أَجُودُكَ أَمْ جُودِ المَطَرْ

وبِشرُكَ أَمْ بشْرُ عَرْفِ الزَّهَرْ

Is your generosity or the rain's generosity more bountiful?

Is the good news of your coming or the fragrance of flowers more delightful?

يداكَ مَحَلُّ الرَّدَى والنَّدى

فشَخْصٌ يُسَاءُ وشخص يُسَرْ

Your hands are the place of munificence and bounty.

One person is mistreated while another is honored.

فإِن شاعَ عنك صفاتُ الكَمال

فقد صدَّق الخُبْرُ ذاك الخَبرْ

If attributes of perfection have been attributed to you,

Then that report has confirmed the truthful news.

تطولُ وتُسْمِعُنَا طائلاً

فلَمْ تُخْل من بدَرٍ أَو دُرَرْ

You are tall in stature and your voice sounds melodious,

You have never been devoid of a full moon or pearls.

فِناؤكَ كالبيت أضْحَتْ تسيرُ

وفودُ النوالِ إِليه زَمَرْ

Your hospitality makes the house teem,

With throngs of visitors flocking to it.

وكفُّكَ لولا العطاءُ الذي

يُفجَّرُ منها لقُلْنَا الحَجَرْ

If it were not for your giving hands

We would have called them stones.

فيا حافظَ الدِّين يا مَنْ لَهُ

صفاتٌ تَحَلَّى بها واشتهرْ

O guardian of the faith, O you who

Is endowed with traits that have made you renowned.

لئن كنتُ عندَكَ ذا رِفعةٍ

فما للورى غيرُ ما قد ظهرْ

If I am held in high esteem by you

Then there is none other like what has appeared for the people.

يحَطُّ الفتى نَقْصُه دِرْهَماً

وكيف الذي نَقَصَ اثْنَيْ عَشَرْ

The shortcoming of a person makes him lose a dirham.

How can he who loses twelve be like that?

وأَنْتَ فأَكرَمُ مِنْ أَنْ أُرَى

وشيمتُك النفعُ أَشكو الضَّررْ

You are too noble for me to see

And your wont is to bring aid when there is harm.

فجُدْ وأَجِبْ خاطِرًا خاطِرًا

ولولاكَ يا قَصْدَهُ ما خَطَرْ

So be generous and fulfill my wish, however it may be.

If it were not for you, my desire would not have occurred.

بقيتَ على رَغْمِ أَنْفِ العَدُوِّ

لِمَنْ راحَ مُسْتَجْدِيًا أَو بَكَرْ

Despite the enemy's resentment, you have remained

For whoever comes early or late.