سُلَيمانُ لَو وَفَّيتَ مَدحِيَ حَقَّهُ

سُلَيمانُ لَو وَفَّيتَ مَدحِيَ حَقَّهُ

أَرَيتُكَ أَسبابَ المُنى كَيفَ تَنجَحُ

أَرَيتُكَ أَسبابَ المُنى كَيفَ تَنجَحُ

Suleiman, had you given my praise its due,

O Suleiman, had you fulfilled my praise as was its due,

I would have shown you how the means to fulfill wishes bear fruit.

You would have seen how the means to blessings can succeed.

بَسَطتُ يَدي حَتّى ظَنَنتُكَ قابِضاً

بَسَطتُ يَدي حَتّى ظَنَنتُكَ قابِضاً

يَدَ الدَهرِ عَنّي وَهوَ أَزوَرُ أَكلَحُ

يَدَ الدَهرِ عَنّي وَهوَ أَزوَرُ أَكلَحُ

I stretched out my hand until I thought you would hold back

I stretched out my hand, thinking you were taking

Time's hand from me, crooked and scowling as it was.

The hand of fate from me, though it was bent on harm.

فَأَقصَدتَني بِاليَأسِ حَتّى تَرَكتَني

فَأَقصَدتَني بِاليَأسِ حَتّى تَرَكتَني

وَظَنِّيَ عَن نَيلِ الغِنى يَتَزَحزَحُ

وَظَنِّيَ عَن نَيلِ الغِنى يَتَزَحزَحُ

But you struck me down with despair, until you left me

So you frustrated me with despair, until you left me

with my hope of attaining wealth slipping away.

With my hopes of gaining wealth retreating.

وَأَصعَبتَ لي مِن بَعدِ ما كُنتَ مُسهِلاً

وَأَصعَبتَ لي مِن بَعدِ ما كُنتَ مُسهِلاً

مَغالِقَ بِرٍّ شارَفَت تَتَفَتَّحُ

مَغالِقَ بِرٍّ شارَفَت تَتَفَتَّحُ

And, after making things easy, you made difficult for me

And after you had eased my way, you made

the locked gates of generosity that were about to open.

The gates of kindness, once open, closed and locked.

فَمَن مالُهُ في ذِمَّةٍ كَيفَ يَجتَدي

فَمَن مالُهُ في ذِمَّةٍ كَيفَ يَجتَدي

وَمَن أَصلُهُ في ظُلمَةٍ كَيفَ يُمدَحُ

وَمَن أَصلُهُ في ظُلمَةٍ كَيفَ يُمدَحُ

So how can one whose money is owed to him beg for gifts?

So how can one whose wealth lies in another's obligation

And how can one whose lineage lies in darkness be praised?

Find generosity? Or one whose roots are in darkness find praise?