أَمِن رَبعٍ تُسائِلُهُ

أَمِن رَبعٍ تُسائِلُهُ

وَقَد أَقوَت مَنازِلُهُ

وَقَد أَقوَت مَنازِلُهُ

Is it a dwelling-place you seek answers from,

From a quarter are you seeking news

Is it the campsite that you are questioning,

though its dwellings have become deserted?

Though its dwellings have become desolate?

Now that its dwellings have become desolate?

بِقَلبي مِن هَوى الأَطلا

بِقَلبي مِن هَوى الأَطلا

لِ حُبٌّ ما يُزايِلُهُ

لِ حُبٌّ ما يُزايِلُهُ

In my heart, from longing for the ruins,

In my heart is love for the ruins

In my heart, from the passion for the ruins,

is a love that never leaves it.

A love nothing can displace

Is a love that never separates from them.

رُوَيدُكُمُ عَن المَشغو

رُوَيدُكُمُ عَن المَشغو

فِ إِنَّ الحُبَّ قاتِلُهُ

فِ إِنَّ الحُبَّ قاتِلُهُ

Be gentle, all of you, with the love-stricken one;

Desist from this preoccupation

Go gently with the one infatuated,

for love is his killer.

For love is he who slays it

For indeed, love is his killer.

بَلابِلُ صَدرِهِ تَسري

بَلابِلُ صَدرِهِ تَسري

وَقَد نامَت عَواذِلُهُ

وَقَد نامَت عَواذِلُهُ

The cares in his breast roam by night,

Sparrows flutter in his breast

The anxieties of his breast travel by night,

while his reproachers have fallen asleep.

While his beloved is asleep

While those who blame him are fast asleep.

أَحَقُّ الناسَ بِالتَفضي

أَحَقُّ الناسَ بِالتَفضي

لِ مَن تُرجى فَواضِلُهُ

لِ مَن تُرجى فَواضِلُهُ

The one most deserving of preference among people

Most deserving of reverence

The most deserving of people for preference

is he whose benefactions are hoped for.

Is he whose merits one hopes to gain

Is the one whose favors are hoped for.

رَأَيتُ مَكارِمَ الأَخلا

رَأَيتُ مَكارِمَ الأَخلا

قِ ما ضَمَّت حَمائِلُهُ

قِ ما ضَمَّت حَمائِلُهُ

I saw the noble qualities of character

I have seen the noblest virtues

I have seen that the noblest of character

in what his sword-belts enfolded.

That which its vessels contain

Is that which his sword-belts embrace.

فَلَستُ أَرى فَتىً في النا

فَلَستُ أَرى فَتىً في النا

سِ إِلّا الفَضلُ فاضِلُهُ

سِ إِلّا الفَضلُ فاضِلُهُ

So I see no young man among the people

I see no man among people

For I see no youth among all mankind,

whom al-Fadl does not surpass.

Unless merit makes him excel

Except al-Fadl, the most virtuous of them.

يَقولُ لِسانُهُ خَيراً

يَقولُ لِسانُهُ خَيراً

فَتَفعَلُهُ أَنامِلُهُ

فَتَفعَلُهُ أَنامِلُهُ

His tongue speaks of good,

His tongue speaks only good

His tongue speaks words of goodness,

and his fingertips carry it out.

And his hands quickly fulfill

And his fingertips carry them out.

وَمَهما يُرجَ مِن خَيرٍ

وَمَهما يُرجَ مِن خَيرٍ

فَإِنَّ الفَضلَ فاعِلُهُ

فَإِنَّ الفَضلَ فاعِلُهُ

And whatever good may be hoped for,

Whatever good is hoped for

And whatever good thing is hoped for,

al-Fadl is indeed the one to do it.

It is merit that undertakes it

Then truly, al-Fadl is its doer.