كثير نوالك في جنب ما

جُبِلتَ عليه من الجود نَزْرُ

Your generosity is plenty compared to

What you are naturally inclined to give, just a trickle.

ونَزْرُ نوالك عند الذي

يجود به سائر الناس غَمرُ

And a trickle of your giving to one

Who gives freely to all people is a flood.

فمن يستزدْك يجَدْ مَذهباً

ومن يرضَ يرض بما فيه خيرُ

So whoever seeks more from you finds a way,

And whoever is content is content with the good in it.

ولي همةٌ زاد في طولها

وفي عرضها أنّ كفيك بحرُ

And I have an ambition whose length

And breadth, your palms encompass an ocean.

وكنتَ وعدت لُهاً جمّةً

وبشّرني منك بالسيل قَطرُ

You had promised abundant gifts,

And given me hope of a torrent from you, a few drops.

وقلت لرفدك لما بدا

هلال كأنْ قد نما منه بدْرُ

And for your support when the new moon appeared

Like a full moon that had just developed from it.

فأنجِزْ مواعيدَ أكّدتها

فقد مر عصر وقد كر عصر

So fulfill the promises you emphasized,

For evening has passed and morning has passed.

ولا تُخلِفنِّي فإنّ الكري

م سيان وأْيٌ وآهُ ونذر

And do not disappoint me, for prevarication -

No matter what - is "Alas!" and "Oh!" and a vow.

وهل يخلف الوعدَ من قوله

كما الوعدُ عهدٌ كذا الخُلف غدر

Does one break a promise whose words

Are a covenant? Thus, breaking is betrayal.

ومطلُ الكريم مواعيدَه

أمانٌ من الخلف ما فيه خَتْر

The generous man delays his promises -

Trusting he will not fail in what is better.

ولن يُنْكَر المطل لاسيما

لمن ماله الدهرَ مدٌّ وجزر

Delay will not be denied, especially

For one whose lifetime is ebb and flow.

ولو وعدَتْني عنك المُنى

لأمست مواعيدها وهي وَفر

And if death had promised me about you

Its promises would become void and false.