1. الملك الشيخ العقيم الذي

    تحت يديه الحزن والسهلُ

    The old, barren king, who

    held rugged ground and plain beneath his hands,

  2. قد طلب النسل بأكثاره

    وطء عذارى مالها بعلُ

    had sought offspring through his frequent

    intercourse with virgins who had no husband.

  3. فعقمت تلك العذارى ولم

    يولد له في عمره نجل

    So those virgins proved barren, and no

    son was born to him in his lifetime.

  4. حتى إذا استيأس لا طفلة

    تقرّ عينيه ولا طفل

    Until, when he despaired—no little girl

    to gladden his eyes, nor any little boy—

  5. فَرَّ إلى الله فمحرابه

    من دمعة الواكف مخضل

    he fled to God, and his prayer niche

    was drenched by a streaming tear.

  6. وجاءه الوحي بأن هذه ال

    عقدة وَسطَ البحر تنحلُ

    And revelation came to him: “This

    knot will unravel in the midst of the sea.

  7. قم فاركب البحر وأمواجه

    هائلة تسفل أو تعلو

    Rise and sail the sea, while its waves

    are fearsome, falling or rising.

  8. ملجّجاً فيه ففي وسطه

    جزيرة ضاق بها السيلُ

    Venture far out upon it, for in its midst

    lies an island that hems in the flood.

  9. فيها العقاقير التي لا يرى

    في سائر الدنيا لها مثلُ

    In it are medicinal herbs, for which one sees no

    equal anywhere else in the world.

  10. وشربها ماء الحياة الذي

    ينزل منه الوبل والطلُّ

    And its drink is the water of life, from which

    the downpour and the dew descend.

  11. فم دواها وعقاقيرها

    شرابك السائغ والأكلُ

    Then [reading uncertain], its medicine and medicinal herbs

    are your palatable drink and food.

  12. تلبث فيها مستحماً بها

    يمضي عليك الفصل والفصلُ

    You remain there, bathing in it,

    while season after season passes over you,

  13. حتى إذا ما دبَّ في جسمك النور

    ولم يبقَ له ظلُ

    until, when the light has crept into your body

    and it has no shadow left,

  14. تخرج منها وعلى رأسك التاج

    الذي ليس له عِدلُ

    you emerge from it, and upon your head is the crown

    that has no equal,

  15. مضاعف الحسن فمن نوره

    المشرق والمغرب لا يخلو

    doubled in beauty; for its radiance

    leaves neither East nor West unlit.

  16. فأنت إن لامستَ من بعده

    تلك العذارى كثر النسلُ

    Then, if afterward you touch

    those virgins, offspring will abound.”

  17. فامتثل الأمر الذي جاءه

    والوحي حتم حكمه فصلُ

    So he obeyed the command that came to him,

    and revelation is binding, its judgment decisive.

  18. فانتشر النسل وضاق الفضا

    بهم وطاب الفرع والأصلُ

    Thus offspring spread, and the expanse grew cramped

    with them, and branch and root alike flourished.

  19. وبقي الملك لأعقابه

    فمنهم الإحسان والعدلُ

    And kingship remained with his descendants,

    so from them came beneficence and justice.

  20. فالحمد لله العلي الذي

    من عنده الأفضال والفضلُ

    So praise be to God, the Most High, from whom

    come favors and bounty.