Claude 2

  1. أقول لسائلي بك يا ابن يحيى

    حَمادِ لمن سألتَ به حمادِ

    I say to those who ask of you, O son of Yahya

    Glory to those you asked glory for

  2. ولم أحمد به إلا حميداً

    بإجماع المُصَالحِ والمُعَادي

    And I glorified no one but the Glorious

    With the consensus of allies and foes alike

  3. فقال وإن مُطِلْتَ زُهاءَ حَوْلٍ

    فقلت وإن مُطلت إلى التنادِ

    So he said, even if you prolong for a year

    I said, even if you prolong to eternity

  4. متى يَمْطُلْ أبو حسنٍ علِيٌّ

    فَعِلَّةُ مَطْلِهِ عَوَزُ الجوادِ

    When has Abu Hasan Ali ever prolonged?

    For the cause of his prolonging is lack of generosity

  5. ومحبِسُه العطيةَ مستزيداً

    نَدَى يَدِه وليس بمستزادِ

    And his imprisonment of bounty, seeking increase

    Dew of his hand, though no seeker of increase

  6. وما ضرَّ المؤمِّل مطْلُ وعْدٍ

    تظل له العطية في ازديادِ

    Prolonging of hope harms not the prolonger

    Bounty remains increasing for him

  7. فكلُّ فتىً كريم فيه مطْلٌ

    ببذل نواله فرط احتشادِ

    For every noble youth has some prolonging

    In bestowing gifts, throng overflowing

  8. يُزايد نفْسَه في الرفد حتى

    يطولَ المطلُ من طول الزيادِ

    He competes with himself in sustenance

    So the prolonging lengthens with the increase

  9. ولم يمطل جوادٌ قَطُّ إلا

    أتاك حِبَاؤه ضخم السَّوادِ

    No generous one ever prolonged

    Except his loved ones came, crowd most black

  10. إذا ما حاملٌ جرَّتْ بحملٍ

    أتمَّتْ شخصَه عند الولادِ

    When a burdened camel is pulled by burden

    It completes its form during birth

  11. وما مطلُ ابن يحيى سائليه

    ليوحشهم بذاك من العِوادِ

    Prolonging of the son of Yahya is no disdain

    To alienate them, of that habit

  12. ولا ليروضَ نفْساً ذاتَ شُحٍّ

    ولا ليفكَّ عزماً ذا صفادِ

    Nor to tame a soul of meanness

    Nor to undo resolve tightly bound

  13. وما من شأنه استكثار عُوْدٍ

    ولا استثقالُ معروفٍ مُعادِ

    It is not his way, too many gifts

    Or finding favor burdensome when reciprocated

  14. فداه الماطلون لكي يفُكُّوا

    وثاق البخل عن أيدٍ جِعادِ

    Those who prolong ransom him to undo

    Shackles of stinginess from hands all withered

  15. ولا عدم المؤمِّل منه مطلاً

    تتم به الصنائع والأيادي

    No lack of prolonging from him

    By which good deeds and hands perfected