رُبَّmany a رِفْدٍgift وإنْand even if تكاثرَmultiplied عدّاًin number
رُبَّ رِفْدٍ وإنْ تكاثرَ عدّاً
قَلَّdiminished منbecause of فَرطِexcess كَثرةٍabundance التَّردادِrepetition
قَلَّ من فَرطِ كَثرةٍ التَّردادِ
Many a gift, though multiplied in number,
Many a gift, though great in number,
Has dwindled through excessive, repeated delay.
Is diminished by excessive repetition.
إنماonly الجُودُgenerosity كالحياةِlike life ولكنْbut
إنما الجُودُ كالحياةِ ولكنْ
يَعتريهاafflicts it السَّقامُsickness بالميعادِthrough promises
يَعتريها السَّقامُ بالميعادِ
Generosity is like life itself—but
Generosity is but like life, yet
Sickness overtakes it when it is deferred to a promised date.
Sickness afflicts it through promises.
وسؤالُand the asking of الأحرارnoble men منfrom غيرother than خَلْفٍdisagreement
وسؤالُ الأحرار من غير خَلْفٍ
ثمنٌa price للنَّدىfor bounty منfrom الأجْوادِthe generous
ثمنٌ للنَّدى من الأجْوادِ
And asking the noble, with no promise broken,
And noble men's asking, beyond dispute,
Is the price one pays for bounty from the generous.
Is the price of bounty from the generous.
Sol 6.1