أَيا مَن في جِبِلَّتِهِ الجَميلُ

أَيا مَن في جِبِلَّتِهِ الجَميلُ

وَمَن بِخِلالِهِ يَحيا الخَليلُ

وَمَن بِخِلالِهِ يَحيا الخَليلُ

O you in whose nature beauty dwells,

Oh you whose nature is so beautiful

and through whose virtues a friend lives,

And through whose character the sincere lives

تَرَكتُكَ لَم أُهَنِّكَ لا اِحتِقارا

تَرَكتُكَ لَم أُهَنِّكَ لا اِحتِقارا

وَلا أَنّي بَخِلتُ بِما أَقولُ

وَلا أَنّي بَخِلتُ بِما أَقولُ

I left you uncongratulated—not out of contempt,

I left you, not to insult you, out of arrogance

nor because I begrudged what I might say.

Nor because I was miserly with what I say

وَلَكِن ما رَضيتُ خَليلَ شِعري

وَلَكِن ما رَضيتُ خَليلَ شِعري

لِقَدرِكَ إِذا هُوَ القَدرُ الجَليلُ

لِقَدرِكَ إِذا هُوَ القَدرُ الجَليلُ

But I did not deem my meager verse worthy

But because I wouldn't let my poetry's friend

of your rank, when that rank is so exalted.

Be you, though great is your stature still

فَكُن لي باسِطاً في العُذرِ يا مَن

فَكُن لي باسِطاً في العُذرِ يا مَن

كَثيرُ التَهنِئاتِ لَهُ قَليلُ

كَثيرُ التَهنِئاتِ لَهُ قَليلُ

So be generous in excusing me, O you

So make excuses for me, oh you who

for whom even many congratulations are few.

Gets many congratulations, though few