إِذا اِنبَسَطنا رُدِدنا عَن زِيارَتِنا

إِذا اِنبَسَطنا رُدِدنا عَن زِيارَتِنا

أَوِ اِنقَبَضنا فَلَومٌ موشِكُ المَضَضِ

أَوِ اِنقَبَضنا فَلَومٌ موشِكُ المَضَضِ

If we are forthcoming, we are turned away from visiting;

If we try to visit, we're turned away,

or if we withdraw, reproach is quick to sting.

Or if not, blame quickly comes our way,

فَلَيسَ تَنفَكُّ مِن مَنعٍ وَمِن عَذَلٍ

فَلَيسَ تَنفَكُّ مِن مَنعٍ وَمِن عَذَلٍ

مِنكُم بِمُنبَسِطٍ مِنّا وَمُنقَبَضِ

مِنكُم بِمُنبَسِطٍ مِنّا وَمُنقَبَضِ

Thus there is no end to refusal and reproach

We can't avoid your hostility,

from you, toward the forthcoming and the withdrawn among us.

Whether we come or choose to stay.

ماظَنُّ مُستَوهِبِ الجَدوى إِذا نَظَرَت

ماظَنُّ مُستَوهِبِ الجَدوى إِذا نَظَرَت

عَيناهُ عِندَكُمُ إِخفاقُ مُقتَرِضِ

عَيناهُ عِندَكُمُ إِخفاقُ مُقتَرِضِ

What hope has a seeker of bounty, when he beholds

What can one who seeks aid expect to gain,

with his own eyes a borrower's failure in your presence?

When in your eyes he's but a worthless drain?

كُتبُ الوَزيرِ إِلى عُمّالِهِ عِوَضٌ

كُتبُ الوَزيرِ إِلى عُمّالِهِ عِوَضٌ

مِمّا تَطَلَّبتُ أَو جِنسٌ مِنَ العِوَضِ

مِمّا تَطَلَّبتُ أَو جِنسٌ مِنَ العِوَضِ

The minister's letters to his officials are recompense

The minister's letters to his agents, so I'm told,

for what I sought, or a kind of recompense.

Are payment of a kind, if not pure gold.

فَلا تَضُنّوا بِإِحدى الحاجَتَينِ فَلا

فَلا تَضُنّوا بِإِحدى الحاجَتَينِ فَلا

عُذرٌ لِمانِعِ داني القَدرِ مُنخَفِضِ

عُذرٌ لِمانِعِ داني القَدرِ مُنخَفِضِ

So do not begrudge granting one of the two requests, for there is no

So do not stint in granting our requests,

excuse for withholding something so modest in worth, so slight.

No excuse has one who's mighty yet contests.