ياO مَنyou who يُواليsends in succession عَلَيناto us دائِماًalways وَرَقاpaper
يا مَن يُوالي عَلَينا دائِماً وَرَقا
هَلاwhy not بَعَثتَyou sent لَناto us فيin طَيِّهاits folds وَرِقاsilver coins
هَلا بَعَثتَ لَنا في طَيِّها وَرِقا
O you who continually send us sheets of paper,
O you who send us leaves continually
Why not send us silver coins within their folds?
Why not send us through them some money?
إِنif كانَwas أَعجَزَكُمbeyond your means مِنbecause of فَقرِكمyour poverty وَرِقٌsilver
إِن كانَ أَعجَزَكُم مِن فَقرِكم وَرِقٌ
فَلَيسَso it is not تعجزُyou are unable أَنto تُهديyou give as a gift لَناto us وَرَقاpaper
فَلَيسَ تعجزُ أَن تُهدي لَنا وَرَقا
If poverty has put silver beyond your means,
If poverty has made you unable to send cash
Then you are still able to give us paper.
It does not prevent you sending us leaves
مَنwhoever كانَis فيin خدمَةِthe service of المَلكthe king الهُمامِthe magnanimous يَكُنshould be
مَن كانَ في خدمَةِ المَلك الهُمامِ يَكُن
ذاpossessed of هِمَّةٍhigh resolve وَيَجدand finds نَحوَtoward النَدىgenerosity طرُقاpaths
ذا هِمَّةٍ وَيَجد نَحوَ النَدى طرُقا
Whoever serves the magnanimous king should be
Whoever serves the splendid king is endowed
A man of high resolve, and find paths to generosity.
With spirit, and finds paths to gifts
هَذيthis مَمازَحةٌa jest لَيسَتis not مُطالَبَةًa demand
هَذي مَمازَحةٌ لَيسَت مُطالَبَةً
تُقضىis fulfilled بِصَفوِwith the purity of ودادٍaffection لَمnot يَكُنhas been رَنِقاclouded
تُقضى بِصَفوِ ودادٍ لَم يَكُن رَنِقا
This is a jest, not a demand;
This is banter, not begging to be fulfilled
It is met with pure affection that has not been clouded.
With pure affection that was never hoarse
Sol 6.1