لي في عُلاكَ دَواوينٌ مُخَلَّدَةٌ

لي في عُلاكَ دَواوينٌ مُخَلَّدَةٌ

تَبقى وَتُبقيكَ مَمدوحاً وَتُبقيني

تَبقى وَتُبقيكَ مَمدوحاً وَتُبقيني

I have immortal collections of verse in praise of your eminence.

I have in your glory immortalized diaries

They endure, keeping you praised and preserving me.

That will remain and keep you praised and keep me

وَصِرتَ صاحِبَ ديوانِ العَطاءِ فَما

وَصِرتَ صاحِبَ ديوانِ العَطاءِ فَما

تُملي بِهِ أَيدِيَ المُعطينَ يُمليني

تُملي بِهِ أَيدِيَ المُعطينَ يُمليني

And you have become master of the register of gifts; so whatever

And you have become the owner of the diary of generosity, so

You dictate there to the givers’ hands dictates my verse to me.

Don't tire the hands of the givers that tire me

وَالشِعرُ فيكَ بِوَزنِ الشِعرِ أَحصُرُهُ

وَالشِعرُ فيكَ بِوَزنِ الشِعرِ أَحصُرُهُ

وَالجودُ مِنكَ بِلا حَصرِ المَوازينِ

وَالجودُ مِنكَ بِلا حَصرِ المَوازينِ

I confine my verse about you within poetic meter,

And poetry in you, I restrain it in the meter of poetry

But your generosity cannot be bounded by scales.

And generosity from you without limiting scales

وَكَيفَ أَحسُبُ ما تُعطي العُفاةَ وَما

وَكَيفَ أَحسُبُ ما تُعطي العُفاةَ وَما

حَسَبتُ بَعضَ الَّذي ما زِلتَ تُعطيني

حَسَبتُ بَعضَ الَّذي ما زِلتَ تُعطيني

And how can I count what you give those seeking bounty, when I have not

And how can I calculate what you give to the noble ones and what

Counted even part of what you continue to give me?

I have calculated some of what you have not ceased to give me

الكُتبُ تَشكُرُهُ عَنّا وَلا عَجَبٌ

الكُتبُ تَشكُرُهُ عَنّا وَلا عَجَبٌ

ما تُشكَرُ السُحبُ إِلّا بِالبَساتينِ

ما تُشكَرُ السُحبُ إِلّا بِالبَساتينِ

The books thank him on our behalf—and no wonder:

Books thank him for us and no wonder

Clouds are thanked only through gardens.

Clouds are thanked only by gardens