بِأَبي مالَكَ عَنّي

بِأَبي مالَكَ عَنّي

مائِلَ الطَرفِ كَليلاً

مائِلَ الطَرفِ كَليلاً

My father be your ransom—why turn away from me,

By my father Malik, turn from me,

your gaze averted and languid?

Your eyes glancing aside little by little.

وَأَرى بِرَّكَ نَزراً

وَأَرى بِرَّكَ نَزراً

وَتَحفّيكَ قَليلاً

وَتَحفّيكَ قَليلاً

And I see your kindness is scant,

I see your blessing as meager drops,

and your attentiveness slight.

And your gifts to me as few.

وَتُسَمّيني عَدُوّاً

وَتُسَمّيني عَدُوّاً

وَأُسَمّيكَ خَليلا

وَأُسَمّيكَ خَليلا

And you call me an enemy,

You call me an enemy,

while I call you a dear friend.

While I call you a friend.

أَتَعَلَّمتَ سُلُوّاً

أَتَعَلَّمتَ سُلُوّاً

أَم تَبَدَّلتَ بَديلا

أَم تَبَدَّلتَ بَديلا

Have you learned to cease loving,

Have you learned to act coyly,

or taken another in my place?

Or have you changed to another lover?

أَحمَدُ اللَهَ فَما أغ

أَحمَدُ اللَهَ فَما أغ

نى الرَجا فيكَ فَتيلا

نى الرَجا فيكَ فَتيلا

I praise God, for no good has come

I thank God—hope in you

from hope in you—not even a thread's worth.

Did not completely die out.

لَيسَ لي ذَنبٌ سِوى

لَيسَ لي ذَنبٌ سِوى

أَنّي أُسَمّيكَ خَليلاً

أَنّي أُسَمّيكَ خَليلاً

I have no fault except

My only crime is

that I call you a dear friend,

That I call you my friend,

وَأُناديكَ عَزيزاً

وَأُناديكَ عَزيزاً

وَتُناديني ذَليلا

وَتُناديني ذَليلا

and address you as honored,

And cry out to you, beloved one,

while you call me lowly.

While you cry out to me, despised one.

أَنا أَهواكَ وَحالَي

أَنا أَهواكَ وَحالَي

كَ صَروماً وَوَصولا

كَ صَروماً وَوَصولا

I love you in both your states—

I love you while my state

aloof and affectionate alike.

Is advancing and retreating.

ثِق بِوُدِّ لَيسَ يَفنى

ثِق بِوُدِّ لَيسَ يَفنى

وَبِعَهدٍ لَن يَحولا

وَبِعَهدٍ لَن يَحولا

Trust in a love that never perishes,

Trust in a love that will not vanish

and in a pledge that will never change.

And in a covenant that will not change.

جَعَلَ اللَهُ حُمَيداً

جَعَلَ اللَهُ حُمَيداً

لِبَني الدُنيا كَفيلا

لِبَني الدُنيا كَفيلا

God has made Humayd

God made Hamid a guarantor

a guardian for the children of this world.

For the people of this world.

مَلِكٌ لَم يَجعَل اللَ

مَلِكٌ لَم يَجعَل اللَ

هُ لَهُ فيهِم عَديلا

هُ لَهُ فيهِم عَديلا

A king—God has not made

A king whom God has not

any among them his equal.

Made for them an equal.

فَأَقاموا في ذَراهُ

فَأَقاموا في ذَراهُ

مُطمَئِنّينَ حُلولا

مُطمَئِنّينَ حُلولا

So they dwelt in his shelter,

They live under his shadow

secure and settled.

At ease and settled.

لا تَرى فيهِممُقِلّاً

لا تَرى فيهِممُقِلّاً

يَسأَلُ المُثرى فُضولا

يَسأَلُ المُثرى فُضولا

You see no poor man among them

You see among them no miser

asking the rich for surplus wealth.

Asking for excess wealth.

جادَ بِالأَموال حَتّى

جادَ بِالأَموال حَتّى

عَلَّمَ الجودَ البَخيلا

عَلَّمَ الجودَ البَخيلا

He gave wealth lavishly until

He gave generously until

he taught the miser generosity.

He taught generosity to the stingy.

وَبَني الفَخرَ عَلى الفَخ

وَبَني الفَخرَ عَلى الفَخ

رِ بِناءً مُستَطيلا

رِ بِناءً مُستَطيلا

And he built glory upon glory,

And built pride upon pride

a towering edifice.

With a lofty building.

صارَ لِلخائِفِ أَمناً

صارَ لِلخائِفِ أَمناً

وَعَلى الجودِ دَليلا

وَعَلى الجودِ دَليلا

He became safety for the fearful,

He became safety for the frightened

and a guide to generosity.

And a guide to generosity.