سُئِلتَ فَلَم تَبخَل وَلَم تُعطِ طائِلاً

سُئِلتَ فَلَم تَبخَل وَلَم تُعطِ طائِلاً

فَسِيّانِ لا ذَمٌّ عَلَيكَ وَلا حَمدُ

فَسِيّانِ لا ذَمٌّ عَلَيكَ وَلا حَمدُ

You were asked: you did not withhold, yet gave nothing of worth.

You were asked: you were not miserly, yet gave nothing substantial.

So it comes to the same: you deserve neither blame nor praise.

So both are alike: neither blame nor praise is yours.

وَأَنتَ اِمرُؤٌ لا الجودُ مِنكَ سَجِيَّةٌ

وَأَنتَ اِمرُؤٌ لا الجودُ مِنكَ سَجِيَّةٌ

فَتُعطي وَقَد يُعدي عَلى النائِلِ الوُجدُ

فَتُعطي وَقَد يُعدي عَلى النائِلِ الوُجدُ

You are a man in whom generosity is no native trait;

And you are a man with no inborn generosity

and so you give—for wealth can sometimes spur a man to giving.

to move you to give—though wealth can aid in giving.