تَدارَكَ فَضلي الأَنعَمِيُّ وَلَم يَكُن

تَدارَكَ فَضلي الأَنعَمِيُّ وَلَم يَكُن

بِذي نِعمَةٍ عِندي وَلا بِخَليلِ

بِذي نِعمَةٍ عِندي وَلا بِخَليلِ

Al-An‘ami received my bounty, though he was not

Al-An'ami tried to make amends though I had no friend

One who had done me a favor, nor a close friend.

Nor anyone to whom I could turn in time of need

فَقُلتُ لَهُ قَولاً فَأُلفيتُ عِندَهُ

فَقُلتُ لَهُ قَولاً فَأُلفيتُ عِندَهُ

وَكُنتُ حَرياً أَن أُصَدِّقَ قيلي

وَكُنتُ حَرياً أَن أُصَدِّقَ قيلي

So I spoke to him, and in his eyes was found—

So I spoke to him words that pleased and we were reconciled

As indeed I was—worthy to make good my word.

Though I doubted that my words could make things right

أَجودُ عَلى العافي وَأَحذَرُ ذَمَّهُ

أَجودُ عَلى العافي وَأَحذَرُ ذَمَّهُ

إِذا ضَنَّ بِالمَعروفِ كُلُّ بَخيلِ

إِذا ضَنَّ بِالمَعروفِ كُلُّ بَخيلِ

I give generously to the suppliant and fear his reproach,

Generous am I to the noble-minded, and careful to avoid

When every miser is stingy with kindness.

Censure, when the mean-spirited are grudgingly tight

بِذَلِكَ وَصّاني حَريمُ بِنُ مالِكٍ

بِذَلِكَ وَصّاني حَريمُ بِنُ مالِكٍ

وَإنَّ قَليلَ الذَمِّ غَيرُ قَليلِ

وَإنَّ قَليلَ الذَمِّ غَيرُ قَليلِ

Harim ibn Malik enjoined this upon me:

Thus did the family of Malik caution and advise me

And indeed, a little blame is no small thing.

For little blame is better than much, be sure of that.