نَوالٌa bounty جَزيلٌlavish يَنهِرputs to shame الشكرَthanks وَالحَمداand praise
نَوالٌ جَزيلٌ يَنهِر الشكرَ وَالحَمدا
وَصُنعٌand a deed جَميلٌgracious يوجِبrequires النُصحَsincere loyalty وَالودّاand affection
وَصُنعٌ جَميلٌ يوجِب النُصحَ وَالودّا
A lavish bounty that puts thanks and praise to shame,
And a gracious deed that calls for loyalty and affection.
لَقَدindeed جُدتَyou were generous بِالعِلقwith the treasure الَّذيwhich لَوif أُباعُهI were offered it for sale
لَقَد جُدتَ بِالعِلق الَّذي لَو أُباعُه
بَذَلتُI would give up وَلَمand would not أَغبنbe cheated بِهِfor it العَيشَةَa life الرَغداof ease
بَذَلتُ وَلَم أَغبن بِهِ العَيشَةَ الرَغدا
You have indeed bestowed a treasure: were it offered me for sale,
I would pay a life of ease for it, and not be cheated.
جَوادٌa noble steed أَتانيcame to me مِنfrom جَوادٍa generous man تَطابَقاthe two matched
جَوادٌ أَتاني مِن جَوادٍ تَطابَقا
فَياso, O كَرَمَnobility المُهديthe giver وَياand O كَرَمَnobility المُهدَىthe gift
فَيا كَرَمَ المُهدي وَيا كَرَمَ المُهدَى
A noble steed came to me from a generous man—the two well matched.
So how noble the giver, and how noble the gift!
وَكَمand how many مِنof يَدٍa favor أَولَيتَyou bestowed موقِعهاits landing place نَدٍmoist
وَكَم مِن يَدٍ أَولَيتَ موقِعها نَدٍ
لَديّwith me وَلَكِنand yet أَينَwhere مَوضِعthe place الأَصداthe echoes
لَديّ وَلَكِن أَينَ مَوضِع الأَصدا
And many a favor you have bestowed has found moist ground
With me—yet where is the place for answering echoes?
لَعَلّيَperhaps I يَوماًone day أَنto أُوَفِّيَI repay fully حَقَّهits due
لَعَلّيَ يَوماً أَن أُوَفِّيَ حَقَّه
فَأنعلَهand so I shoe it مِمَّنfrom whoever عَصىdisobeyed أَمرَكَyour command الخَدّاthe cheek
فَأنعلَه مِمَّن عَصى أَمرَكَ الخَدّا
Perhaps one day I shall give it its full due,
And shoe it with the cheek of whoever disobeys your command.