يا صاحِ قُل في حاجَتي

يا صاحِ قُل في حاجَتي

أَذَكَرتَها فيما ذَكَرتا

أَذَكَرتَها فيما ذَكَرتا

O friend, tell me about my request:

O friend, speak of my need

did you mention it among the things you mentioned?

Did you recall it amidst what you recalled

أَو لا تَرى أَنَّ العِدا

أَو لا تَرى أَنَّ العِدا

تِ إِذا اِلتَوَيتَ بِها ذُمِمتا

تِ إِذا اِلتَوَيتَ بِها ذُمِمتا

Or do you not see that promises—

Or do you not see that reproach

when you evade them, bring you blame?

When turned to it becomes blemished

رَشِّح لُبانَةَ صاحِبٍ

رَشِّح لُبانَةَ صاحِبٍ

وَاِذكُر بِها ما كُنتَ قُلتا

وَاِذكُر بِها ما كُنتَ قُلتا

Further a friend's cherished wish,

Recommend the pureness of a friend

and recall, concerning it, what you had said.

And recall through it what you have said

إِنَّ السَراحَ مَعَ السَما

إِنَّ السَراحَ مَعَ السَما

حِ إِذا شَقيتَ بِما طَلَبتا

حِ إِذا شَقيتَ بِما طَلَبتا

Indeed, release accompanies generosity—

Verily ease with forgiveness

if what you sought has brought you hardship.

When you suffer from what you sought

وَالوَعدُ مِن دَينِ الكِرامِ

وَالوَعدُ مِن دَينِ الكِرامِ

فَما تَرى فيما وَعَدتا

فَما تَرى فيما وَعَدتا

And a promise is a debt owed by the noble;

And a promise is of the religion of nobles

so what do you think about what you promised?

So what do you see in what you promised

أَسهِل مَطالِعَ حاجَةٍ

أَسهِل مَطالِعَ حاجَةٍ

قَصَدَ اللِسانُ بِها وَجُرتا

قَصَدَ اللِسانُ بِها وَجُرتا

Ease the approaches to a request

The easiest beginnings of a need

at which the tongue aimed, while you acted unjustly.

The tongue ventured it and it flowed

المالُ أَهوَنُ هالِكٍ

المالُ أَهوَنُ هالِكٍ

وَالحَمدُ أَنفَعُ ما اِستَطَعتا

وَالحَمدُ أَنفَعُ ما اِستَطَعتا

Wealth is the least grievous thing to lose,

Wealth is the most fleeting destroyer

and praise the most beneficial thing you can attain.

And thanks are the most useful that you attempted

وَمِنَ العَجائِبِ أَنَّ ما

وَمِنَ العَجائِبِ أَنَّ ما

مَنَّيتَني ثُمَّ اِنقَلَبتا

مَنَّيتَني ثُمَّ اِنقَلَبتا

And among the wonders is that

And of wonders is that you

you raised my hopes, then turned away.

Gifted me then it reversed

وَبَعَثتُ وَأَيَّةَ كاذِبٍ

وَبَعَثتُ وَأَيَّةَ كاذِبٍ

وَإِذا وَأَيتَ لَنا كَذَبتا

وَإِذا وَأَيتَ لَنا كَذَبتا

And I sent forth a liar's promise;

And I sent Ayya the liar

and whenever you promised us, you lied.

And when you come to us, you lied

فَأَراكَ تَتبَعُ ما يُذَم

فَأَراكَ تَتبَعُ ما يُذَم

مُ وَلا تَعيجُ بِما حُمِدتا

مُ وَلا تَعيجُ بِما حُمِدتا

So I see you follow what is censured—

So I see you follow what is condemned

and pay no heed to what earned you praise.

And not hasten to what is praised

إِن كانَ في الخَطَلِ الصَوا

إِن كانَ في الخَطَلِ الصَوا

بُ فَقَد أَصَبتَ وَما عَجِزتا

بُ فَقَد أَصَبتَ وَما عَجِزتا

If correctness lies in foolish talk—

If there is propriety in the mistake

then you have hit the mark and have not failed.

Then you have succeeded and not failed