لِسانُكَ أَحلى مِن جَنيِ النَحلِ مَوعِداً

لِسانُكَ أَحلى مِن جَنيِ النَحلِ مَوعِداً

وَكَفُّكَ بِالمَعروفِ أَضيَقُ مِن قُفلِ

وَكَفُّكَ بِالمَعروفِ أَضيَقُ مِن قُفلِ

Your tongue is sweeter in promise than the bees' harvest,

Your tongue is sweeter than a honeycomb appointment

yet your hand, in generosity, is tighter than a lock.

And your palm with kindness is narrower than a lock

تُمَنّي الَّذي يَأتيكَ حَتّى إِذا اِنتَهى

تُمَنّي الَّذي يَأتيكَ حَتّى إِذا اِنتَهى

إِلى أَمَدٍ ناوَلتَهُ طَرَفَ الحَبلِ

إِلى أَمَدٍ ناوَلتَهُ طَرَفَ الحَبلِ

You fill whoever comes to you with hopes until, when he reaches

You wish for the one who comes to you until when he ends

an appointed time, you hand him the end of the rope.

To a period, you extend to him the end of the rope