كَثَّرتَ وَفري بَعدَ إِقلالِ

كَثَّرتَ وَفري بَعدَ إِقلالِ

وَزِدتَ مِن حالِكَ في حالي

وَزِدتَ مِن حالِكَ في حالي

You increased my wealth after poverty,

You increased after lessening

And added to my fortunes from your own.

And added to your state in my state

وَما تَقَضَّت مِنكَ أُكرومَةٌ

وَما تَقَضَّت مِنكَ أُكرومَةٌ

في ثالِثِ الدَهرِ وَلا التالي

في ثالِثِ الدَهرِ وَلا التالي

And no gracious deed from you has ended,

No debt of yours was settled

In time’s third span, nor the next.

In the first nor last era

سَومُ غُلامي وَاِرتِجاعي لَهُ

سَومُ غُلامي وَاِرتِجاعي لَهُ

إِن أَنتَ لَم تُغنَ بِهِ غالِ

إِن أَنتَ لَم تُغنَ بِهِ غالِ

Bidding for my slave-boy and reclaiming him

My threat to take back my slave boy

Is costly, unless you are enriched by it.

If you do not enrich him with wealth

وَهَبتَ لي مالَكَ سَمحاً بِهِ

وَهَبتَ لي مالَكَ سَمحاً بِهِ

وَكَيفَ لا تَأخُذُ لي مالي

وَكَيفَ لا تَأخُذُ لي مالي

You gave me your wealth, generous with it;

You gave me your money generously

And how could you not recover my own wealth for me?

How could you not take my money?

إِن تَصِلِ القُربى لِمُدلٍ بِها

إِن تَصِلِ القُربى لِمُدلٍ بِها

فَإِنَّ أَعمامَكَ أَخوالي

فَإِنَّ أَعمامَكَ أَخوالي

If you uphold kinship for one who relies upon it,

If you reconcile relatives out of weakness

Then your paternal uncles are my maternal uncles.

Then your uncles are my in-laws

وَالشِعرُ رَهنٌ بِجَزاءِ الَّذي

وَالشِعرُ رَهنٌ بِجَزاءِ الَّذي

تولِحِ مِن نُعمى وَإِفضالِ

تولِحِ مِن نُعمى وَإِفضالِ

And poetry stands pledged in recompense for what

And poetry is hostage to reward from one

You bestow in favors and bounty.

Who hints of favor and bounty

وَفي أَبي طَلحَةَ لي شافِعٌ

وَفي أَبي طَلحَةَ لي شافِعٌ

وَجارِكَ الشاهِ بنِ ميكالِ

وَجارِكَ الشاهِ بنِ ميكالِ

And in Abu Talha I have an intercessor,

And in Abi Talha I have an intercessor

And in your neighbor, al-Shah ibn Mikal.

And your neighbor Shah Ibn Miqal

وَسائِلٌ مُرجُوَّةٌ كُلُّها

وَسائِلٌ مُرجُوَّةٌ كُلُّها

لِكُلِّ إِحسانِ وَإِجمالِ

لِكُلِّ إِحسانِ وَإِجمالِ

Means of intercession, all looked to

And all the requests are hoped for

For every kindness and gracious deed.

For every favor and bounty

فَتَمِّمِ النُعمى الَّتي لَم يَزَل

فَتَمِّمِ النُعمى الَّتي لَم يَزَل

مِثلُكَ يُسديها لِأَمثالي

مِثلُكَ يُسديها لِأَمثالي

So complete the favor that has always

So complete the favors which the likes of you

Been bestowed by one like you on those like me.

Have always bestowed upon the likes of me