قل لضياء الدين أنت امرؤ

قل لضياء الدين أنت امرؤ

أشكره سرا وإعلانا

أشكره سرا وإعلانا

Tell Diya al-Din: You are a man

Tell Dhiya al-Din you are a man

whom I thank in private and openly.

I thank secretly and openly

قم وادخل الساعة مستعجلا

قم وادخل الساعة مستعجلا

إلى علاء الدين مولانا

إلى علاء الدين مولانا

Rise and enter at once, in haste,

Arise and enter urgently

into the presence of Ala al-Din, our lord.

To Ala al-Din, our master

وقل له عني يا ماجد ا

وقل له عني يا ماجد ا

لم أره بالعرف منانا

لم أره بالعرف منانا

And say to him on my behalf: O noble one,

And tell him from me, O Majid

whom I have never seen boast of his favors:

I did not see him act graciously

لو حزت بغداد بأعمالها

لو حزت بغداد بأعمالها

وصرت في الملك سليانا

وصرت في الملك سليانا

If I possessed Baghdad with all its districts,

If Baghdad was adorned by her deeds

and became a Solomon in kingship [reading uncertain],

And I became in the kingdom Solomon

ظننت أن الدهر قد خانني

ظننت أن الدهر قد خانني

ما لم أفز بالكوثر الخانا

ما لم أفز بالكوثر الخانا

I would think that fate had betrayed me

I would think fate had betrayed me

unless I obtained al-Kawthar al-Khana [phrase unclear].

Unless I attained the bountiful river

فلست بالمقصر حتى أرى

فلست بالمقصر حتى أرى

ساحبها ذيلا واردانا

ساحبها ذيلا واردانا

So I shall not relent until I am seen

So I am not remiss until I see

trailing its hem and sleeves.

Her train flowing gracefully

فالرأى أن يصنع في حق من

فالرأى أن يصنع في حق من

يحسن فيه المدح إحسانا

يحسن فيه المدح إحسانا

So the wise course is to bestow upon one

The view is to do good for one

who praises him well an act of kindness.

Who deserves praise and kindness