1. O sheikh of sheikhs, with no dissent,
O sheikh of restoring and compensating,
١. أَيَا شَيخَ الشُّيُوخِ بِلاَ خِلاَفِ
ويَا شَيخَ التَّدَارُكِ والتَّلافي
2. We came as visitors seeking refuge,
And we didn’t come as visitors for other than refuge.
٢. أتَينَا زَائِرِينَ نُرِيدُ جَافاً
ولَسنَا زَائِرِينَ لِغَيرِ جََافِ
3. If you have beautiful voices,
Then we have voices sweeter than nectar.
٣. فَإن كَانَت لكم لِمَمٌ حِسَانٌ
فَإنَّ لنا كَخَافِيَةِ الغُدَافِ
4. And if your claws are sharp,
Then ours are sharper than knives.
٤. وإن كُنتُم بِحُسنِ الصَّوتِ فُزتُم
فَإِنَّ لَنَا ألَذَّ مِنَ السُّلاَفِ
5. And if circumstances allowed, you would have feasted,
Then we would have feasted on what frees from circumstances.
٥. وَإن كَانَت نَوَاجِذكُم حِدَاداً
فَإِنَّ لنا أَحَدَّ مِنَ الإِشَافِ
6. And if singing comes your way as a gift,
I came with two rising stars, which are enough.
٦. وإِن قَدرَ الأَثَافي إِذَن لقِمتُم
لَقِمنَا مَا يَحُلُّ عَنِ الأَثَافي
٧. وإِن كَانَ الغِنَاءُ إِلَيكَ يُهدَى
أتَيتُ بِطَلعَتَينِ وكَافِ