بِعني نُسَيبُ وَلا تَهَب لي إِنَّني

بِعني نُسَيبُ وَلا تَهَب لي إِنَّني

لا أَستَثيبُ وَلا أُثيبُ الواهِبا

لا أَستَثيبُ وَلا أُثيبُ الواهِبا

Sell to me, Nusayb, and do not give me gifts, for I

With eyes that turn away, no gift comes to me,

neither seek recompense nor reward the giver.

For I neither seek nor give to the giver.

إِنَّ العَطيَّةَ خَيرُ ما وَجَّهتَها

إِنَّ العَطيَّةَ خَيرُ ما وَجَّهتَها

وَحَسِبتَها حَمداً وَأَجراً واجِبا

وَحَسِبتَها حَمداً وَأَجراً واجِبا

A gift is best when you bestow it

The gift is best when you direct it well

and reckon it to bring praise and a reward assured.

And count it thanks and obligatory reward.

وَمِنَ العَطيَّةِ ما يَعودُ غَرامَةً

وَمِنَ العَطيَّةِ ما يَعودُ غَرامَةً

وَمَلامَةً تَبقى وَمَنّاً كاذِبا

وَمَلامَةً تَبقى وَمَنّاً كاذِبا

And some gifts come back as a burden,

Yet some gifts become but debt

and lasting reproach, and false reminders of favor.

And blame that stays, with lies for favors.

وَبَلوتُ أَخلاقَ الرِجالِ وَفِعلَهُم

وَبَلوتُ أَخلاقَ الرِجالِ وَفِعلَهُم

فَشَبِعتُ عِلماً مِنهُمُ وَتَجارِبا

فَشَبِعتُ عِلماً مِنهُمُ وَتَجارِبا

And I have tested men's character and their conduct,

I've tasted men's morals and their deeds,

so I have had my fill of knowledge and experience of them.

And gained knowledge and experience from them.

فَأَخَذتُ مِنها ما رَضيتُ بِأَخذِهِ

فَأَخَذتُ مِنها ما رَضيتُ بِأَخذِهِ

وَتَرَكتُ أَكثَرَ ما هُنالِكَ جانِبا

وَتَرَكتُ أَكثَرَ ما هُنالِكَ جانِبا

So I took from them what I was content to take,

I took from that what I was pleased to take

and left most of what was there aside.

And left most of what was there aside.

فَإِذا وَعَدتُ الوَعدَ كُنتُ كَغارِمٍ

فَإِذا وَعَدتُ الوَعدَ كُنتُ كَغارِمٍ

دَيناً أَقَرَّ بِهِ وَأَحضَرَ كاتِبا

دَيناً أَقَرَّ بِهِ وَأَحضَرَ كاتِبا

So when I make a promise, I am like a debtor

When I make a promise I'm like one in debt

who has acknowledged a debt and summoned a scribe,

Who admits to it and brings a scribe,

حَتّى أُنَفِّذَهُ كَما وَجَّهتُهُ

حَتّى أُنَفِّذَهُ كَما وَجَّهتُهُ

وَكَفى عَليَّ لَهُ بِنَفسي طالِبا

وَكَفى عَليَّ لَهُ بِنَفسي طالِبا

until I fulfill it just as I offered it;

Until I fulfill it as I aimed it,

and my own self is claimant enough against me for it.

And my own self suffices as its seeker.

وَإِذا فَعَلتُ فَعَلتُ غَيرَ مُحاسَبٍ

وَإِذا فَعَلتُ فَعَلتُ غَيرَ مُحاسَبٍ

وَكَفى بِرَبِّكَ جازياً وَمُحاسِبا

وَكَفى بِرَبِّكَ جازياً وَمُحاسِبا

And when I act, I act without being held to account;

When I act I act without self-reckoning,

and your Lord suffices to reward and call to account.

And your Lord suffices as reckoner and accounter.

وَإِذا مَنَعتُ مَنَعتُ مَنعاً بَيِّناً

وَإِذا مَنَعتُ مَنَعتُ مَنعاً بَيِّناً

وَأَرَحتُ مِن طولِ العَناءِ الراغِبا

وَأَرَحتُ مِن طولِ العَناءِ الراغِبا

And when I refuse, I refuse plainly,

When I refuse I clearly refuse,

and spare the petitioner prolonged hardship.

And relax from long importunity.

لا أَشتَري الحَمدَ القَليلَ بَقاؤُهُ

لا أَشتَري الحَمدَ القَليلَ بَقاؤُهُ

يَوماً بِذَمِّ الدَهرِ أَجمَعَ واصِبا

يَوماً بِذَمِّ الدَهرِ أَجمَعَ واصِبا

I do not buy praise whose duration is brief,

I don't buy little praise of brief survival

ever, at the price of unceasing blame for all time.

With lifelong blame from all sides pressing on me.