فَتَى كَيفما مِلنَا رأينا له يداً

فَتَى كَيفما مِلنَا رأينا له يداً

بعيدةَ مَرمَى الشكر مَطلبُها سَهلُ

بعيدةَ مَرمَى الشكر مَطلبُها سَهلُ

A youth—whichever way we turn, we find his hand,

A youth whose generous hand we saw extended

beyond the reach of thanks, yet easy to seek.

Far, seeking neither thanks nor gain,

خفيفُ على الأعناق مَحمَلُ مَنِّهَا

خفيفُ على الأعناق مَحمَلُ مَنِّهَا

ولكن على الإنكار من عَدِّها ثقلُ

ولكن على الإنكار من عَدِّها ثقلُ

Light upon necks is the burden of its bounty,

Light lies his gifts on people's necks bestowed,

yet the tally of its favors weighs heavily upon denial.

But heavy on the thankless falls its weight.

وواله ما أَفضَى من المال ما نَشَا

وواله ما أَفضَى من المال ما نَشَا

إلى كَفِّه إلا العِنانُ أو النَّصلُ

إلى كَفِّه إلا العِنانُ أو النَّصلُ

And by God, throughout his life, no possession has reached

The chief, of all the wealth his conquests brought

his palm except the reins or the blade.

Naught to his own hands gave he but the rein,

تَفَرَّقَ طُلابُ المساعي فَكُلُّهم

تَفَرَّقَ طُلابُ المساعي فَكُلُّهم

إذا اجتمعوا بعضٌ وأنت له كلُّ

إذا اجتمعوا بعضٌ وأنت له كلُّ

The seekers of noble deeds are scattered; all of them,

Seeking renown, men severally have sought,

when gathered, are but a part, while you are the whole.

Assembled, each is part, and you are whole.

وما فرَّعَ الأقوامُ في المجدِ

وما فرَّعَ الأقوامُ في المجدِ

فباهوا به إلا وأنتَ له أصلُ

فباهوا به إلا وأنتَ له أصلُ

No people have put forth branches in glory,

The glory tribes and races have attained

then boasted of them, without your being their root.

Is yours in its entirety, root and branch, the sum.