يَا أَحْمَدَ الخَيْرِ يَا مَنْ

يَا أَحْمَدَ الخَيْرِ يَا مَنْ

أَسْدَى وَأَجْزَلَ عُرْفَهْ

أَسْدَى وَأَجْزَلَ عُرْفَهْ

O Ahmad, man of goodness—O you who

O good Ahmad, O you who

have bestowed and lavished your bounty,

have bestowed and lavished your bounty.

مَا كَانَ رَأْيُكَ أَدْنَى

مَا كَانَ رَأْيُكَ أَدْنَى

مِنْ بَذْلِكَ المَالَ سُلْفَهْ

مِنْ بَذْلِكَ المَالَ سُلْفَهْ

your counsel was no less a gift

Your counsel was worth no less

than the money you advanced as a loan.

than the money you advanced as a loan.

حُيِّيْتَ مِنْ لَوْذَعِيٍّ

حُيِّيْتَ مِنْ لَوْذَعِيٍّ

وَقَارُهُ زَادَ لُطْفَهْ

وَقَارُهُ زَادَ لُطْفَهْ

Greetings to you from a discerning man,

Hail to you, a keen-witted man

whose dignity has deepened his grace—

whose dignity has enhanced his gentleness.

فَتىً كَهَمِّ المَعَالِي

فَتىً كَهَمِّ المَعَالِي

عِلْماً وَبَأْساً وَرَأْفَهْ

عِلْماً وَبَأْساً وَرَأْفَهْ

a youth like lofty aspiration itself

A youth like the quest for greatness,

in learning, valor, and compassion.

in knowledge, valor, and compassion.

سَمْحُ السَّجِيَّةِ لا تَعْـ

سَمْحُ السَّجِيَّةِ لا تَعْـ

ـدَمُ المَرَافِق عَطْفَهْ

ـدَمُ المَرَافِق عَطْفَهْ

Generous by nature—never does

Generous by nature, never do

a companion go without his kindness.

public works lack his care.

كَالنِّيلِ مَدَّ فُرُوعاً

كَالنِّيلِ مَدَّ فُرُوعاً

وَكُلُّ فَرْعٍ لِضِفَّهْ

وَكُلُّ فَرْعٍ لِضِفَّهْ

Like the Nile, he has stretched forth branches,

Like the Nile, he spread out branches,

each branch reaching toward its bank.

and each branch reaches a riverbank.