أَلا بِأَبي خِلٌّ حَمِدتُ إِخاءهُ

أَلا بِأَبي خِلٌّ حَمِدتُ إِخاءهُ

رَقيقُ الحَواشي جامعُ الشَملِ وَالأنسِ

رَقيقُ الحَواشي جامعُ الشَملِ وَالأنسِ

Ah, may my father be ransom for a friend whose fellowship I praised,

By my father, Khall is gracious - I praised his brotherhood

gentle in manner, gathering companions and good cheer.

Gentle of conversation, bringing people together

قَطَعنا بِهِ لَيلاً كَأَنَّ حَديثَهُ

قَطَعنا بِهِ لَيلاً كَأَنَّ حَديثَهُ

أَزاهيرُ رَوضٍ صينَ عَن بَذلَةِ اللَمسِ

أَزاهيرُ رَوضٍ صينَ عَن بَذلَةِ اللَمسِ

We passed a night with him, as though his conversation were

We spent a night with him, as if his talk

blossoms of a garden guarded from the profanation of touch.

Were the blossoms of a protected garden, shunning unwanted touches

وَبِتنا يُعاطينا الحَديثَ كَأَنَّهُ

وَبِتنا يُعاطينا الحَديثَ كَأَنَّهُ

جَنى النَحلِ مَمزُوجاً لَنا بابنةِ الكَأسِ

جَنى النَحلِ مَمزُوجاً لَنا بابنةِ الكَأسِ

And we spent the night as he offered us conversation, as though it were

And we stayed awake as he regaled us with conversation as though it

the bees' harvest, mixed for us with the cup's daughter.

Were the nectar of bees mixed for us with the daughter of the cup

حَبيبٌ إِلى كُلِّ الأَنامِ كَأَنَّهُ

حَبيبٌ إِلى كُلِّ الأَنامِ كَأَنَّهُ

تَقسَّمَ بَين القَلبِ وَالروحِ وَالنَفسِ

تَقسَّمَ بَين القَلبِ وَالروحِ وَالنَفسِ

Beloved by all humankind, as though he

A beloved to all people, as though he

were divided among the heart, the spirit, and the soul.

Were shared out among hearts, spirits and breaths

هُوَ النَجمُ جَلّى ظُلمَةَ اللَيلِ نورُهُ

هُوَ النَجمُ جَلّى ظُلمَةَ اللَيلِ نورُهُ

فَأَوضَحُ مِن شَمسٍ وَأَفصَحُ مِن قسِّ

فَأَوضَحُ مِن شَمسٍ وَأَفصَحُ مِن قسِّ

He is the star whose light dispelled the darkness of night,

He is the star whose light dispelled the gloom of night

thus brighter than a sun, and more eloquent than Quss.

Clearer than a sun and more eloquent than a storyteller

وَلَكنَّهُ إِذ لاحَت الشَمسُ غائِبٌ

وَلَكنَّهُ إِذ لاحَت الشَمسُ غائِبٌ

وَلا غَروَ إِنَّ النجمَ يَخفَى مَعَ الشَمسِ

وَلا غَروَ إِنَّ النجمَ يَخفَى مَعَ الشَمسِ

Yet when the sun appeared, he was absent;

And yet when the sun rose he disappeared

and no wonder, for the star is hidden in the sun's presence.

No wonder that a star fades away in sunlight