إن رمت تجزى عن يد

إن رمت تجزى عن يد

بيد جزاء لن يضيع

بيد جزاء لن يضيع

If you wish to be repaid for a favor

If you throw a hand to hit,

If you wish a kindness repaid,

with a favor—a recompense that will not be lost—

A hand in return will not miss.

With a reward that shall not be lost,

فاشكر كما شكرت (ودا

فاشكر كما شكرت (ودا

د) فضل مالكها الوديع

د) فضل مالكها الوديع

then give thanks, as Wadad gave thanks,

So be thankful, as you were thanked,

Then give thanks as Widad gave thanks

for the kindness of her gentle master.

For the kindness of its owner so nice.

For the bounty of her gentle master.

إذ أدبر العيش المريـ

إذ أدبر العيش المريـ

ـح وأقبل العيش المريع

ـح وأقبل العيش المريع

When the life of ease withdrew,

When livelihood turned unkind,

When the life of ease turned away,

and dreadful living came,

And cruel livelihood took its place,

And a dreadful existence drew near,

وابتاع سيدها الفتى

وابتاع سيدها الفتى

ما ابتاع بالدين الفظيع

ما ابتاع بالدين الفظيع

her young master had bought

The young master bought

And her young master had purchased

what he bought with crushing debt.

With faith so immense.

That which he bought with ruinous debt,

وأراد تأمين المبيـ

وأراد تأمين المبيـ

ـع فعز تأمين المبيع

ـع فعز تأمين المبيع

And he wished to secure the purchase,

And wanted to secure

And he sought to secure the payment,

but securing the purchase proved hard.

That which he had bought,

But securing the payment proved impossible.

قالت له: بعني وهب

قالت له: بعني وهب

ثمني وإخلاصي شفيع

ثمني وإخلاصي شفيع

She said to him: “Sell me, and give

She said: Sell me and make

She said to him: "Sell me, and accept"

my price; my devotion pleads for me.

My price and my loyalty your intercessor.

"My price; let my loyalty be my intercessor."

لا أستطيع أراك كـ

لا أستطيع أراك كـ

 ـلا مفلسا لا أستطيع

ـلا مفلسا لا أستطيع

I cannot bear to see you helpless,

I cannot bear seeing you

"For I cannot bear to see you"

bankrupt—I cannot.”

Broke, I cannot bear.

"Destitute and broken; I simply cannot."

بيعت (وداد) بالمزا

بيعت (وداد) بالمزا

د وقلبها دام وجيع

د وقلبها دام وجيع

Wadad was sold at auction,

I sold my love

So Widad was sold at public auction,

her heart bleeding and aching.

While my heart was in pain.

While her heart remained bleeding and aching.

ومضت وراء المشتري

ومضت وراء المشتري

فمضت بألباب الجميع

فمضت بألباب الجميع

And she went away behind the buyer,

And I went after the buyer

She departed, following the buyer,

and carried off everyone's wits.

So the minds of all went.

Taking the hearts of all beholders with her.

يا من رأى الظبي الأغـ

يا من رأى الظبي الأغـ

ـن بغارة الذؤبان ريع

ـن بغارة الذؤبان ريع

O you who saw the soft-voiced gazelle,

O you who saw the deer

O you who have seen the graceful gazelle,

terrified by the wolves' raid!

Ravaged by the wolves horde!

Terrified by a sudden raid of wolves,

خلق بديع كالملا

خلق بديع كالملا

ك يزينه خلق بديع

ك يزينه خلق بديع

An exquisite form, angel-like,

A wonderful creation, like angels

A wondrous form, akin to an angel,

adorned by exquisite character.

Adorned by a wonderful creation.

Adorned by a character of grace.

وإذا بسيدها الجديـ

وإذا بسيدها الجديـ

 ـد أصحابه مرض سريع

ـد أصحابه مرض سريع

And behold, her new master

And then her new master

Suddenly, upon her new master,

was struck by a swift illness.

Fell ill, and fell quick.

A swift and fatal illness descended,

وبعتقها أوصى لما

وبعتقها أوصى لما

حازته من أدب رفيع

حازته من أدب رفيع

And he willed her freedom, for

And in freeing her he instructed

And he bequeathed her freedom, in recognition

the noble refinement she possessed.

For the manners she had and so unique.

Of the refined culture she possessed.

وقضى فخف الطير منـ

وقضى فخف الطير منـ

ـطلقا إلى حصن منيع

ـطلقا إلى حصن منيع

And he died; the bird sped forth,

And he passed away, so the bird flew

He passed away, and the bird took flight,

unfettered, toward an impregnable fortress.

Free to a fortress so strong.

Speeding free toward a secure sanctuary,

وانسلت الزوج المطيـ

وانسلت الزوج المطيـ

ـعة تنشد الزوج المطيع

ـعة تنشد الزوج المطيع

And the dutiful wife slipped away,

And the wed wife slipped away

And the faithful companion slipped away

seeking her dutiful husband.

Seeking the loyal groom.

Seeking out her loyal mate.

فتلاقيا بعد الإيا

فتلاقيا بعد الإيا

س وهكذا يرعى الصنيع

س وهكذا يرعى الصنيع

So they met again after despair,

So they met after despair

So they reunited after all hope was lost,

and thus a kindness is honored.

And this is how the artful act.

And thus is a good deed preserved.