لَمّا أَتَتنا هَداياهُ مُفاجَأَةً

لَمّا أَتَتنا هَداياهُ مُفاجَأَةً

طَفِقتُ أَفكِرُ فيها غَيرَ مُرتابِ

طَفِقتُ أَفكِرُ فيها غَيرَ مُرتابِ

When his gifts came to us unexpectedly,

When his gifts came to us unexpectedly

I began to ponder them, free of doubt.

I began to think of them, without doubt

وَقُلتُ ما البَرُّ بِالجيرانِ عادَتُهُ

وَقُلتُ ما البَرُّ بِالجيرانِ عادَتُهُ

وَما أَظُنُّ وَما ظَنّي بِكَذّابِ

وَما أَظُنُّ وَما ظَنّي بِكَذّابِ

And I said: kindness to neighbors is not his habit;

And I said, it is not my neighbor's habit to be kind

and I suppose nothing—and my surmise is no liar—

Nor do I think, or suspect him to be lying

إِلّا بِأَنَّهُمُ الغِلمانُ لا شُكِرَت

إِلّا بِأَنَّهُمُ الغِلمانُ لا شُكِرَت

مَسعاتُهُم غَلَطاً جاؤوا إِلى بابي

مَسعاتُهُم غَلَطاً جاؤوا إِلى بابي

except that the servants—may no thanks be given

Except that the lads, without a doubt

for their efforts—came to my door by mistake.

Erroneously brought them to my door

فَحَمَّلونِيَ كُرهاً لِلبَخيلِ يَداً

فَحَمَّلونِيَ كُرهاً لِلبَخيلِ يَداً

لِسانُ شُكرِيَ عَن أَمثالِها نابِ

لِسانُ شُكرِيَ عَن أَمثالِها نابِ

So they burdened me, against my will, with a favor from the miser,

And forced upon me, against the miser's will

from the likes of which my tongue of gratitude recoils.

My tongue of gratitude for the likes of him is tired