1. Kanbayan sandals and ambergris,
And your house's musk, the most fragrant,
١. نِعال كِنْبايةَ والعنبرُ
ومِسْك دارِينكُمُ الأذفرُ
2. And the Indian agate that is approved,
Is divided among people without us being mentioned.
٢. ومَندل الهند الذي يُرتَضَى
يُقسَم في الناس ولا نُذكرُ
3. O you who prevent us from your gifts,
Our praise of your perfume is more fragrant.
٣. يا مانعينا من هداياكُمُ
ثناؤنا من عطركم أعطر
4. Our praise remains and folds time
Folded, so it is neither folded nor shortened.
٤. ثناؤنا يبقى ويطوي الفلا
طيّاً فلا يُثنَى ولا يُقصر
5. And your perfume's traces are erased
And the journey becomes tedious without pride.
٥. وعطركمْ تَدرُس آثارهُ
ويسأم السيرَ ولا يفخر
6. I swore by the cup when it was filled
And the flute and flower garden were noisy,
٦. أقسمت بالكأس إذا أعملت
واصطخب المزمار والمِزْهر
7. If the lute and its followers came to us,
And the best of them is the green amber,
٧. لو جاءنا العود وأتباعه
وخيرُهن العنبر الأخضر
8. Our poetry would then be praised
Multiples of what is praised by embers.
٨. لقد غدا يُثنى به شعرُنا
أضعاف ما يثنى به المجمر
9. Or if musk came to us, we would reward it
With what makes musk abandoned in the morning.
٩. أو جاءنا المسك جَزينا به
ما يصبح المسك به يُهجَر
10. Or our sugar from gratitude became
As if it is being scattered from its scent.
١٠. أو أصبح المنشور من شكرنا
كأنه من ريحه يُنشر
11. And if camphor came, we would say a
White hand like camphor that cannot be covered.
١١. ولو أتى الكافورُ قلنا يد
بيضاء كالكافور لا تُكفَر
12. Or if a ship came to us from you
Red like a flame or blond,
١٢. أو جاءنا من عندكم مَركبٌ
أحمر كالشعلة أو أشقر
13. Its origin would be attributed by a connoisseur
And its color would be distinguished by Caesar.
١٣. نِسْبته يُنسَبها داهِرٌ
ولونه يُنحَله قيصر
14. It would be traced back to Sindh and highly valued
In Rome its shining red color.
١٤. يُعزَى إلى السند ويعتدُّهُ
في الروم لون ناصع أحمر
15. Buzzing but it is a small sound
The house's scorpions are frightened by it.
١٥. مُصَرصِر لكنه صيِّتٌ
عقارب الدار له تُذعَر
16. In it against the enemies is a helper
In the darkness of night and seeking light.
١٦. فيه على الأعداء مستنجَدٌ
في ظلمة الليل ومستنصر
17. It would not buzz except to thank us
Or regret or make us regret.
١٧. ما صرّ إلا ولنا نطقُهُ
بالشكر أو يحسر أو نحسر
18. We do not lack from the totality of your favors
Our gathering does not lack from your gratitude.
١٨. لا نَخلُ من جملة ألطافكم
لا يخلُ من شكركُم مَحضر
19. If a companion trades with us
He has prospered and no flaw was blamed on him.
١٩. إنا إذا تاجَرَنا صاحبٌ
أضحى وما ذُمّ له مَتْجرُ
20. It did not lack one who sincerely gifted us
We rewarded him eternally for his transient gift.
٢٠. ما خلت من يُهدي لنا فانياً
نجزيه عنه باقياً يخسر
21. Praise be to God whose
Lights have continued to blossom.
٢١. الحمد لله الذي لم تزل
أنوارهُ ساطعةً تَزهر
22. My share of what is with you is insignificant
And your share of my affection is greater.
٢٢. حَظي مما عندكم تافهٌ
وحظكُم من وُدِّيَ الأوفر
23. I do not have the capacity for your gifts
Rather, I am a companion who is despised.
٢٣. وليس بي قدر هداياكُمُ
بل بيَ أني صاحب يُحقر
24. I saw myself when you betrayed my share
And my position in your view is more contemptible.
٢٤. رأيتني إذ خنتُمُ حصّتي
وموضعي من رأيكم أغبر
25. And your action is the signature of your opinions
And it may clarify the view to the observer.
٢٥. وفعلكم عنوان آرائكم
وقد يُبين المخبرَ المنظر
26. Take it even if you are harsh in helping us
Do not say that I am ungrateful.
٢٦. خذها وإن جدتَ بإسعافنا
فلا تقل إني لا أشكر
27. If God and His destiny refused,
Do not say that I have no excuse.
٢٧. وإن أبى الله ومقدارُهُ
فلا تقل إني لا أعذر
28. Whatever is destined for us in our matter
The excuse comes spontaneously from us.
٢٨. مهما يقدَّر منك في أمرنا
فالعذر من تلقائنا يُقدَر
29. And if we wanted to blame, you would disable us,
And can the shining moon be attained?
٢٩. ولو أردنا اللوم أعجزْتَنا
وهل يُنال القمر الأزهر
30. God's sky is not lowly
Even if it lowers when it rains.
٣٠. ليس سماء الله منحطة
وإن تدانت حين تستمطر
31. O you who when dressed by his brothers
Is dressed in beautiful praise that dazzles.
٣١. يا من إذا حلّاه إخوانهُ
حُلِيَّ مدْحٍ حسنهُ يبهر
32. So it is only from them that its rhythm comes from
And from Him come the pearls and gems.
٣٢. فإنما من عندهم نظمهُ
ومن لدنه الدُرُّ والجوهر