Yet worthier of hope in every hardship

And most deserving of hope in every distress

are the sons of faith and those hoping for good outcomes.

Are the people of religion who wish for good consequences

هم القوم لا ينفعك راجي نوالهم

هم القوم لا ينفعك راجي نوالهم

لدى طلّ أدواح وطلّ سحائب

لدى طلّ أدواح وطلّ سحائب

They are the people; one seeking their bounty does not benefit you,

They are the people - seeking their friendship does not benefit you

amid dew from spreading trees and drizzle from clouds.

In the face of long nights and long clouds

غيوث جدوب أو شموس معارف

غيوث جدوب أو شموس معارف

هضاب حلوم أو نجوم غياهب

هضاب حلوم أو نجوم غياهب

Life-giving rains for parched lands, or suns of knowledge,

Help for the thirsty, or suns of knowledge

heights of forbearance, or stars in deep darkness.

Plateaus of sweetness, or stars of darkness

وإنّ بأكناف المرية منهم

وإنّ بأكناف المرية منهم

لفدُّ السجايا والحلى والمناقب

لفدُّ السجايا والحلى والمناقب

And among them, in the environs of Almería, is

And in the bosom of honor among them

one [apparently peerless] in character, adornments, and merits,

Are substitutes for jewelry, adornments and virtues

بقيةُ من في الكتب ديناً وسنة

بقيةُ من في الكتب ديناً وسنة

فشاهِدُهُ قد ناب عن كلِّ غائب

فشاهِدُهُ قد ناب عن كلِّ غائب

a remnant of those in the books, in faith and Sunnah;

The remainder among those in books of religion and tradition

so his presence has stood in for every absent one.

So witness him who has stepped in for every absent one

تكسَّب من علمي كتابٍ وسنةٍ

تكسَّب من علمي كتابٍ وسنةٍ

كريم المساعي في سديد المذاهب

كريم المساعي في سديد المذاهب

He earned his livelihood through the two sciences of the Book and Sunnah,

Who earned from my knowledge of book and tradition

noble in his endeavors, following sound paths.

Noble in effort in the right doctrines

ولم يبتدع في الدين بدعةً غيرِهِ

ولم يبتدع في الدين بدعةً غيرِهِ

ولا شدَّ عن بادٍ من الحق لا حب

ولا شدَّ عن بادٍ من الحق لا حب

He introduced no innovation of another's into religion,

And did not innovate in religion an innovation unlike him

nor turned from manifest truth [ending unclear].

Nor deviated on any false path from the truth, unwillingly

وما قلتُ إلاَّ بالذي قد أفادني

وما قلتُ إلاَّ بالذي قد أفادني

تواتر نقلٍ من ثقاتِ الأصاحب

تواتر نقلٍ من ثقاتِ الأصاحب

And I have said only what was imparted to me

And I only said what has been imparted to me

through successive reports from trustworthy companions.

By widely transmitted reports from trusted companions

ولولا اتّقاء المدح أطنبتُ مثنياً

ولولا اتّقاء المدح أطنبتُ مثنياً

على فضلِهِ قيلُ امرىء غير كاذب

على فضلِهِ قيلُ امرىء غير كاذب

Were I not wary of praise, I would have spoken at length

And were it not for avoiding praise, I would go on at length

of his excellence—the words of a man who does not lie.

Praising his virtues - it is said by one who is no liar

إذا كان مدحُ المتقين فضيلةً

إذا كان مدحُ المتقين فضيلةً

فمدح أبي إسحاق آكد واجب

فمدح أبي إسحاق آكد واجب

If praising the God-fearing is a virtue,

If praising the pious is a virtue

then praising Abu Ishaq is the most binding duty.

Then praising Abu Ishaq is an utmost duty

تشوقتُ فيه فاستنبت صحيفتي

تشوقتُ فيه فاستنبت صحيفتي

وربَّ كتاب نائب عن مُكاتِب

وربَّ كتاب نائب عن مُكاتِب

I longed for him, so I made my letter my deputy;

I longed for him, so my page came to life

and many a letter stands in for its writer.

And many a letter substitutes for a scribe