أَأَذكُرُ حاجَتي أَم قَد كَفاني

أَأَذكُرُ حاجَتي أَم قَد كَفاني

حَياؤُكَ إِنَّ شيمَتَكَ الحَياءُ

حَياؤُكَ إِنَّ شيمَتَكَ الحَياءُ

Shall I mention my need, or has it already been met by

Shall I mention my need, or is your bashfulness enough for me?

Your modesty—for modesty is your nature—

Your trait is bashfulness, and your knowledge of affairs, though you are an old man.

وَعِلمُكَ بِالأُمورِ وَأَنتَ قَرمٌ

وَعِلمُكَ بِالأُمورِ وَأَنتَ قَرمٌ

لَكَ الحَسَبُ المُهَذَّبُ وَالسَناءُ

لَكَ الحَسَبُ المُهَذَّبُ وَالسَناءُ

And your knowledge of affairs? You are a noble chief,

You have refined and splendid lineage.

Yours are unblemished ancestral honor and splendor.

A noble one whom neither morn nor eve changes from excellent conduct.

كَريمٌ لا يُغَيِّرُهُ صَباحٌ

كَريمٌ لا يُغَيِّرُهُ صَباحٌ

عَنِ الخُلُقِ السَنِيِّ وَلا مَساءُ

عَنِ الخُلُقِ السَنِيِّ وَلا مَساءُ

A generous man, whom morning cannot turn

So your land built every glorious deed,

From his lofty character, nor can evening.

The sons of Taym built it, and you are its sky.

فَأَرضُكَ كُلُّ مَكرُمَةٍ بَناها

فَأَرضُكَ كُلُّ مَكرُمَةٍ بَناها

بَنو تَيمٍ وَأَنتَ لَها سَماءُ

بَنو تَيمٍ وَأَنتَ لَها سَماءُ

So your earth is every noble deed built by

When someone praises you one day,

The sons of Taym, and you are its sky.

It suffices him from repeating praise.

إِذا أَثنى عَلَيكَ المَرءُ يَوماً

إِذا أَثنى عَلَيكَ المَرءُ يَوماً

كَفاهُ مِن تَعَرُّضِهِ الثَناءُ

كَفاهُ مِن تَعَرُّضِهِ الثَناءُ

If a man praises you one day,

You compete with the wind in generosity and glory

His praise spares him the need to ask.

When the dog howls during winter.

تُباري الريحَ مَكرُمَةً وَمَجداً

تُباري الريحَ مَكرُمَةً وَمَجداً

إِذا ما الكَلبُ أَجحَرَهُ الشِتاءُ

إِذا ما الكَلبُ أَجحَرَهُ الشِتاءُ

You rival the wind in generosity and glory,

If you are left behind, servant of God, then know

When winter drives the dog into its den.

That the people have no reward.

إِذا خُلِّفتَ عَبدَ اللَهِ فَاِعلَم

إِذا خُلِّفتَ عَبدَ اللَهِ فَاِعلَم

بِأَنَّ القَومَ لَيسَ لَهُم جَزاءُ

بِأَنَّ القَومَ لَيسَ لَهُم جَزاءُ

If you are left behind, Abd Allah, then know

So he truly showed his superiority over them

That the people have no recompense.

As the sky shows itself to the onlooker.

فَأَبرَزَ فَضلَهُ حَقّاً عَلَيهِم

فَأَبرَزَ فَضلَهُ حَقّاً عَلَيهِم

كَما بَرَزَت لِناظِرِها السَماءُ

كَما بَرَزَت لِناظِرِها السَماءُ

So he truly made his superiority over them manifest,

Can the sky be hidden from a seeing person?

As the sky stands revealed to its beholder.

Can there be concealment of the rising sun?

فَهَل تَخفى السَماءُ عَلى بَصيرٍ

فَهَل تَخفى السَماءُ عَلى بَصيرٍ

وَهَل بِالشَمسِ طالِعَةً خَفاءُ

وَهَل بِالشَمسِ طالِعَةً خَفاءُ

Can the sky, then, be hidden from one who sees?

Builders of virtues and doctors of words,

And can the sun be hidden as it rises?

With blood, and they are the cure of speech.

بُناةُ مَكارِمٍ وَأُساةُ كَلمٍ

بُناةُ مَكارِمٍ وَأُساةُ كَلمٍ

دَماً وَهُمُ مِنَ الكَلمِ الشِفاءُ

دَماً وَهُمُ مِنَ الكَلمِ الشِفاءُ

Builders of noble deeds and healers of wounds

That bleed—and they are the cure for wounds.