إِنّي أُحَرِّض أَهلَ البُخلِ كُلِّهُم

إِنّي أُحَرِّض أَهلَ البُخلِ كُلِّهُم

لَو كانَ يَنفَعُ أَهلَ البُخلِ تَحريضي

لَو كانَ يَنفَعُ أَهلَ البُخلِ تَحريضي

I exhort all the miserly,

I incite all the misers,

If only my exhortation could benefit the miserly.

If only my inciting would benefit the misers,

ما قَلَّ ماليَ إِلّا زادَني كَرَماً

ما قَلَّ ماليَ إِلّا زادَني كَرَماً

حَتّى يَكونَ برزقِ اللَهِ تَعويضي

حَتّى يَكونَ برزقِ اللَهِ تَعويضي

My wealth never dwindles without making me more generous,

My wealth has only increased my generosity,

So that my recompense may come through God's provision.

Until I have compensation with God's provision.

وَالمالُ يَرفَعُ مَن لَولا دَراهِمُهُ

وَالمالُ يَرفَعُ مَن لَولا دَراهِمُهُ

أَمسى يُقَلِّب فينا طرفَ مَخفوضِ

أَمسى يُقَلِّب فينا طرفَ مَخفوضِ

And wealth raises one who, but for his dirhams,

And money raises those who without coins

Would have looked about among us with a humbled man's gaze.

Would turn on us a lowered gaze.

لَن تُخرِج البيضُ عَفواً مِن اكُفِّهُم

لَن تُخرِج البيضُ عَفواً مِن اكُفِّهُم

إِلا عَلى وَجَعٍ مِنهُم وَتَمريضِ

إِلا عَلى وَجَعٍ مِنهُم وَتَمريضِ

The white silver coins will never leave their palms freely,

The eggs will not come out freely from their fists,

Except with pain on their part and nursing care.

Except with pain from them and coaxing.

كَأَنَّها مِن جُلودِ الباخِلينَ بِها

كَأَنَّها مِن جُلودِ الباخِلينَ بِها

عِندَ النَوائِبِ تُحذى بِالمَقاريضِ

عِندَ النَوائِبِ تُحذى بِالمَقاريضِ

As though, from the skins of those who begrudge them,

As if they are from the skins of the misers, with them,

They were cut out with shears when calamities strike.

At adversities, scraped with shears.