إِذا ما رَفيقي لَم يَكُن خَلفَ ناقَتي

إِذا ما رَفيقي لَم يَكُن خَلفَ ناقَتي

لَهُ مَركَبٌ فَضلٌ فَلا حَمَلتْ رَحلي

لَهُ مَركَبٌ فَضلٌ فَلا حَمَلتْ رَحلي

If my companion has not, behind my she-camel,

If my companion were not behind my camel,

a spare place to ride, then may she never carry my saddle;

He would have a superior mount, so my camel would not be laden.

وَلَم يَكُ مِن زادي لَهُ نِصفُ مِزودي

وَلَم يَكُ مِن زادي لَهُ نِصفُ مِزودي

فَلا كُنتُ ذا زادٍ وَلا كُنتُ ذا رَحلِ

فَلا كُنتُ ذا زادٍ وَلا كُنتُ ذا رَحلِ

and if, from my stores, he has not half my provision-bag,

And if my provisions were not half for him,

then may I possess neither provisions nor saddle.

Then I would have neither provisions nor camel.

شَريكَينِ فيما نَحنُ فيهِ وَقَد أَرى

شَريكَينِ فيما نَحنُ فيهِ وَقَد أَرى

عَلَيَّ لَهُ فَضلاً بِما نالَ مِن فَضلي

عَلَيَّ لَهُ فَضلاً بِما نالَ مِن فَضلي

Partners in all we share—and indeed I see

We are partners in this, yet I see

a debt of gratitude I owe him for what he has received of my bounty.

He has a superiority over me in what he attains of my bounty.