أنا أعرفُ فيمَن

أنا أعرفُ فيمَن

نبتَ الشيخُ أبو نصرِ

نبتَ الشيخُ أبو نصرِ

I know in whom

I know in whom

the elder Abū Naṣr has taken root:

The Sheikh Abu Nasr grew,

يسدُّ الثغر في سُور

يسدُّ الثغر في سُور

غُلامٍ واسعِ الثغرِ

غُلامٍ واسعِ الثغرِ

he plugs the breach in the wall

He who blocks the gap in the wall

of a wide-mouthed youth—

Of a boy with a big mouth.

غلامٌ جامعٌ بينَ الن

غلامٌ جامعٌ بينَ الن

نَدى والباس والشِّعرِ

نَدى والباس والشِّعرِ

a youth who combines

A boy who combines

generosity, valor, and poetry,

Softness, courage and poetry

كقاضٍ فضلُه أن

كقاضٍ فضلُه أن

نَ قَراه أبداً يَقري

نَ قَراه أبداً يَقري

like a judge whose merit is that

Like a judge whose excellence is

his back always offers hospitality.

That he always recites the Quran.

فلا بأس به في النا

فلا بأس به في النا

سِ كمن في وقعةٍ يَجري

سِ كمن في وقعةٍ يَجري

So he is not bad among

So he is good among the peo-

people, like one who runs in a battle:

ple like one who in battle runs

يوافيها ولا يَخ

يوافيها ولا يَخ

رُجُ منها ترب الصدرِ

رُجُ منها ترب الصدرِ

he reaches it and does not come

And meets it but does not come out

out of it with a dust-covered chest.

With dust on his chest.

فأما غيرُ هذين

فأما غيرُ هذين

فسَل عنهنَّ من يَدري

فسَل عنهنَّ من يَدري

But as for the rest, besides these two,

As for others besides these two,

ask someone who knows about them.

Ask about them whoever knows.