أبلِغ رَجاءَ بنَ المطَهَّرِ أنَّني

أبلِغ رَجاءَ بنَ المطَهَّرِ أنَّني

مُتعلِّقٌ أبَداً بحَبلِ رَجايهِ

مُتعلِّقٌ أبَداً بحَبلِ رَجايهِ

Tell Rajāʾ ibn al-Muṭahhar that I

Convey to Raja, son of Al-Mutahhar, that I

cling forever to the cord of hope in him.

Am forever clinging to the rope of my hope in him

وكذاكَ أرضُ الشُّكرِ لَّما أمحَلَت

وكذاكَ أرضُ الشُّكرِ لَّما أمحَلَت

لم تَستَغِث إِلا بغَيثِ سَمايهِ

لم تَستَغِث إِلا بغَيثِ سَمايهِ

And likewise, when the land of gratitude grew barren,

And so too is the land of gratitude, for when it was laden

it sought relief only from the rain of his sky.

It cried out for no other savior but his lofty aid

ما أشبَهَ البُخَلاءَ بالفُقَراءِ في

ما أشبَهَ البُخَلاءَ بالفُقَراءِ في

ذلِّ اعتِذارِهمُ وطُولِ عَنايهِ

ذلِّ اعتِذارِهمُ وطُولِ عَنايهِ

How closely the misers resemble the poor in

How alike are the misers to the destitute in

the humiliation of their excuse-making and its prolonged toil!

Their pathetic apologies and prolonged worry

للَّه دَرُّ فتىً يَسيرُ خِلافَهم

للَّه دَرُّ فتىً يَسيرُ خِلافَهم

كرماً لِيُبعِدَ رأيَهُم مِن رأيهِ

كرماً لِيُبعِدَ رأيَهُم مِن رأيهِ

God bless the young man who goes against them,

Praiseworthy is the young man who goes against them

out of generosity, to keep their outlook far from his own.

With generosity, to distance their opinion from his own

ويَردُّ ماءَ الوَجهِ قبلَ سُؤالهِ

ويَردُّ ماءَ الوَجهِ قبلَ سُؤالهِ

إِذ لَيسَ يَترُكه السؤال بمايهِ

إِذ لَيسَ يَترُكه السؤال بمايهِ

And restores the face's moisture before he is asked,

And returns the water of the face before it is asked of him

for asking leaves it without its moisture.

For asking does not leave it with any of its water