ياصالِحَ ابنَ الفَضلِ إِنَّكَ مُخبِري

ياصالِحَ ابنَ الفَضلِ إِنَّكَ مُخبِري

عَن صالِحِ الخُلَطاءِ وَالإِخوانِ

عَن صالِحِ الخُلَطاءِ وَالإِخوانِ

O Salih, son of al-Fadl, you indeed tell me

O virtuous son of excellence, you inform me

of the worthy among companions and brothers,

Of the righteous mixed company and brethren

وَمُذَكِّري بِكَريمِ شيمَتِكَ الَّذي

وَمُذَكِّري بِكَريمِ شيمَتِكَ الَّذي

قَد كُنتُ أَعهَدُهُ مِنَ الفِتيانِ

قَد كُنتُ أَعهَدُهُ مِنَ الفِتيانِ

and remind me of your noble character, which

And remind me of your noble traits that

I once knew among young men.

I used to expect from the youth

وَكَذاكَ مَن كِسرى أَبَرويزٌ لَهُ

وَكَذاكَ مَن كِسرى أَبَرويزٌ لَهُ

عَمٌّ إِلى كِسرى أَنوشِروانِ

عَمٌّ إِلى كِسرى أَنوشِروانِ

And such is one for whom Khosrow Parviz

And likewise he whose family is from Kisra has

is a paternal uncle, in a line reaching back to Khosrow Anushirvan.

An uncle from Kisra Anushirwan

وَأَبوكَ شَهرُبَرازُ فارِسُ فارِسٍ

وَأَبوكَ شَهرُبَرازُ فارِسُ فارِسٍ

وَالرومِ يَخلِطُ ضَربَها بِطِعانِ

وَالرومِ يَخلِطُ ضَربَها بِطِعانِ

And your father, Shahrbaraz, is the horseman of Persia

And your father Shahrbaraz, the horseman of horsemen

and Rome, mingling blows against them with spear-thrusts.

Who mixes attacking the Romans with thrusting spears

بَينَ المُلوكِ إِلى الأَساوِرَةَ انتَهى

بَينَ المُلوكِ إِلى الأَساوِرَةَ انتَهى

شَرَفانِ في عَلياكَ يَجتَمِعانِ

شَرَفانِ في عَلياكَ يَجتَمِعانِ

From kings down to the Persian knights have come

Between the kings to the bracelets has reached

two honors that unite in your exalted rank.

Two glories in your family line gathered

وَأَراكَ أَتقَنتَ القَريضَ وَبَعضُهُم

وَأَراكَ أَتقَنتَ القَريضَ وَبَعضُهُم

يَتَبَدَّلُ التَشقيقَ بِالإِتقانِ

يَتَبَدَّلُ التَشقيقَ بِالإِتقانِ

And I see you have mastered poetry, while some of them

And I see you have mastered poetry and some of them

substitute strained elaboration for mastery.

Exchange composure for perfection

أَحسَنتَ في فِعلٍ وَفَضلِ مَقالَةٍ

أَحسَنتَ في فِعلٍ وَفَضلِ مَقالَةٍ

فَحَظيتَ بِالإِفضالِ وَالإِحسانِ

فَحَظيتَ بِالإِفضالِ وَالإِحسانِ

You have excelled in deeds and fine speech,

You have done excellent deeds and superior words

and so have been favored with bounty and kindness.

So you have attained grace and benefaction