وَقَد ذَكَّرتُ وَالتَذكارُ جُهدي

وَقَد ذَكَّرتُ وَالتَذكارُ جُهدي

وَقَد نادَيتُ لَو سُمِعَ النَداءُ

وَقَد نادَيتُ لَو سُمِعَ النَداءُ

I have indeed given reminders, and reminding is all I can do;

I have reminded, though reminding tires me,

And I have called—if only the call were heard.

I have called out, if only my call were heard,

وَجِئتُ بِهِ وَقَد راحَ المُصَلّى

وَجِئتُ بِهِ وَقَد راحَ المُصَلّى

وَجِئتُ بِهِ وَقَد جاءَ المِشاءُ

وَجِئتُ بِهِ وَقَد جاءَ المِشاءُ

And I brought it when the runner-up had already departed;

I came with it, though the worshipers had left,

And I brought it when the walker had already arrived.

I came with it, though the strollers had come,

وَقَد جَفَّت غِمارُ الوِردِ مِمّا

وَقَد جَفَّت غِمارُ الوِردِ مِمّا

تَزاحَمَ في مَورِدِها الدَلاءُ

تَزاحَمَ في مَورِدِها الدَلاءُ

And the watering place’s deep waters have dried up from

The clouds of roses are dry from what

The buckets crowding at their source.

The interlopers crowded at their watering place,

فَلَو لَم يُعفِني موسى كَموسى

فَلَو لَم يُعفِني موسى كَموسى

مِنَ السُقيا إِذا صُدِرَ الرِعاءُ

مِنَ السُقيا إِذا صُدِرَ الرِعاءُ

So if Musa did not spare me, like Moses,

If only Moses would quench me like Moses

From watering when the shepherds had been sent away,

Did the shepherds when they were driven from the watering place,

وَلا يَمنُن عَلَيَّ فَلا اِمتِنانُ

وَلا يَمنُن عَلَيَّ فَلا اِمتِنانُ

لِمَن بِحَزائِهِ سُبِقَ العَطاءُ

لِمَن بِحَزائِهِ سُبِقَ العَطاءُ

Let him claim no favor over me: no such claim belongs

And not oblige me, so I am not obligated

To one whose gift was preceded by its recompense.

To one whose reward was given before the gift,

وَما تَبقى العَطايا وَهِيَ كُيرٌ

وَما تَبقى العَطايا وَهِيَ كُيرٌ

وَقَد يَبقى وَإِن قَلَّ الثَناءُ

وَقَد يَبقى وَإِن قَلَّ الثَناءُ

Gifts do not endure, though plentiful [reading uncertain];

Gifts do not remain, though they be great,

Yet praise may endure, however little.

But praise remains, however small.