أَبا دُلَفٍ دَلَفَت حاجَتي

أَبا دُلَفٍ دَلَفَت حاجَتي

إِلَيكَ وَما خِلتُها بالدلوفِ

إِلَيكَ وَما خِلتُها بالدلوفِ

O Abu Dulaf, my need has crept

O Abadulf, my need brought me to you,

O Abu Dulaf, my need has crept its way to you,

toward you, though I had not thought it would approach.

Not having tried it with the evasive one,

To you—though I never imagined it one to creep.

له كَلِمٌ فيكَ مَعقولَةٌ

له كَلِمٌ فيكَ مَعقولَةٌ

إِزاءَ القُلوب كركب وقوف

إِزاءَ القُلوب كركب وقوف

He has words about you, tethered

For you have an effective word,

He has words regarding you, tethered fast,

before hearts like a halted company of riders.

Regarding hearts, like a standing caravan.

Set before hearts like a caravan brought to a halt.

تملك إِن كُنتَ ذا إِربة

تملك إِن كُنتَ ذا إِربة

مِن العالَمين لشيخ وَصيف

مِن العالَمين لشيخ وَصيف

Acquire, if you have discernment,

You rule, if you have a hermitage,

So acquire, if you are a man of purpose,

a servant boy from among humankind for an old man,

From both worlds, for an old man and a youth.

From all the world, a servant for this old man;

وَأغلب فضفاض جلد اللبان

وَأغلب فضفاض جلد اللبان

يُدافِع غبغبه بالوَظيفِ

يُدافِع غبغبه بالوَظيفِ

and a thick-necked beast with ample skin upon its chest,

And most of the ample hide of frankincense

Thick-necked, with the skin of his chest hanging loose,

that pushes aside its dewlap with its shank.

Repels its dense smoke with the case.

Who fends off his dewlap with his very shin.