لا أرتجي الإحسان من موسر

لا أرتجي الإحسان من موسر

يمتنُّ بالفضل على مرتجيهْ

يمتنُّ بالفضل على مرتجيهْ

I hope for no kindness from a man of wealth

I seek no kindness from a wealthy man

who lords his favor over the one who seeks it,

Who holds his favor over his supplicant.

لا يكتفي أجراً على صنعه

لا يكتفي أجراً على صنعه

بربحه الشكر ولا يرتضيهْ

بربحه الشكر ولا يرتضيهْ

who is not content, as reward for his good deed,

He is not content, as reward for his deed,

to earn thanks by it, nor will he accept that,

With earning gratitude, nor is he pleased with it.

فيملأ الآفاق ذكراً لما

فيملأ الآفاق ذكراً لما

يقضي من الحاجات عجباً وتيهْ

يقضي من الحاجات عجباً وتيهْ

but fills the horizons with talk of what

So he fills the horizons with accounts of whatever

needs he has met, in vanity and pride,

Needs he fulfills, in vanity and pride,

كأنه ما جاد إلا لكي

كأنه ما جاد إلا لكي

يعلن إعسار الذي يجتديهْ

يعلن إعسار الذي يجتديهْ

as though he gave generously only so that he might

As though he gave generously only to

broadcast the poverty of the one who begs from him.

Proclaim the poverty of the one who begs from him.