أَمَنعاً إِذا جِئتُكُم أَستَعيرُ

أَمَنعاً إِذا جِئتُكُم أَستَعيرُ

فَكَيفَ إِذا جِئتُ أَستَوهِبُ

فَكَيفَ إِذا جِئتُ أَستَوهِبُ

Refusal, when I come to you seeking to borrow?

Do you refuse me when I come to you to borrow?

Then what if I come asking for a gift?

Then what if I came asking for a gift?

وَمِثلي إِذا كانَ في مَعشَرٍ

وَمِثلي إِذا كانَ في مَعشَرٍ

فَلِلعِزِّ عِندَهُمُ مَنكِبُ

فَلِلعِزِّ عِندَهُمُ مَنكِبُ

When a man like me is among a company,

And when one like me is among a company,

honor has a shoulder in their midst.

then glory has a shoulder among them.

يُقَرَّبُ مِثلي إِذا ما نَأى

يُقَرَّبُ مِثلي إِذا ما نَأى

وَيُكرَمُ مِثلي إِذا يَقرُبُ

وَيُكرَمُ مِثلي إِذا يَقرُبُ

A man like me is brought near when he stands afar,

One like me is brought close when he is far away,

and honored when he draws near.

and one like me is honored when he draws near.

عَتَبتُكَ لِلوُدِّ لا لِلقَلى

عَتَبتُكَ لِلوُدِّ لا لِلقَلى

وَواصِل صَديقاً وَما تُعتِبُ

وَواصِل صَديقاً وَما تُعتِبُ

I reproached you out of affection, not hate;

I reproached you out of affection, not hatred;

keep faith with a friend, though you grant him no redress.

and keep ties with a friend, though you make no amends.