أيا خير مَن يرتادُه أملُ الورى

أيا خير مَن يرتادُه أملُ الورى

فمبصرُه في روضةٍ منه يُحبر

فمبصرُه في روضةٍ منه يُحبر

O best of all whom the hope of humankind seeks out,

O best of those whom humankind's hope seeks,

whoever beholds him is in a garden, rejoicing in him.

So whoever beholds him is gladdened in a garden of his.

لديكَ رَمَت نفسي كبارَ همومِها

لديكَ رَمَت نفسي كبارَ همومِها

وهمَّتُك العلياءُ منهنَّ أكبر

وهمَّتُك العلياءُ منهنَّ أكبر

Before you my soul has laid its weightiest cares,

Before you my soul laid its weighty cares,

and your lofty resolve is greater than them all.

And your lofty resolve is greater than them.

وطارَ رجائي في حِماك مُحلِّقاً

وطارَ رجائي في حِماك مُحلِّقاً

عن الناسِ حيثُ الكلُّ منهم مُقصِّر

عن الناسِ حيثُ الكلُّ منهم مُقصِّر

My hope took wing, soaring within your sanctuary,

And my hope flew, soaring in your sanctuary,

away from all people, since every one of them falls short.

Away from people, since every one of them falls short.

وعدتَ بريٍّ منك حائمةَ الرجا

وعدتَ بريٍّ منك حائمةَ الرجا

فهل هكذا تَبقى وجودُك جعفر

فهل هكذا تَبقى وجودُك جعفر

You promised my circling hope a quenching draught from you;

You promised hope's circling bird a quenching draught from you;

can it remain thus, when your bounty is a mighty river?

So will it remain thus, while your generosity is a flowing river?

سِواك يخيبُ الظنُّ فيه فيُعذر

سِواك يخيبُ الظنُّ فيه فيُعذر

ويمسكُ بخلاً وهو بالبخلِ أجدر

ويمسكُ بخلاً وهو بالبخلِ أجدر

With anyone but you, hope may be disappointed, and he may be excused;

Anyone but you disappoints one's expectations and is excused;

he may withhold out of miserliness—being fitter for miserliness.

And he withholds out of miserliness, for miserliness befits him better.

وغيركُ يستجدى وما الجودُ عندَه

وغيركُ يستجدى وما الجودُ عندَه

سوى كلماتٍ بالأكاذيبِ تسحرُ

سوى كلماتٍ بالأكاذيبِ تسحرُ

Another man is solicited for generosity, though generosity with him

And another is asked for gifts, yet his generosity is nothing

is nothing but words that bewitch by means of lies.

But words that bewitch with lies.

ولكنَّك المولى الذي انتشرت له

ولكنَّك المولى الذي انتشرت له

صنايعُ ما بين البريَّةِ تشكر

صنايعُ ما بين البريَّةِ تشكر

But you are the lord whose benefactions have spread

But you are the patron whose widespread

among all creation, and are gratefully acknowledged.

Benefactions are gratefully acknowledged among humankind.