إن رمت تجزى عن يد

بيد جزاء لن يضيع

If you throw a hand to hit,

If you wish a kindness repaid,

A hand in return will not miss.

With a reward that shall not be lost,

فاشكر كما شكرت (ودا

د) فضل مالكها الوديع

So be thankful, as you were thanked,

Then give thanks as Widad gave thanks

For the kindness of its owner so nice.

For the bounty of her gentle master.

إذ أدبر العيش المريـ

ـح وأقبل العيش المريع

When livelihood turned unkind,

When the life of ease turned away,

And cruel livelihood took its place,

And a dreadful existence drew near,

وابتاع سيدها الفتى

ما ابتاع بالدين الفظيع

The young master bought

And her young master had purchased

With faith so immense.

That which he bought with ruinous debt,

وأراد تأمين المبيـ

ـع فعز تأمين المبيع

And wanted to secure

And he sought to secure the payment,

That which he had bought,

But securing the payment proved impossible.

قالت له: بعني وهب

ثمني وإخلاصي شفيع

She said: Sell me and make

She said to him: "Sell me, and accept"

My price and my loyalty your intercessor.

"My price; let my loyalty be my intercessor."

لا أستطيع أراك كـ

ـلا مفلسا لا أستطيع

I cannot bear seeing you

"For I cannot bear to see you"

Broke, I cannot bear.

"Destitute and broken; I simply cannot."

بيعت (وداد) بالمزا

د وقلبها دام وجيع

I sold my love

So Widad was sold at public auction,

While my heart was in pain.

While her heart remained bleeding and aching.

ومضت وراء المشتري

فمضت بألباب الجميع

And I went after the buyer

She departed, following the buyer,

So the minds of all went.

Taking the hearts of all beholders with her.

يا من رأى الظبي الأغـ

ـن بغارة الذؤبان ريع

O you who saw the deer

O you who have seen the graceful gazelle,

Ravaged by the wolves horde!

Terrified by a sudden raid of wolves,

خلق بديع كالملا

ك يزينه خلق بديع

A wonderful creation, like angels

A wondrous form, akin to an angel,

Adorned by a wonderful creation.

Adorned by a character of grace.

وإذا بسيدها الجديـ

ـد أصحابه مرض سريع

And then her new master

Suddenly, upon her new master,

Fell ill, and fell quick.

A swift and fatal illness descended,

وبعتقها أوصى لما

حازته من أدب رفيع

And in freeing her he instructed

And he bequeathed her freedom, in recognition

For the manners she had and so unique.

Of the refined culture she possessed.

وقضى فخف الطير منـ

ـطلقا إلى حصن منيع

And he passed away, so the bird flew

He passed away, and the bird took flight,

Free to a fortress so strong.

Speeding free toward a secure sanctuary,

وانسلت الزوج المطيـ

ـعة تنشد الزوج المطيع

And the wed wife slipped away

And the faithful companion slipped away

Seeking the loyal groom.

Seeking out her loyal mate.

فتلاقيا بعد الإيا

س وهكذا يرعى الصنيع

So they met after despair

So they reunited after all hope was lost,

And this is how the artful act.

And thus is a good deed preserved.