عَجَبٌ لَعَمري أَنَّ وَجهَكَ مُعرِضٌ

عَجَبٌ لَعَمري أَنَّ وَجهَكَ مُعرِضٌ

عَنّي وَأَنتَ بِوَجهِ نَفعِكَ مُقبِلُ

عَنّي وَأَنتَ بِوَجهِ نَفعِكَ مُقبِلُ

Strange, by my life, that your face turns away

Amazement takes me that your face is turned

from me, while you turn toward me with the face of your bounty.

Away from me, though yours is the face of grace.

بِرٌّ بَدَأتَ بِهِ وَدارٌ بابُها

بِرٌّ بَدَأتَ بِهِ وَدارٌ بابُها

لِلخَلقِ مَفتوحٌ وَوَجهُكَ مُقفَلُ

لِلخَلقِ مَفتوحٌ وَوَجهُكَ مُقفَلُ

A kindness you first bestowed, and a house whose door

Goodness you began with, and a house whose door

is open to all people, while your face is closed.

Is open to mankind, while yours is closed in place.

أَوَلا تَرى أَنَّ الطَلاقَةَ جُنَّةٌ

أَوَلا تَرى أَنَّ الطَلاقَةَ جُنَّةٌ

مِن سوءِ ما تَجني الظُنونُ وَمَعقِلُ

مِن سوءِ ما تَجني الظُنونُ وَمَعقِلُ

Do you not see that cheerfulness is a shield

Do you not see that pleasantness is a shield

against the harm that suspicions breed, and a fortress?

From the ill that suspicion and mistrust create?

حَليُ الصَنيعَةِ أَن يَكونَ لِرَبِّها

حَليُ الصَنيعَةِ أَن يَكونَ لِرَبِّها

لَفظٌ يُحَسِّنُها وَطَرفٌ قُلقُلُ

لَفظٌ يُحَسِّنُها وَطَرفٌ قُلقُلُ

The adornment of a favor is that its giver should have

An ornament to the wearer is a tongue

speech that beautifies it, and a lively glance,

That speaks him fair, and eyes that scintillate.

وَمَوَدَّةٌ مَطوِيَّةٌ مَنشورَةٌ

وَمَوَدَّةٌ مَطوِيَّةٌ مَنشورَةٌ

فيها إِلى إِنجاحِها مُتَعَلِّلُ

فيها إِلى إِنجاحِها مُتَعَلِّلُ

and affection, folded away yet laid open,

A love dissembled and spread wide on the ground

in which one finds solace until the favor is fulfilled.

Is to its thriving will and testament.

إِن تُعطِ وَجهاً كاسِفاً مِن تَحتِهِ

إِن تُعطِ وَجهاً كاسِفاً مِن تَحتِهِ

كَرَمٌ وَحِلمُ خَليفَةٍ لا تُجهَلُ

كَرَمٌ وَحِلمُ خَليفَةٍ لا تُجهَلُ

If you present a clouded face, beneath which lie

If you put on a face of darkness, still

generosity and a caliph's forbearance, you are not unknown:

Beneath it generosity and patience dwell.

فَلَرُبَّ سارِيَةٍ عَلَيكَ مَطيرَةٍ

فَلَرُبَّ سارِيَةٍ عَلَيكَ مَطيرَةٍ

قَد جادَ عارِضُها وَما يَتَهَلَّلُ

قَد جادَ عارِضُها وَما يَتَهَلَّلُ

for many a rain-bearing night-cloud above you

So many a downpour from the clouds of reproof

has poured generously, though its cloudbank does not beam.

Has rained, and yet wit flashes like a spell.