أَبا حَسَنٍ وَالمَرءُ يُخلَقُ صورَةً

أَبا حَسَنٍ وَالمَرءُ يُخلَقُ صورَةً

تُخَبِّرُ عَمّا ضَمَّنَتهُ الغَرائِزُ

تُخَبِّرُ عَمّا ضَمَّنَتهُ الغَرائِزُ

O Abu Hasan, man is fashioned into a form

O Abu Hasan, a man is created in a form

revealing what his inborn traits have lodged within him.

that reveals what his innate dispositions have instilled in him.

إِذا كُنتَ لا تُرجى لِنَفعِ مُعَجَّلٍ

إِذا كُنتَ لا تُرجى لِنَفعِ مُعَجَّلٍ

وَأَمرُكَ بَينَ الشَرقِ وَالغَربِ جائِزُ

وَأَمرُكَ بَينَ الشَرقِ وَالغَربِ جائِزُ

If you cannot be looked to for an immediate boon,

If you are not looked to for immediate benefit,

though your writ runs from east to west,

while your command holds sway between East and West,

وَلَم تَكُ يَومَ الحَشرِ فينا مُشَفَّعاً

وَلَم تَكُ يَومَ الحَشرِ فينا مُشَفَّعاً

فَرَأيُ الَّذي يَرجوكَ لِلنَفعِ عاجِزُ

فَرَأيُ الَّذي يَرجوكَ لِلنَفعِ عاجِزُ

and if, on the Day of Gathering, you are no accepted intercessor for us,

and will not be an accepted intercessor for us on the Day of Resurrection,

then the judgment of one who looks to you for help is feeble.

then the judgment of whoever looks to you for benefit is feeble.

عَلِيّ بنَ عيسى خَيرُ يَومَيكَ أَن تُرى

عَلِيّ بنَ عيسى خَيرُ يَومَيكَ أَن تُرى

وَفَضلُكَ مَأمولٌ وَوَعدُكَ ناجِزُ

وَفَضلُكَ مَأمولٌ وَوَعدُكَ ناجِزُ

Ali ibn Isa—the better of your two days is when you are seen

O Ali ibn Isa, the better of your two days is when you are seen

with your bounty hoped for and your promise fulfilled.

with your bounty hoped for and your promise fulfilled.

وَإِنّي لِأَخشى بَعدَ هَذا بِأَن تُرى

وَإِنّي لِأَخشى بَعدَ هَذا بِأَن تُرى

وَبَينَ الَّذي تَهوى وَبَينَكَ حاجِزُ

وَبَينَ الَّذي تَهوى وَبَينَكَ حاجِزُ

Yet after this, I truly fear that you may be seen

And I do fear that after this you will be seen

with a barrier standing between you and what you desire.

with a barrier between you and what you desire.