أبلِغا رَبطَةَ أنّي

أبلِغا رَبطَةَ أنّي

كُنتُ عَبداً لأبيها

كُنتُ عَبداً لأبيها

You two, tell Rabṭa that I

You two, tell Rabṭa that I

was a slave to her father.

Was a slave to her father.

فَمَضَى يَرحَمُهُ ال

فَمَضَى يَرحَمُهُ ال

لَه وَأَوصَى بي إلَيهَا

لَه وَأَوصَى بي إلَيهَا

Then he passed away—may God have mercy

Then he passed away—may God

on him—and entrusted me to her.

Have mercy on him—and commended me to her care.

وأُرَاها نَسِيَتنِي

وأُرَاها نَسِيَتنِي

مِثلَ نِسيَانِ أخيها

مِثلَ نِسيَانِ أخيها

And I believe she has forgotten me,

And I think she has forgotten me,

just as her brother forgot me.

Just as her brother has.

جاء شَهرُ الصَّومِ يَمشي

جاء شَهرُ الصَّومِ يَمشي

مِشيَةً ما أشتَهِيها

مِشيَةً ما أشتَهِيها

The month of fasting came advancing

The month of fasting came walking,

with a gait I hardly relish,

With a gait I do not relish,

قائِداً لي لَيلَةَ القَد

قائِداً لي لَيلَةَ القَد

رِ كأنّي أبتَغِيها

رِ كأنّي أبتَغِيها

leading me the Night of

Bringing me the Night of

Decree—as though I sought it.

Decree, as though I sought it.

تَنطَحُ القِبلَةَ شَهراً

تَنطَحُ القِبلَةَ شَهراً

جَبهَتي لا تَأتَلِيها

جَبهَتي لا تَأتَلِيها

Butting the qibla for a month,

Butting the qibla for a month—

my forehead never spares it.

My forehead, never neglecting it.

ولَقَد عشتُ زَمَاناً

ولَقَد عشتُ زَمَاناً

في فيافيَّ وَجِيها

في فيافيَّ وَجِيها

Indeed, I once lived for a time

And indeed, I lived for a time,

a man of standing in my wildernesses.

Esteemed in my desert wastes,

في لَيالٍ مِن شِتاءٍ

في لَيالٍ مِن شِتاءٍ

كُنتُ شيخاً أَصطَليها

كُنتُ شيخاً أَصطَليها

On winter nights,

On nights in winter,

I was a sheikh, basking in the warmth,

I was an old man, warming myself in them,

قاعِداً أوقِدُ ناراً

قاعِداً أوقِدُ ناراً

لِضَبَابٍ أشتَوِيها

لِضَبَابٍ أشتَوِيها

seated and kindling a fire

Sitting, kindling a fire

to roast desert lizards,

For spiny-tailed lizards I would roast,

وَصَبُوحٍ وَغَبُوقٍ

وَصَبُوحٍ وَغَبُوقٍ

في عِلابٍ أحتَسيها

في عِلابٍ أحتَسيها

with morning and evening draughts

And morning draughts and evening draughts

that I quaffed from leather cups.

Which I would sip from bowls.

ما أُبالِي لَيلَةَ القَد

ما أُبالِي لَيلَةَ القَد

رِ وَلا تُسمِعُنِيها

رِ وَلا تُسمِعُنِيها

I cared nothing for the Night of

I care nothing for the Night of

Decree—so do not speak to me of it.

Decree—and do not mention it to me.

فاطلُبِي لي فرجاً مِن

فاطلُبِي لي فرجاً مِن

هَا وأجرِي لكِ فيها

هَا وأجرِي لكِ فيها

So seek deliverance for me from

So seek relief for me from

it, and my reward for it shall be yours.

It—and my reward for it shall be yours.