صدَّني عنْ لِقاءِ نجْلِكَ عُذْرٌ

صدَّني عنْ لِقاءِ نجْلِكَ عُذْرٌ

يمْنَعُ الجِسْمَ عنْ تَمامِ العِبادَةْ

يمْنَعُ الجِسْمَ عنْ تَمامِ العِبادَةْ

An excuse kept me from meeting your son,

My poor health prevents me from meeting your son

one that keeps the body from performing worship in full.

It keeps the body from fully worshipping

واخْتَصَرْتُ القِرَى لأنْ حطّ رَحْلاً

واخْتَصَرْتُ القِرَى لأنْ حطّ رَحْلاً

في مَحَلِّ الغِنى ودارِ الزَّهادَةْ

في مَحَلِّ الغِنى ودارِ الزَّهادَةْ

And I kept my hospitality modest, for he set down his baggage

I took the shorter way, since to dismount is hard

in an abode of affluence and a house of asceticism.

In the abode of contentment and the home of ascetics

ولو انّي احْتَفَلْتُ لمْ يُعِنِ الدّهْ

ولو انّي احْتَفَلْتُ لمْ يُعِنِ الدّهْ

رُ ولا نِلْتُ بعضَ بعْضٍ أرادَهْ

رُ ولا نِلْتُ بعضَ بعْضٍ أرادَهْ

And even had I spared no effort, time would not have helped me,

Even if I had tried my best, wealth would not help

nor would I have attained a fraction of a fraction of what he desired.

Nor would I gain some of what he intended

وعلى كُلِّ حالَةٍ فقُصوري

وعلى كُلِّ حالَةٍ فقُصوري

عادَةٌ إذْ قَبولُكَ العُذْرَ عادَهْ

عادَةٌ إذْ قَبولُكَ العُذْرَ عادَهْ

And in every circumstance, my falling short

And in any case, my inadequacy

is a habit, since accepting excuses is your habit.

Is habitual, since accepting excuses is your custom

لا عَدِمْتَ الرِّضى منَ اللهِ والحُسْنى

لا عَدِمْتَ الرِّضى منَ اللهِ والحُسْنى

كَما نصَّ وحْيُهُ والزِّيادَهْ

كَما نصَّ وحْيُهُ والزِّيادَهْ

May you never lack God's favor and the finest reward,

You would not lack God's satisfaction and blessing

as His revelation declares, and more besides.

As His revelation dictates, and more