إذا جِئتَ الأمِيرَ فَقُل سَلامٌ

إذا جِئتَ الأمِيرَ فَقُل سَلامٌ

عَلَيكَ وَرَحمةُ اللهِ الرَّحِيمِ

عَلَيكَ وَرَحمةُ اللهِ الرَّحِيمِ

When you come before the emir, say: “Peace

When you come to the emir, say: Peace

be upon you, and the mercy of God the Merciful.”

Be upon you, and the mercy of God, the Merciful.

وأمّا بَعدُ ذاكَ فَلِي غَريمٌ

وأمّا بَعدُ ذاكَ فَلِي غَريمٌ

مِنَ الأعرابِ قُبّح مِن غَرِيمِ

مِنَ الأعرابِ قُبّح مِن غَرِيمِ

And now to the matter: I have a creditor,

Now then, I have a creditor

a Bedouin—what a wretched creditor!

From among the Bedouin—cursed be such a creditor!

لَزُومٌ ما عَلِمتُ لباب دَارِي

لَزُومٌ ما عَلِمتُ لباب دَارِي

لُزُومَ الكَلبِ أصحَابَ الرَّقِيمِ

لُزُومَ الكَلبِ أصحَابَ الرَّقِيمِ

He clings, so far as I know, to my house-door,

He clings, so far as I know, to the door of my house,

as the dog clung to the Companions of al-Raqim.

As the dog clung to the Companions of al-Raqim.

له مِئَةٌ عليَّ ونِصفُ أخرَى

له مِئَةٌ عليَّ ونِصفُ أخرَى

ونِصفُ النِّصفِ في صَكٍّ قَدِيمِ

ونِصفُ النِّصفِ في صَكٍّ قَدِيمِ

I owe him a hundred, half another hundred,

I owe him a hundred, and half another hundred,

and half that half, all recorded in an old bond:

And half of that half, in an old debt note:

دَرَاهِمُ ما انتَفَعتُ بها وَلكِن

دَرَاهِمُ ما انتَفَعتُ بها وَلكِن

وَصَلتُ بها شُيُوخَ بَنِي تَمِيمِ

وَصَلتُ بها شُيُوخَ بَنِي تَمِيمِ

dirhams from which I gained nothing—but

Dirhams from which I gained no benefit, but

I bestowed them on the chiefs of Banu Tamim.

With which I aided the elders of Banu Tamim.

أتَوني بالعَشِيرَةِ يسأَلُوني

أتَوني بالعَشِيرَةِ يسأَلُوني

وَلَم أكُ في العَشِيرةِ باللَّئِيمِ

وَلَم أكُ في العَشِيرةِ باللَّئِيمِ

They came to me with the whole clan, asking,

They came to me, asking me in the name of kinship,

and I was no miser among the tribe.

And I was no miser among the clan.