إِمّا نَوالٌ سَريحُ

إِمّا نَوالٌ سَريحُ

أَو لا فَمَنعٌ مُريحُ

أَو لا فَمَنعٌ مُريحُ

Either a gift readily bestowed,

Either a fragrant breeze

or else a refusal that brings relief.

Or no hindrance, a relief

فَالمَطلُ بِالغَمِّ يَغدو

فَالمَطلُ بِالغَمِّ يَغدو

وَبِالعَناءِ يَروحُ

وَبِالعَناءِ يَروحُ

For delay goes forth with sorrow in the morning,

So hope with sorrow awakens

and returns with hardship in the evening.

And with hardship comes respite

وَالبُخلُ فيهِ فُضوحٌ

وَالبُخلُ فيهِ فُضوحٌ

وَالمَطلُ فيهِ قُبوحُ

وَالمَطلُ فيهِ قُبوحُ

And in stinginess there is disgrace,

Stinginess in it is shameful

and in delay there is ugliness.

And in hope is deformity

فَأَنجِزِ الوَعدَ يَحصُل

فَأَنجِزِ الوَعدَ يَحصُل

فَإِنَّما الوَعدُ ريحُ

فَإِنَّما الوَعدُ ريحُ

So fulfill the promise, that it may be realized,

So fulfill the promise for it to come about

for a promise is nothing but wind.

For the promise is but a breeze