أوسعتُ عمراً ثنائي حين أوسعني

أوسعتُ عمراً ثنائي حين أوسعني

بِرَّ اللِسان ووشكَ الصَرفِ إذ صرَفا

بِرَّ اللِسان ووشكَ الصَرفِ إذ صرَفا

I lavished my praise on ʿAmr when he lavished on me

He granted me a doubly generous life when he endowed me

Kind words and swift dismissal when he sent me away.

with eloquence of tongue and proficiency in grammar as he dispensed

حسبتُ باقيَ زادي من مواهبه

حسبتُ باقيَ زادي من مواهبه

وقُمتُ أعقِدُ حبل الرَحلِ منصرفا

وقُمتُ أعقِدُ حبل الرَحلِ منصرفا

I counted what remained of my provisions among his gifts,

I thought my remaining provision of his gifts would suffice

And I rose to tie the saddle-rope, departing.

and I set about tying my saddlebags to depart

فأُبتُ منه إلى أهلي وبي رَمَقٌ

فأُبتُ منه إلى أهلي وبي رَمَقٌ

لا مَطلَ عانيتُ منه لا ولا خُلُفا

لا مَطلَ عانيتُ منه لا ولا خُلُفا

So I returned from him to my family, with a little life left in me;

But I was granted by Him to my family and home a respite

No delay did I suffer from him—no, nor any broken promise.

that I had not hoped for, nor a substitute