نحنُ لا نَسْتَنيلُ غَيْرَكَ في النْ

نحنُ لا نَسْتَنيلُ غَيْرَكَ في النْ

ناسِ وانْ كانَ فيهم من يُنِيلُ

ناسِ وانْ كانَ فيهم من يُنِيلُ

We seek bounty from none but you among the

We seek from none but you though there are some

people, even if some among them give.

Among men who can give while their gifts are welcome

رِفدُهمُ يا أَخا الفواضلِ مَرْدُو

رِفدُهمُ يا أَخا الفواضلِ مَرْدُو

دٌ عليهم ورِفْدُكَ المَقْبُولُ

دٌ عليهم ورِفْدُكَ المَقْبُولُ

Their bounty, O brother of generous deeds, is turned

O noble one your gifts to us are most prized

back to them; your bounty is accepted.

Theirs may flow to them while yours cannot be equaled

لا بقينا الى زَمانٍ به نَأ

لا بقينا الى زَمانٍ به نَأ

مُلُ حُراً وغيرُك المأمُولُ

مُلُ حُراً وغيرُك المأمُولُ

May we never live to a time when we pin

We wait not hoping one day to live free

our hopes on a noble man other than you.

While our hope from others is unfulfilled

نقبلُ النَّزر من يَديك ولا نَقْ

نقبلُ النَّزر من يَديك ولا نَقْ

بلُ نَيلَ البخيلِ وهو جَزِيلُ

بلُ نَيلَ البخيلِ وهو جَزِيلُ

We accept the little from your hands, but do not

We take but little from your hands while none

accept the miser's bounty, though it is abundant.

From the miser's pile though it may be plentiful

فقليلٌ من الكريمِ كَثيرٌ

فقليلٌ من الكريمِ كَثيرٌ

وكثيرٌ من اللئيمِ قَلِيلُ

وكثيرٌ من اللئيمِ قَلِيلُ

For a little from the generous is much,

The generous one's gift small may yet be great

and much from the ignoble is little.

While the mean one's much may provide but little

انَّما هذه الصَّنائِع رِقٌّ

انَّما هذه الصَّنائِع رِقٌّ

فَعزيزٌ مِن أَهلِهَا وَذَلِيلُ

فَعزيزٌ مِن أَهلِهَا وَذَلِيلُ

These favors are nothing but bondage;

These skills are but a yoke and rare to find

so among their recipients, some are honored and some abased.

Are the noble ones while the servile are many

يا خليليَّ ليس للهَمِّ شَافٍ

يا خليليَّ ليس للهَمِّ شَافٍ

نَجَمَ القُبحُ واستَسرَّ الجَمِيلُ

نَجَمَ القُبحُ واستَسرَّ الجَمِيلُ

O my two dear friends, there is no healer for sorrow;

My friend for woe there is no remedy

ugliness has emerged, and beauty has hidden itself.

Beauty is eclipsed and vileness made attractive

وأَرانا من الشَّقَاءِ خُلِقْنَا

وأَرانا من الشَّقَاءِ خُلِقْنَا

في زَمانٍ تَضُرُّ فيهِ العُقُولُ

في زَمانٍ تَضُرُّ فيهِ العُقُولُ

And I think we were created out of misery,

Misfortune was our nature from the start

in an age when reason does harm.

In times when minds themselves do harm

فاسقياني مُفيدةً الجَهل حتّى

فاسقياني مُفيدةً الجَهل حتّى

تَرياني من السفاهِ أَمِيلُ

تَرياني من السفاهِ أَمِيلُ

So give me a drink that imparts ignorance, until

So let me drink deep of ignorance until

you both see me swaying from folly.

I seem most inclined to utter foolishness

عَلّلاِني فكلُّ جَدٍّ وَهَزلٍ

عَلّلاِني فكلُّ جَدٍّ وَهَزلٍ

وَعَنَاءٍ وراحةٍ تَعْلِيلُ

وَعَنَاءٍ وراحةٍ تَعْلِيلُ

Distract me, for all earnestness and jest,

Find me excuses for all seriousness and jest

and toil and ease, are but diversion.

Every toil and repose needs its explanation

ولكلٍّ من عيشهِ ما كفاهُ

ولكلٍّ من عيشهِ ما كفاهُ

كلُّ ما يَفضُلُ الكفافَ فُضُولُ

كلُّ ما يَفضُلُ الكفافَ فُضُولُ

And each has from his livelihood what suffices him;

All have their fill of the life they are given

all that exceeds subsistence is excess.

More than suffice is excess for any person