وكم من بخيلٍ قد تأدَّب حيلةً

وكم من بخيلٍ قد تأدَّب حيلةً

ليحجم عنه المادحون فأحجموا

ليحجم عنه المادحون فأحجموا

And many a miser has acquired literary learning as a ruse,

How many a miser has resorted to cunning

so that praise-poets would hold back from him—and they did.

To discourage eulogists so they desist

إذا فكروا في مدحه ذات بينهم

إذا فكروا في مدحه ذات بينهم

فمنهم أخو التغريد والمتلوِّمُ

فمنهم أخو التغريد والمتلوِّمُ

When they consider praising him among themselves,

When they think to eulogize him at times

some take flight, while others hesitate.

Among them is the warbler's brother, prattler

يقولون من يُهدي إلى البحر حليةً

يقولون من يُهدي إلى البحر حليةً

ومخرجها منه وفي ذاك مزعمُ

ومخرجها منه وفي ذاك مزعمُ

They say, 'Who would offer the sea a jewel,

They say, "Who offers the sea jewelry

when its source is the sea itself?' Such is their claim.

That exits it while on this premise?"

أتى البخلَ من بابٍ لطيفٍ ومسلكٍ

أتى البخلَ من بابٍ لطيفٍ ومسلكٍ

خفيٍّ عن المقتصِّ لا يُتوهَّمُ

خفيٍّ عن المقتصِّ لا يُتوهَّمُ

He approached miserliness through a subtle door and a path

Stinginess has come subtly and covertly

hidden from the tracker, not even imagined.

Unseen by the demanding, unassumed

فأفحم عنه كل طالب حاجةٍ

فأفحم عنه كل طالب حاجةٍ

وليس عليه لامرئٍ متكلَّمُ

وليس عليه لامرئٍ متكلَّمُ

Thus he silenced every seeker of a favor from him,

Thus silencing every beggar

and no one has grounds to speak against him.

With no blamer berating him

إذا زاره من طالبي العرفِ مادحٌ

إذا زاره من طالبي العرفِ مادحٌ

هجا شعره بالحق لا يتجرمُ

هجا شعره بالحق لا يتجرمُ

When a praise-poet seeking bounty visits him,

If a eulogist seeking bounty visits him

he lampoons his verse justly, inventing no faults.

His poetry berates him justly, no sin

فحاول معسور المديحِ وصعبه

فحاول معسور المديحِ وصعبه

بمنزورِ جدواه ولا يتذممُ

بمنزورِ جدواه ولا يتذممُ

So he seeks arduous, difficult praise,

So he makes eulogy arduous and strained

with his scant bounty, and feels no shame.

With inadequate rhymes, no disdain

منوعٌ وجيزُ المنع غيرُ مدافعٍ

منوعٌ وجيزُ المنع غيرُ مدافعٍ

يرى أن وشك المنع أمضى وأصرمُ

يرى أن وشك المنع أمضى وأصرمُ

A withholder, curt in refusal, never stalling,

Denied yet smooth denial, no defense

he thinks swift refusal sharper and more decisive.

Deeming denial's verge is firmest, most stern

بخيلٌ بجدواه بخيلٌ بأن يُرى

بخيلٌ بجدواه بخيلٌ بأن يُرى

نسيم المُنى من نحوه يَتَنَسَّمُ

نسيم المُنى من نحوه يَتَنَسَّمُ

Miserly with his bounty, miserly even of letting it be seen

A miser in his bounty, a miser to be seen

that a breeze of hope is wafting from his direction.

As the breeze of wishes from him blows gentle