ليعاقبlet … follow وسْمِيَّthe first autumn rain of جُودٍgenerosity وَليُّهْits following rain
ليعاقب وسْمِيَّ جُودٍ وَليُّهْ
مِنْfrom كريمa generous man رجاhas hoped for نداهُhis bounty وليُّهْhis friend
مِنْ كريم رجا نداهُ وليُّهْ
Let bounty’s first rain be followed by its next shower,
From a generous man whose friend has hoped for his bounty.
إنif تباطَىis slow لديهto him فالبِرُّthen kindness يَزْكُوgrows in worth
إن تباطَى لديه فالبِرُّ يَزْكُو
عندهin his eyes أنfor … to يُرَىbe seen إليهtoward him مجِيُّهْits coming
عنده أن يُرَى إليه مجِيُّهْ
If it seems slow to him, kindness grows in worth
In his eyes when he sees it coming toward him.
ياO جوادٌgenerous one إذاwhen تأبَّىresists قَريضٌpoetry
يا جوادٌ إذا تأبَّى قَريضٌ
أسعَدَaids المادحينthose who praise فيهin praising him أبيُّهْits stubborn verse
أسعَدَ المادحين فيه أبيُّهْ
O generous one, when poetry resists,
Even its stubborn verse aids those who praise you.
لاlet … not يَضِعْbe lost آملٌa hopeful petitioner لديكwith you ولاnor يُحْbe de-
لا يَضِعْ آملٌ لديك ولا يُحْ
رَمْ-prived عطاءًa gift جزيلاًlavish وأنتَwhile you سَميُّهْhis namesake
رَمْ عطاءً جزيلاً وأنتَ سَميُّهْ
May no hopeful petitioner be lost with you, nor be
Deprived of a lavish gift, while you are his namesake.
أنتyou زَينٌan adornment لكلِّto every مدحpraise وحَلْيٌand an ornament
أنت زَينٌ لكلِّ مدح وحَلْيٌ
يُتَبَاهَىpride is taken بهin it ويُزْهَىand is elated رويُّهْits rhyme-letter
يُتَبَاهَى به ويُزْهَى رويُّهْ
You are an adornment to every praise-poem, a jewel
To boast of, while its rhyme-letter exults.