مدحتُكم للودِّ لا لرَغيبَةٍ

مدحتُكم للودِّ لا لرَغيبَةٍ

وشَتَّانَ ما بين الرَّغائبِ والوِدِّ

وشَتَّانَ ما بين الرَّغائبِ والوِدِّ

I praised you out of affection, not for gain;

I praised you out of affection, not out of greed,

and how far apart are coveted rewards and affection!

For there's a great difference 'twixt affection and greed.

فجُدتم ولم أُقدم على ردِّ جودكم

فجُدتم ولم أُقدم على ردِّ جودكم

مخافَة أنْ أرْمى بداهيةِ القِدِّ

مخافَة أنْ أرْمى بداهيةِ القِدِّ

So you gave generously, and I dared not refuse your bounty,

You were generous, yet I did not repay your kindness,

for fear I might be assailed by the calamity of the leather thong.

Fearing to cast the pearl of praise before the swine.

ونفَّرتم أنس القوافي وقد دنتْ

ونفَّرتم أنس القوافي وقد دنتْ

إليكم دُنوَّ العاطشاتِ من الورْدِ

إليكم دُنوَّ العاطشاتِ من الورْدِ

And you frightened away the intimacy of the rhymes, though they had drawn near

You shunned the delight of rhymes though they approached you

to you as thirsty she-camels approach the watering place.

Like thirsty ones seeking the rose's perfume.

ولما رأيتُ المدحَ فيكم فريضَةً

ولما رأيتُ المدحَ فيكم فريضَةً

تحرَّجت من أخذ الجزاء على الحمد

تحرَّجت من أخذ الجزاء على الحمد

And when I saw that praising you was a duty,

When I saw praise was a duty owed you,

I scrupulously refrained from taking payment for praise.

I felt shame at taking reward for lauding you.

فقُلْ لرئيس الدين ما لي وللندى

فقُلْ لرئيس الدين ما لي وللندى

وحاجات نفسي منك في طلب المجد

وحاجات نفسي منك في طلب المجد

So tell Ra'is al-Din: what have I to do with bounty,

So say to the leader of faith I want from you,

when my soul's needs from you concern the pursuit of glory?

Neither dew nor glory my soul covets from you.