فَتَى كَيفما مِلنَا رأينا له يداً

فَتَى كَيفما مِلنَا رأينا له يداً

بعيدةَ مَرمَى الشكر مَطلبُها سَهلُ

بعيدةَ مَرمَى الشكر مَطلبُها سَهلُ

A noble youth—whichever way we turn, we see a hand of his

A young man—wherever we turned, we saw his helping hand,

beyond the reach of gratitude, yet easy to seek.

far beyond the reach of thanks, yet easily obtained.

خفيفُ على الأعناق مَحمَلُ مَنِّهَا

خفيفُ على الأعناق مَحمَلُ مَنِّهَا

ولكن على الإنكار من عَدِّها ثقلُ

ولكن على الإنكار من عَدِّها ثقلُ

The burden of its favors lies lightly upon necks,

The burden of its favors rests lightly on necks,

but counting them weighs heavily upon denial.

but their tally makes denial a heavy burden.

وواله ما أَفضَى من المال ما نَشَا

وواله ما أَفضَى من المال ما نَشَا

إلى كَفِّه إلا العِنانُ أو النَّصلُ

إلى كَفِّه إلا العِنانُ أو النَّصلُ

By God, no wealth, whatever accrued, ever made its way

And by God, no wealth that accrued was brought

into his palm—save reins or blade.

to his palm except by the reins or the blade.

تَفَرَّقَ طُلابُ المساعي فَكُلُّهم

تَفَرَّقَ طُلابُ المساعي فَكُلُّهم

إذا اجتمعوا بعضٌ وأنت له كلُّ

إذا اجتمعوا بعضٌ وأنت له كلُّ

The seekers of noble deeds have scattered, and all of them,

The seekers of noble deeds are scattered; all of them,

when gathered, are but a part, while you are its whole.

when gathered, are but a part, while you are its whole.

وما فرَّعَ الأقوامُ في المجدِ

وما فرَّعَ الأقوامُ في المجدِ

فباهوا به إلا وأنتَ له أصلُ

فباهوا به إلا وأنتَ له أصلُ

Whatever branch the peoples have brought forth in glory

And no branch have peoples put forth in glory

and boasted of—you alone are its root.

and boasted of, without you being its root.