بَلَوتُ الناسَ في شَرقٍ وَغَرب

بَلَوتُ الناسَ في شَرقٍ وَغَرب

وَمَيَّزتُ الكِرامَ مِنَ اللِئامِ

وَمَيَّزتُ الكِرامَ مِنَ اللِئامِ

I tested humankind in East and West,

I tested people in east and west,

and distinguished the noble from the base.

And distinguished the noble from the base.

فَرَدَّني الزَمانُ إِلى اِبنِ يَحيى

فَرَدَّني الزَمانُ إِلى اِبنِ يَحيى

عَلِيٍّ بَعدَ تَجريبِ الأَنامِ

عَلِيٍّ بَعدَ تَجريبِ الأَنامِ

Then time brought me back to Ibn Yahya,

So time brought me back to the son of Yahya,

Ali, after I had put mankind to the test—

Ali, after I had tested humankind;

إِلى حُرٍّ يَرى المَعروفَ غُنماً

إِلى حُرٍّ يَرى المَعروفَ غُنماً

إِذا عُدَّ النَوالُ مِنَ الغَرامِ

إِذا عُدَّ النَوالُ مِنَ الغَرامِ

to a free and noble man who sees kindness as gain,

To a noble man who sees benevolence as gain,

when largesse is reckoned among liabilities.

When giving is reckoned a loss.