العبد يهدي إِلى المولى ويتحفه

العبد يهدي إِلى المولى ويتحفه

ونفسه والذي تقنو يداه له

ونفسه والذي تقنو يداه له

The servant offers gifts to his master and honors him with them,

The servant offers to his Master and gifts Him

though he himself and whatever his hands possess belong to him.

Himself and that which his hands have crafted

وليس سمنع مولاه تملَكه

وليس سمنع مولاه تملَكه

من أن يُحسِّنَ ما أهدى ويقبله

من أن يُحسِّنَ ما أهدى ويقبله

Nor does owning him prevent his master

And his Master does not refuse to own him

from valuing what he has offered and accepting it.

From improving what he gifted and accepting it

فالله يقبل ما يُهدي العباد له

فالله يقبل ما يُهدي العباد له

وهو الملي بأن ندعو ونسأله

وهو الملي بأن ندعو ونسأله

For God accepts what His servants offer Him,

So God accepts what servants offer to Him

and He is worthy of our calling upon Him and asking Him.

And He knows that we pray and ask of Him

والبحرُ يُمطره مرُّ السحاب به

والبحرُ يُمطره مرُّ السحاب به

وإنما ماؤه منه تَحملَه

وإنما ماؤه منه تَحملَه

And passing clouds rain upon the sea,

The sea is rained on by the clouds' downpour

yet they carry only its own water, drawn from it.

And its water is only from Him carrying it

فاقبل من العبد ما أهدى فإن له

فاقبل من العبد ما أهدى فإن له

في قصده حُسنَ ظنٍ منك أمَّله

في قصده حُسنَ ظنٍ منك أمَّله

So accept what the servant has offered, for he has

So accept from the servant what he gifted, for he

in his approach, hopes of the favorable regard he seeks from you.

In his quest has beautiful hopes from You he wished for

لم يسأل الله من جُلى مواهبه

لم يسأل الله من جُلى مواهبه

إِلا وكنت له في السؤل أوله

إِلا وكنت له في السؤل أوله

He has never asked God for any of His greatest gifts

None asked of God his revealed favors

without your being the first thing he asked for.

Except You were for him the first to fulfill it

ولم يرد بابك الأعلى ليخدمه

ولم يرد بابك الأعلى ليخدمه

إِلا وقد رفض الأدنى وأهمله

إِلا وقد رفض الأدنى وأهمله

Nor did he come to serve at your loftiest gate

And none came to Your loftiest door to serve it

without having rejected the lowlier one and disregarded it.

Except the lowliest he shunned and neglected

ولا غدت أرضُ مصر من مقاصده

ولا غدت أرضُ مصر من مقاصده

إِلا ليجعل في مغناك منزله

إِلا ليجعل في مغناك منزله

Nor did the land of Egypt become one of his destinations

Nor did the land of Egypt become his quest

except to make his home in your abode.

Except to make Your magnificence his dwelling

رأى ذراك وتحديد المقام به

رأى ذراك وتحديد المقام به

لآجل العمر أسنى ما تعجَّله

لآجل العمر أسنى ما تعجَّله

He deemed your shelter, and fixing his residence there,

He saw Your greatness and the fixed abode through it

the finest thing he had hastened to secure for his future years.

For the life's remainder, the ripest of its fruits

فاسلم له عدةً يلقى الزمانَ بها

فاسلم له عدةً يلقى الزمانَ بها

فكم فتىً نابهٍ لولاك أخمله

فكم فتىً نابهٍ لولاك أخمله

So remain safe for him, a support with which he faces Time,

So submit to him supplies to meet time with

for, but for you, Time would have consigned many a distinguished youth to obscurity.

For how many worthy youths except for You were bereft