حَمَّلْتني مِنَناً عَجزتُ وَلي قُوى

حَمَّلْتني مِنَناً عَجزتُ وَلي قُوى

عَن أَن أَقومُ بِشُكرِها المَفروضِ

عَن أَن أَقومُ بِشُكرِها المَفروضِ

You loaded me with favors; I fell short, though possessed of strength,

You have laden me with favors; despite my strength, I am unable

of discharging the gratitude owed them.

To render the thanks that are their due.

وَلِسانُ نَثري لَو يَطولُ فَقاصِرٌ

وَلِسانُ نَثري لَو يَطولُ فَقاصِرٌ

عَن شُكرِها وَكَذا لِسانُ قَريضي

عَن شُكرِها وَكَذا لِسانُ قَريضي

The tongue of my prose, however long it may run, still falls short

And the tongue of my prose, however long it grows, falls short

of thanking them—and so too does the tongue of my verse.

Of thanking you for them, as does the tongue of my verse.

ما كانَ عِندي ما يُكافيها سِوى

ما كانَ عِندي ما يُكافيها سِوى

قَولي حَباكَ اللَّهُ بِالتّعريضِ

قَولي حَباكَ اللَّهُ بِالتّعريضِ

I had nothing that could requite them, save

I had nothing that could repay them except

my saying, by way of allusion: “May God favor you.”

My saying, by way of allusion, 'May God bestow His favor on you.'