مدحُك يا بنَ الكرامِ فرضٌ

مدحُك يا بنَ الكرامِ فرضٌ

وفي سواك المديح ندبُ

وفي سواك المديح ندبُ

To praise you, son of noble men, is an obligation;

Praising you, O son of the noble, is an obligation;

to praise anyone but you is merely recommended.

And for anyone but you, praise is merely recommended.

قياسُ كفّيك في العطايا

قياسُ كفّيك في العطايا

بالبحر عند العقولِ كذبُ

بالبحر عند العقولِ كذبُ

To compare your hands, in their giving,

Comparing your two hands in giving

with the sea is, to discerning minds, a lie.

To the sea is a falsehood in the judgment of reason.

البحرُ يُخشى وأنتَ تُرجَى

البحرُ يُخشى وأنتَ تُرجَى

والبحر مَلحٌ وأنتَ عَذْبُ

والبحر مَلحٌ وأنتَ عَذْبُ

The sea is feared, while you are looked to with hope;

The sea is feared, while you are hoped for;

the sea is briny, while you are sweet.

And the sea is salty, while you are sweet.