دعِ البخلاءَ إذا شحوا وضنوا

دعِ البخلاءَ إذا شحوا وضنوا

وذكرى وصل غانية كنود

وذكرى وصل غانية كنود

Leave the misers when they are stingy and begrudge,

Let misers be when they withhold and hoard

and the memory of union with an ungrateful beauty.

While memories of union sing like larks

وأهد اليوم منك مُحَبَّرات

وأهد اليوم منك مُحَبَّرات

إلى عمران واقدم بالسُّعُودِ

إلى عمران واقدم بالسُّعُودِ

Send today your finely wrought verses

And gift today from you embroidered gifts

to Imran, and come with good fortune.

To Imran, handing them with palm fronds

إلى متخيّر الأعراق يحوي

إلى متخيّر الأعراق يحوي

طريف المكرمات مع التليدِ

طريف المكرمات مع التليدِ

To a man of choicest lineage, who unites

To he who chooses the finest lineage containing

newly won honors with those inherited.

Pleasant gifts along with continuity

أشم يراجع الجادون منه

أشم يراجع الجادون منه

عطاءً ليس بالكدر الزَّهيدِ

عطاءً ليس بالكدر الزَّهيدِ

A lofty man, from whom seekers repeatedly receive

I can smell those who generously return from him

a gift neither tainted nor paltry.

A gift not paltry or trifling

سَتَكفيكَ الحَوائِجُ إِن أَلَمَّت

سَتَكفيكَ الحَوائِجُ إِن أَلَمَّت

عَلَيكَ بصَرفِ مَتَلافٍ مُفيدِ

عَلَيكَ بصَرفِ مَتَلافٍ مُفيدِ

Your needs will be met, should they befall

Your needs will be met if they weigh

you, through the bounty of a lavish spender who gains wealth.

Upon you by spending useful and beneficial

فَتىً يَتَحَمَّلُ الأَثقالَ ماضٍ

فَتىً يَتَحَمَّلُ الأَثقالَ ماضٍ

مُطيعٌ جَدُّهُ آلُ الأسيدِ

مُطيعٌ جَدُّهُ آلُ الأسيدِ

A young man who shoulders burdens, resolute;

A young man bearing heavy burdens marching on

Mutiʿ is his grandfather, of the house of al-Asid.

His grandfather being steadfast, clan Al-Aseed

حَلَفتُ لأمدَحَنَّكَ في مَعَدٍّ

حَلَفتُ لأمدَحَنَّكَ في مَعَدٍّ

وَذي يَمَنٍ عَلى رَغمِ الحَسودِ

وَذي يَمَنٍ عَلى رَغمِ الحَسودِ

I have sworn to praise you among Maʿadd

I swear I will praise you in preparedness

and the people of Yemen, despite the envious.

And gracious Yemen despite the envious

بِقَولٍ لا يَزالُ وَفيهِ حُسنٌ

بِقَولٍ لا يَزالُ وَفيهِ حُسنٌ

بِأَفواهِ الرُواةِ عَلى النَشيدِ

بِأَفواهِ الرُواةِ عَلى النَشيدِ

With verse that ever retains its beauty

With words that remain beautifully sung

on the lips of reciters as they chant.

By the mouths of reciters in melody

لأرجَعَ راضياً وَأَقولَ حَقّاً

لأرجَعَ راضياً وَأَقولَ حَقّاً

وَيَغبِرُ باقيَ الأَبَدِ الأَبيدِ

وَيَغبِرُ باقيَ الأَبَدِ الأَبيدِ

So I may return content and speak the truth,

I will return content and speak the truth

and it will endure through all everlasting time.

As the rest of endless time goes by

وَقَبلَكَ ما قَدَحتُ زِنادَ كابٍ

وَقَبلَكَ ما قَدَحتُ زِنادَ كابٍ

لأُخرِجَ وَريَ آبيَةٍ صَلودِ

لأُخرِجَ وَريَ آبيَةٍ صَلودِ

And before you, I struck the fire-sticks of one whose fire failed,

And before you I never pierced mounted swords

to draw a spark from stubborn, unyielding flint.

To let out the spittle of rugged hills

فَأَعياني فَدونَكَ فاِعتَنيني

فَأَعياني فَدونَكَ فاِعتَنيني

فَما المَذمومُ كالرَجُلِ الحَميدِ

فَما المَذمومُ كالرَجُلِ الحَميدِ

So he baffled me; take it, and care for me,

So excuse me, with you excusing me, so heed me

for the blameworthy is not like the praiseworthy man.

For the flawed is not like the praiseworthy man

وَكانَ كَحَيَّةٍ رُقيَت فَصَمَّت

وَكانَ كَحَيَّةٍ رُقيَت فَصَمَّت

عَلى الصادي برُقيَتِهِ المُعيدِ

عَلى الصادي برُقيَتِهِ المُعيدِ

And he was like a snake that was charmed, then turned deaf

He was like a snake charmed into silence

to the chanter repeating his incantation.

By the charming of its repeated charm

فَأُقسِمُ لا تَعودُ لَهُ رِقائي

فَأُقسِمُ لا تَعودُ لَهُ رِقائي

وَلا أُثني لَه ما عشتُ جيدي

وَلا أُثني لَه ما عشتُ جيدي

So I swear: my incantations shall not return to him,

So I swear its charm will not return to it

nor shall I bend my neck for him as long as I live.

Nor will I praise it what I live, my hands