1. أنْجِز مواعدك التي قدَّمتَها

    يا مُسدِيَ النُّعمى بغير مَواعِدِ

    Fulfill the promises you made before,

    O giver of favors without promises.

  2. ما دَفْعُ أمري بعدَما أوليتني

    بِرَّ الشقيق إلى حُنُوِّ الوالدِ

    Why defer my request, after you have shown me

    A brother's kindness joined to a father's tenderness?

  3. ولقيتَني فلقيتني متهلِّلاً

    كالغيث بشَّر بالمعاش الراغِد

    And you met me, greeting me with a radiant face,

    Like rain heralding a life of plenty.

  4. إن المطالَ ولستَ من أصحابه

    كَدَرُ الصّنيعةِ والفَعالِ الماجِدِ

    Indeed, delay—and you are not one to practice it—

    Sullies kindness and noble deeds.

  5. ورأيتُه خُلُقاً لكلِّ محاولٍ

    من نفسه إيقاظَ جُودٍ راقدِ

    And I have found it the habit of anyone trying

    To awaken a sleeping generosity within himself;

  6. لا بل لكل مُزاول من نفسه

    إحْياءَ ميْتٍ من طِباعٍ هامدِ

    No, rather, of anyone striving within himself

    To revive a dead and lifeless natural trait.

  7. ولك المعاذةُ والسلامةُ منهما

    بمَحاتِدٍ لك هن خير مَحَاتدِ

    And you are shielded and safe from both,

    Through your lineage, the finest of lineages.

  8. حاشاك من خلُقِ المجاهِد لؤْمَهُ

    واللؤْمُ شَرُّ مُجاهَدٍ لمجاهِدِ

    Far be it from you to share the character of one battling his own stinginess;

    And stinginess is the worst foe for one who battles it:

  9. يُمْسِي ويُصبح في رياضَةِ نفسه

    لتطيبَ عن رِفْدٍ وليس برافدِ

    He spends evening and morning disciplining his soul,

    So it may gladly part with a gift—yet he is no giver.