سَلامٌpeace عَلَيكُمupon you مِنfrom شُيَيخٍa little old man مُقَوَّسٍbent like a bow
سَلامٌ عَلَيكُم مِن شُيَيخٍ مُقَوَّسٍ
لَهُhe has جَسَدٌa body بالٍworn-out وَعَظمٌand bones مُحَطَّمٌshattered
لَهُ جَسَدٌ بالٍ وَعَظمٌ مُحَطَّمٌ
Peace be upon you from a little old man bent like a bow,
Greetings to you from a bent old man
With a worn-out body and shattered bones.
Whose body is weak and bones are broken
أَلَمdid ... not? يَكُbe فيin حَقِّthe right of الندامthe boon companions وَحُرمةand the sanctity of الthe
أَلَم يَكُ في حَقِّ الندام وَحُرمة ال
مَدائِحِpraises أَنِthat يُحنىkindness be shown عَلَيهِto him وَيُرحَمُand he be shown mercy
مَدائِحِ أَنِ يُحنى عَلَيهِ وَيُرحَمُ
Did not the rights of boon companions and the sanctity of the
Was it not a right of remorse and sanctity of praise
Praises require that he be shown kindness and mercy?
That he be pitied and shown mercy?
أَباO father of حَسَنٍHasan أَنصِفbe just فَأَنتَfor you مُحَكَّمٌan appointed arbiter
أَبا حَسَنٍ أَنصِف فَأَنتَ مُحَكَّمٌ
وَلاand do not تَقرَبَنَّever approach الظُلمَinjustice فَالظُلمُfor injustice مُظلِمُdark
وَلا تَقرَبَنَّ الظُلمَ فَالظُلمُ مُظلِمُ
O Abu Hasan, be just, for you are the arbiter.
O Abul Hasan be fair for you are an arbiter
And never approach injustice, for injustice is dark.
And do not approach injustice for injustice is dark
أَيُصبِحُshould ... become? مِثليone like me فيin جِوارِكَyour protection ضائِعاًforsaken
أَيُصبِحُ مِثلي في جِوارِكَ ضائِعاً
وَحَوضُكَand your pool لِلطُرّاقِfor visitors بِالجودِwith generosity مُفعَمُfilled to the brim
وَحَوضُكَ لِلطُرّاقِ بِالجودِ مُفعَمُ
Should one like me be left forsaken under your protection,
Will one like me remain deprived in your neighborhood?
While your pool brims with generosity for visitors?
While your basin of generosity overfloweth
وَوَاللَهِand by God ماnot قَصَّرتُI fell short فيin شُكرِgratitude for نِعمَةٍa favor
وَوَاللَهِ ما قَصَّرتُ في شُكرِ نِعمَةٍ
مَنَنتَyou bestowed بِهاwith it قِدماًlong ago وَذوand the possessor of العَرشِthe Throne يَعلَمُknows
مَنَنتَ بِها قِدماً وَذو العَرشِ يَعلَمُ
And by God, I have not fallen short in gratitude for a favor
By Allah I have not been remiss in thanking the blessings
You bestowed long ago—and the Lord of the Throne knows.
You blessed me with and the Lord of the Throne knows