قَدindeed شَغَلَpreoccupied الناسَthe people كَثرَةُabundance of الأَمَلِhope
قَد شَغَلَ الناسَ كَثرَةُ الأَمَلِ
وَأَنتَand you بِالمَكرُماتِwith noble deeds فيin شُغُلِoccupation
وَأَنتَ بِالمَكرُماتِ في شُغُلِ
Abundant hopes have engrossed the people,
People have been preoccupied by abundant hopes,
The multitudes are distracted by the abundance of their hopes,
while you are occupied with noble deeds.
While you have been preoccupied with generosity.
While you are solely occupied with the pursuit of noble deeds.
تَمَثَّلواthey took as an example حاتِماًHatim وَلَوand if عَقَلواthey had sense
تَمَثَّلوا حاتِماً وَلَو عَقَلوا
لَكُنتَyou would have been فيin الجودِgenerosity غايَةَthe utmost المَثَلِthe example
لَكُنتَ في الجودِ غايَةَ المَثَلِ
They hold up Hatim as their example; had they any sense,
They impersonated Hatem, but had they been reasonable,
They evoke Hatim as the ideal, yet had they true understanding,
you would be the ultimate example of generosity.
You would have been the epitome of generosity.
You alone would be the ultimate standard of generosity.
أَهلاًwelcome وَسَهلاًand a warm welcome بِماto what بَعَثتَyou sent بِهِwith it
أَهلاً وَسَهلاً بِما بَعَثتَ بِهِ
إيهاًEnough! أَباO father of قاسِمٍQasim وَبِالرُسُلِand to the messengers
إيهاً أَبا قاسِمٍ وَبِالرُسُلِ
A warm welcome to what you have sent—
Welcome, welcome what you have sent,
Welcome and honor be to that which you have sent,
Enough, Abu Qasim! And welcome to the messengers.
O father of Qasim and the messengers.
Hail to you, O Abu Qasim, and to your messengers!
هَدِيَّةٌa gift ماnot رَأَيتُI saw مُهديهاits giver
هَدِيَّةٌ ما رَأَيتُ مُهديها
إِلّاexcept رَأَيتُI saw العِبادَhumankind فيin رَجُلِa man
إِلّا رَأَيتُ العِبادَ في رَجُلِ
A gift—never have I seen its giver
A gift I have never seen the like of its giver
It is a gift from a giver whom, when I behold,
without seeing all mankind in a single man.
Except I saw the servants in the man.
I see all of humanity embodied in a single man.
أَقَلُّthe least ماwhat فيin أَقَلِّهاthe least of it سَمَكٌfish
أَقَلُّ ما في أَقَلِّها سَمَكٌ
يَلعَبُplays فيin بِركَةٍa pool مِنَof العَسَلِhoney
يَلعَبُ في بِركَةٍ مِنَ العَسَلِ
The least thing in its smallest portion is fish
The least of its least is a fish
The least of its contents, in the smallest measure, is a fish
playing in a pool of honey.
That plays in a pool of honey.
Sporting playfully within a pool of honey.
كَيفَhow أُكافيI repay عَلىfor أَجَلِّthe greatest يَدٍfavor
كَيفَ أُكافي عَلى أَجَلِّ يَدٍ
مَنone who لاnot يَرىregards أَنَّهاthat it is يَدٌa favor قِبَليtoward me
مَن لا يَرى أَنَّها يَدٌ قِبَلي
How can I repay for the greatest favor
How can I repay the most generous hand
How can I repay the most magnificent of favors
one who does not regard it as a favor to me?
That sees not that it has given to me?
To one who sees it not as a favor granted unto me?