يا قَمَرَ اللَيلِ إِذا أَظلَما

يا قَمَرَ اللَيلِ إِذا أَظلَما

هَل يَنقُصُ التَسليمُ مَن سَلَّما

هَل يَنقُصُ التَسليمُ مَن سَلَّما

O moon of the night when it grows dark,

O moon of the night when it darkens

O moon of the night when it grows dark,

Does greeting diminish the one who greets?

Does greeting decrease for one who has greeted?

Does a greeting diminish the one who offers it?

قَد كُنتُ ذا وَصلٍ فَمَن ذا الَّذي

قَد كُنتُ ذا وَصلٍ فَمَن ذا الَّذي

عَلَمَّكَ الهِجرانَ لا عَلَّما

عَلَمَّكَ الهِجرانَ لا عَلَّما

I once enjoyed closeness—who, then, is it

I used to be one who connects so who is it

You were once joined with me, so who is the one

That taught you estrangement? May he never teach!

That taught you estrangement, not to greet?

That taught you estrangement? May he never teach!

إِن كُنتَ لي بَينَ الوَرى ظالِماً

إِن كُنتَ لي بَينَ الوَرى ظالِماً

رَضيتُ أَن تَبقى وَأَن تَظلِما

رَضيتُ أَن تَبقى وَأَن تَظلِما

If, among all people, you are unjust to me,

If you have wronged me among all people

If you must be an oppressor to me among all people,

I am content that you live on and do me wrong.

I would be content for you to remain and do wrong

I am content that you remain, even if you oppress.

هَذا ابنُ إِسماعيلَ يَبني العُلى

هَذا ابنُ إِسماعيلَ يَبني العُلى

وَيَصطَفي الأَكرَمَ فَالأَكرَما

وَيَصطَفي الأَكرَمَ فَالأَكرَما

This is the son of Ismail, building lofty honor,

This is the son of Ishmael who builds highnesses

This is the son of Ismail, constructing greatness,

And choosing the noblest, then the next most noble.

And chooses the most honourable, so the most honourable

Selecting the noblest course, and the nobler still.

يَزيدُ ذا المالِ إِلى مالِهِ

يَزيدُ ذا المالِ إِلى مالِهِ

وَيَخلُفُ المالَ لِمَن أَعدَما

وَيَخلُفُ المالَ لِمَن أَعدَما

He adds to the wealthy man's wealth,

He increases what he has of wealth

He adds to the wealth of those with means,

And restores wealth to whoever has become destitute.

And leaves wealth for those who have nothing

And restores the fortune of those left with nothing.

يَرى انتِهازَ الحَمدِ أُكرومَةً

يَرى انتِهازَ الحَمدِ أُكرومَةً

لَيسَ كَمَن إِن جِئتَهُ صَمَّما

لَيسَ كَمَن إِن جِئتَهُ صَمَّما

He regards seizing the chance to earn praise as a noble deed,

He sees seizing praise as vulgarity

He sees the seizing of praise as a mark of honor,

Unlike one who turns a deaf ear when you come to him.

Not like one who if you come to him, turns away

Unlike one who turns a deaf ear when you approach.

سَل حَسَناً تَسأَل بِهِ ماجِداً

سَل حَسَناً تَسأَل بِهِ ماجِداً

يَرى الَّذي تَسأَلُهُ مَغنَما

يَرى الَّذي تَسأَلُهُ مَغنَما

Ask Hasan: you will be asking a noble man,

Ask Hasan with what is beautiful so you ask a glorious one

Ask of Hasan—you are asking a glorious man,

Who regards what you request as a gain.

He sees what you ask of him as a gain

Who views what you ask of him as his own gain.