فَلَو لَم يَكُن إِلّا بِنَفسِك فَخرُها

فَلَو لَم يَكُن إِلّا بِنَفسِك فَخرُها

لَكانَ لَها يَوم الفخار بك الفَضلُ

لَكانَ لَها يَوم الفخار بك الفَضلُ

For if her glory lay in you alone,

If pride was only for your soul alone

For even if it had no source of pride but your very self,

she would have preeminence through you on the day of boasting.

On the day of pride, the merit would be yours

It would possess the merit through you on the day of boasting.

جَريتَ عَلى مَهل فأتعبت من جرى

جَريتَ عَلى مَهل فأتعبت من جرى

فَلا تعبٌ يُدني إِلَيكَ وَلا مهل

فَلا تعبٌ يُدني إِلَيكَ وَلا مهل

You ran at an unhurried pace, yet exhausted those who ran;

You walked slowly, and tired those who ran

You ran at a leisurely pace, yet exhausted those who raced,

so neither exertion nor an unhurried pace brings anyone near you.

No fatigue brings them near you, no respite

So neither fatigue brings them near to you, nor does your ease.

وَيبذُل دُنياه وَيَمنَع دينَه

وَيبذُل دُنياه وَيَمنَع دينَه

فَلا مثل ذا بذل وَلا مثل ذا بخل

فَلا مثل ذا بذل وَلا مثل ذا بخل

And he gives away his worldly goods, yet guards his faith;

He gives his worldly goods, but holds back his faith

He gives away his worldly goods but fiercely guards his faith,

so there is no generosity like this, nor stinginess like this.

None can match his generosity, none his stinginess

So there is no generosity like this giving, nor any stinginess like this withholding.