ما اِعتاضَ باذِلُ وَجهِهِ بِسُؤالِهِ

ما اِعتاضَ باذِلُ وَجهِهِ بِسُؤالِهِ

عِوَضاً وَلَو نالَ المنى بِسؤالِ

عِوَضاً وَلَو نالَ المنى بِسؤالِ

He who offers up his face by begging gains nothing

The one who gave his face did not complain by his request,

He who sacrifices his dignity by begging gains no true return,

in recompense, even if by begging he attains his heart’s desires.

Even if he got what he wanted by his request.

Even if he attains his heart's desire through that plea.

وَاِذا السُؤالُ مَعَ النَّوالِ وَزَنتَهُ

وَاِذا السُؤالُ مَعَ النَّوالِ وَزَنتَهُ

رَجِحَ السُؤالَ وَخَفَّ كُلُّ نَوالِ

رَجِحَ السُؤالَ وَخَفَّ كُلُّ نَوالِ

And if you weigh begging against the gift,

And if the request is weighed with the gain,

For if you were to weigh the act of asking against the gift,

begging weighs heavier, and every gift weighs light.

The request outweighs, and all the gain becomes light.

The asking would outweigh it, and every bounty would prove light.

وَاِذا اِبتُليتَ بِبَذلِ وَجهِكَ سائِلاً

وَاِذا اِبتُليتَ بِبَذلِ وَجهِكَ سائِلاً

فَاِبذُلهُ لِلمُتَكَرِّمِ المِفضالِ

فَاِبذُلهُ لِلمُتَكَرِّمِ المِفضالِ

And if you are tried by offering up your face as a beggar,

And if you are tested by giving your face as a beggar,

And if you are afflicted with the need to spend your honor in asking,

then offer it to one who is gracious and bountiful.

Then give it to the generous and gracious one.

Then spend it only on the generous, the most gracious one.

إِنَّ الكَريمَ إِذا حَباكَ بِنَيلِهِ

إِنَّ الكَريمَ إِذا حَباكَ بِنَيلِهِ

أَعطاكَهُ سَلِساً بِغَيرِ مِطالِ

أَعطاكَهُ سَلِساً بِغَيرِ مِطالِ

Indeed, when a generous man bestows his bounty on you,

Surely the generous one, if he gifts you with his attainment,

For the noble man, when he bestows his bounty upon you,

he gives it to you readily, without delay.

He gives it to you smoothly without delay.

Gives it smoothly, without delay or deferment.