لَمَستُ بِكَفّي كَفَّهُ أَبتَغي الغِنى

لَمَستُ بِكَفّي كَفَّهُ أَبتَغي الغِنى

وَلَم أَدرِ أَنَّ الجودَ مِن كَفِّهِ يُعدي

وَلَم أَدرِ أَنَّ الجودَ مِن كَفِّهِ يُعدي

I touched his palm with mine, seeking wealth.

I touched his palm, seeking wealth,

And I did not know that generosity from his palm was contagious.

And knew not that generosity comes from his palm overflowing,

فَرُحتُ وَقَد أَشبَهتُ في الجودِ حاتَماً

فَرُحتُ وَقَد أَشبَهتُ في الجودِ حاتَماً

فَضَيَّعتُ ما أَعطى وَأَتلَفتُ ما عِندي

فَضَيَّعتُ ما أَعطى وَأَتلَفتُ ما عِندي

So I went away, already resembling Hatim in generosity.

So I rejoiced, likening myself in generosity to Hatim,

So I squandered what he gave and wasted what I had.

I squandered what he gave, and ruined what I had,

فَلا أَنا مِنهُ ما أَفادَ ذَوُو الغِنى

فَلا أَنا مِنهُ ما أَفادَ ذَوُو الغِنى

أَفَدتُ وَأَعداني فَأَتلَفتُ ما عِندي

أَفَدتُ وَأَعداني فَأَتلَفتُ ما عِندي

So what the wealthy gained from him, I did not

So I did not gain from him what the wealthy gain,

Gain; and he infected me, so I wasted what I had.

I wasted, and he made me waste what I had.