بِعني نُسَيبُ وَلا تَهَب لي إِنَّني

لا أَستَثيبُ وَلا أُثيبُ الواهِبا

With eyes that turn away, no gift comes to me,

For I neither seek nor give to the giver.

إِنَّ العَطيَّةَ خَيرُ ما وَجَّهتَها

وَحَسِبتَها حَمداً وَأَجراً واجِبا

The gift is best when you direct it well

And count it thanks and obligatory reward.

وَمِنَ العَطيَّةِ ما يَعودُ غَرامَةً

وَمَلامَةً تَبقى وَمَنّاً كاذِبا

Yet some gifts become but debt

And blame that stays, with lies for favors.

وَبَلوتُ أَخلاقَ الرِجالِ وَفِعلَهُم

فَشَبِعتُ عِلماً مِنهُمُ وَتَجارِبا

I've tasted men's morals and their deeds,

And gained knowledge and experience from them.

فَأَخَذتُ مِنها ما رَضيتُ بِأَخذِهِ

وَتَرَكتُ أَكثَرَ ما هُنالِكَ جانِبا

I took from that what I was pleased to take

And left most of what was there aside.

فَإِذا وَعَدتُ الوَعدَ كُنتُ كَغارِمٍ

دَيناً أَقَرَّ بِهِ وَأَحضَرَ كاتِبا

When I make a promise I'm like one in debt

Who admits to it and brings a scribe,

حَتّى أُنَفِّذَهُ كَما وَجَّهتُهُ

وَكَفى عَليَّ لَهُ بِنَفسي طالِبا

Until I fulfill it as I aimed it,

And my own self suffices as its seeker.

وَإِذا فَعَلتُ فَعَلتُ غَيرَ مُحاسَبٍ

وَكَفى بِرَبِّكَ جازياً وَمُحاسِبا

When I act I act without self-reckoning,

And your Lord suffices as reckoner and accounter.

وَإِذا مَنَعتُ مَنَعتُ مَنعاً بَيِّناً

وَأَرَحتُ مِن طولِ العَناءِ الراغِبا

When I refuse I clearly refuse,

And relax from long importunity.

لا أَشتَري الحَمدَ القَليلَ بَقاؤُهُ

يَوماً بِذَمِّ الدَهرِ أَجمَعَ واصِبا

I don't buy little praise of brief survival

With lifelong blame from all sides pressing on me.