قَدْ جَاءَنَا الوَرِقُ الذِي وَفَّرْتَهُ

قَدْ جَاءَنَا الوَرِقُ الذِي وَفَّرْتَهُ

وَالظَّبْيُ والسَّرْجُ المُحَلَّى والفَرَسْ

وَالظَّبْيُ والسَّرْجُ المُحَلَّى والفَرَسْ

The silver you supplied in abundance has already reached us,

The paper you gifted has come to me

and the gazelle, the ornamented saddle, and the horse;

And the gazelle, the scented saddle, and the horse

والبَغْلَةُ الشَّقْرَاءُ والخِلَعُ الَّتِي

والبَغْلَةُ الشَّقْرَاءُ والخِلَعُ الَّتِي

كَانَتْ كَعِرْضَكَ لَيْسَ فِيْهِ مِنْ دَنَسْ

كَانَتْ كَعِرْضَكَ لَيْسَ فِيْهِ مِنْ دَنَسْ

and the chestnut mule, and the robes of honor that

The blondish mule, and the robe that

were like your honor, untouched by any stain.

Was as pure as you, without any blemish

فِي رِيْحِهَا أَرَجٌ يَضُوعُ كَأَنَّهُ

فِي رِيْحِهَا أَرَجٌ يَضُوعُ كَأَنَّهُ

مِنْ عُودِ نَبْعَتِكَ الكَرِيْمِ المُغْتَرَسْ

مِنْ عُودِ نَبْعَتِكَ الكَرِيْمِ المُغْتَرَسْ

Their scent holds a fragrance that wafts as though it came

In its scent, a fragrance diffuses like

from the wood of your nobly rooted tree.

The incense from your generous planted tree

والفَصُّ يَلْمَعُ فِي الظَّلاَمِ كَأَنَّهُ

والفَصُّ يَلْمَعُ فِي الظَّلاَمِ كَأَنَّهُ

مِنْ نُورِ وَجْهِكَ أَوْ ذَكَائِكَ يُقْتَبَسْ

مِنْ نُورِ وَجْهِكَ أَوْ ذَكَائِكَ يُقْتَبَسْ

And the gem gleams in the darkness, as though it

And the gem shines in the darkness as if

were kindled from the light of your face or your brilliance.

It were the light of your face or your brilliance from which it is lit

لَكِنْ أَبَتْ لِي أَنْ أَرُوحَ وَأَعْتَدِي

لَكِنْ أَبَتْ لِي أَنْ أَرُوحَ وَأَعْتَدِي

كَلاَّ عَلَى الإِخْوَانِ أَخْلاَقٌ شُمُسْ

كَلاَّ عَلَى الإِخْوَانِ أَخْلاَقٌ شُمُسْ

Yet what forbids me to go forth and overstep,

But it refused me to be delighted and boast

a burden on my brethren, is my untamed nature.

No, the brothers have virtuous sun-like morals

لاَ أَسْتَلِذُّ العَيْشَ لَم أَدْأَبْ لَهُ

لاَ أَسْتَلِذُّ العَيْشَ لَم أَدْأَبْ لَهُ

طَلَبَاً وَسَعْيَاً فِي الهَوَاجِرِ والغَلَسْ

طَلَبَاً وَسَعْيَاً فِي الهَوَاجِرِ والغَلَسْ

I take no pleasure in a livelihood I have not toiled for,

I don’t enjoy life unless I strive

seeking and striving in midday heat and predawn gloom.

Seeking and endeavoring through emigration and adventuring

وَأَرَى حَرَاماً أَنْ يَواتِيَنِي الغِنَى

وَأَرَى حَرَاماً أَنْ يَواتِيَنِي الغِنَى

حَتَّى يُحَاوَلَ بِالْعَنَاءِ وَيُلْتَمَسْ

حَتَّى يُحَاوَلَ بِالْعَنَاءِ وَيُلْتَمَسْ

And I deem it forbidden for wealth to come readily to me,

And I see it as forbidden that wealth comes to me

until it is pursued with toil and sought out.

Until it is attained with hardship and sought out

فَاصْرِفْ نَوَالَكَ عَن أَخِيْكَ مُوَقَّراً

فَاصْرِفْ نَوَالَكَ عَن أَخِيْكَ مُوَقَّراً

فَالَّلْيثُ لَيْسَ يُسِيْغُ إِلاَّ مَا افْتَرَسْ

فَالَّلْيثُ لَيْسَ يُسِيْغُ إِلاَّ مَا افْتَرَسْ

So turn your bounty away from your honored brother:

So turn your gifts away from your honored brother

for the lion swallows only what it has seized as prey.

For the lion only savors what he has preyed upon