قُل للأميرِ الذي يرجو نوافَله

قُل للأميرِ الذي يرجو نوافَله

من جاءه طالباً للخَير منتابا

من جاءه طالباً للخَير منتابا

Tell the emir whose favors are hoped for

Tell the prince who hopes for largesse

by whoever comes to him seeking bounty, returning often:

From one who comes seeking goodness faithfully

إِنَّي صحبتُكَ دَهراً كلَّ ذاك أرى

إِنَّي صحبتُكَ دَهراً كلَّ ذاك أرى

من دون خَيركَ حجاباً وأبوابا

من دون خَيركَ حجاباً وأبوابا

Indeed, I have kept your company for an age, all the while seeing

Indeed, I kept your company for an age, all that time I saw

a veil and doors barring access to your bounty.

Naught but a veil before your bounty, and closed doors

وكم ضَريكٍ أجاءته شقاوتَهُ

وكم ضَريكٍ أجاءته شقاوتَهُ

إليكَ إذ أنشَبتْ ضَّراؤها نَابا

إليكَ إذ أنشَبتْ ضَّراؤها نَابا

And many a destitute man has been driven by his misery

And how many wretched souls in misery came to you

to you, when its affliction sank a fang into him.

When misfortune bared its fangs against them

فما فتحَت له باباً لميسرةٍ

فما فتحَت له باباً لميسرةٍ

ولا سددتَ له منِ فاقةٍ بَابَا

ولا سددتَ له منِ فاقةٍ بَابَا

Yet you opened no door to prosperity for him,

Yet you opened no door of ease for them

nor closed any door of poverty for him.

Nor bolstered any from destitution with support

كغائبٍ شَاهدٍ يخفَي عليك كما

كغائبٍ شَاهدٍ يخفَي عليك كما

مَنْ غَابَ عنكَ فوافى حظُّه غَابَا

مَنْ غَابَ عنكَ فوافى حظُّه غَابَا

Like one absent though present, he goes unnoticed by you, just like

Like one present yet hidden from your eyes just as

one who left you, then returned—his share had vanished.

One absent from you whose fortune passed him by