تَزورُ اِمرَءاً يُعطى عَلى الحَمدِ مالَهُ

وَمَن يُعطِ أَثمانَ المَحامِدِ يُحمَدِ

You visit a man who is given his wealth for praise

And one who gives away treasures for eulogies is praised

وَأَنتَ اِمرُؤٌ مَن تُعطِهِ اليَومَ نائِلاً

بِكَفِّكَ لا يَمنَعكَ مِن نائِلِ الغَدِ

You are a man who gives today to the asker

With your palm not preventing you from the asker of tomorrow

تَرى الجودَ لا يُدني مِنَ المَرءِ حَتفَهُ

كَما البُخلُ وَالإِمساكُ لَيسَ بِمُخلِدِ

You see generosity does not bring a man closer to his doom

Just as stinginess and hoarding do not make one immortal

مُفيدٌ وَمِتلافٌ إِذا ما سَأَلتَهُ

تَهَلَّلَ وَاِهتَزَّ اِهتِزازَ المُهَنَّدِ

Useful and wasteful when you ask him

He sparkles and trembles with the trembling of a pliant bow

مَتى تَأتِهِ تَعشو إِلى ضَوءِ نارِهِ

تَجِد خَيرَ نارٍ عِندَها خَيرُ موقِدِ

Whenever you come to him you live by the light of his fire

You will find the best fire has the best kindler