مولايَ أكرمُ من ألوذُ بظلِّه

مولايَ أكرمُ من ألوذُ بظلِّه

وأَعُدُّهُ وأُعِدُّهُ لصلاحِي

وأَعُدُّهُ وأُعِدُّهُ لصلاحِي

My lord is the most generous of those in whose shade I seek refuge;

My Master, more generous is he whose shade I seek refuge

I count on him and keep him in reserve for my welfare.

I consider him and consider him for my righteousness

سكنِي إِذا ما الأمْنُ قَرَّ مِهَادُهُ

سكنِي إِذا ما الأمْنُ قَرَّ مِهَادُهُ

ولدَى المخافةِ معقِلي وسِلاحي

ولدَى المخافةِ معقِلي وسِلاحي

He is my abode when security's bed lies settled,

My dwelling when security has nestled its pillow

And in times of fear, my stronghold and my arms.

And in fear he is my fortress and weapon

لِوَسائلِ الآداب فيما بينَنا

لِوَسائلِ الآداب فيما بينَنا

ذِمَمٌ وصلنَ جناحَهُ بجَنَاحِي

ذِمَمٌ وصلنَ جناحَهُ بجَنَاحِي

The ties of letters between us

For the means of etiquette between us

Bear obligations that have joined his wing to mine.

Are flaws, though its wing has joined my wing

إنِّي أبثُّكَ كُنْهَ حالي مُجمِلاً

إنِّي أبثُّكَ كُنْهَ حالي مُجمِلاً

ما بينَ تعريضٍ إِلى إفْصَاحِ

ما بينَ تعريضٍ إِلى إفْصَاحِ

Indeed, I confide to you the essence of my condition, in brief,

I confide to you the essence of my state, summarized

Somewhere between allusion and plain disclosure.

Between insinuation and explicitness

أنا عند مخدومي بأفضلِ حالةٍ

أنا عند مخدومي بأفضلِ حالةٍ

في خيرِ مغدىً عندَهُ ومَرَاحِ

في خيرِ مغدىً عندَهُ ومَرَاحِ

With the master I serve, I am in the finest condition,

I am with my Master in the best of states

In the best of morning departures and evening returns with him.

In the prime of his auspices and places of comfort

حَسُنَتْ بهِ حالي وطابتْ عِيشتي

حَسُنَتْ بهِ حالي وطابتْ عِيشتي

واشتطَّ آمالي وفازَ قِداحي

واشتطَّ آمالي وفازَ قِداحي

Through him my condition improved, and my life grew sweet;

My state has been well, and my life pleasant

And my hopes reached far, and my gaming arrows won.

My hopes emboldened, and my goblet of wine flows full

أهوى اللَّحاقَ به وأخشى أنَّني

أهوى اللَّحاقَ به وأخشى أنَّني

من بعدِه أمشي بأجْرَدَ ضَاحي

من بعدِه أمشي بأجْرَدَ ضَاحي

I long to join him, yet fear that I

I yearn to join him, though I fear that after him

Will, after him, walk across a bare, sun-exposed waste.

I will walk in desolate valleys

ويصدُّنِي حُبُّ المقامِ وأفرُخٌ

ويصدُّنِي حُبُّ المقامِ وأفرُخٌ

زُغْبٌ تَرُدُّ إِذا عزمتُ طِماحِي

زُغْبٌ تَرُدُّ إِذا عزمتُ طِماحِي

And love of staying holds me back, and nestlings,

And my love of abode and nestlings

Still downy, check my soaring ambition whenever I resolve.

Vain desires that withdraw when I determine my ambitions

هل أنتَ متّخِذٌ لديَّ صَنيعةً

هل أنتَ متّخِذٌ لديَّ صَنيعةً

غَرَّاءَ غيرَ بهيمةِ الأوضاحِ

غَرَّاءَ غيرَ بهيمةِ الأوضاحِ

Will you bestow upon me a favor,

Are you one who shows me favor?

Radiant, its bright markings undimmed,

Other than the dimwitted beast

وممهِّدٌ لي إنْ أقمتُ لديكُمُ

وممهِّدٌ لي إنْ أقمتُ لديكُمُ

جاهاً عريضاً يُتَّقَى بالرَّاحِ

جاهاً عريضاً يُتَّقَى بالرَّاحِ

And secure for me, if I stay among you,

One who paves the way, if I stay with you

A vast prestige, from which one shields oneself with one's palms,

To ample, breeze-swept prominence?

ومقايضٌ شكري ببرِّكَ راغِبٌ

ومقايضٌ شكري ببرِّكَ راغِبٌ

من متجري في أوفرِ الأرباحِ

من متجري في أوفرِ الأرباحِ

And trade your kindness for my gratitude, seeking

One who barters my gratitude, seeking

The richest profits from my commerce,

From my merchandise the greatest profits

حتى أكونَ بشكرِ بِرِّك كافلاً

حتى أكونَ بشكرِ بِرِّك كافلاً

ويكون بِرُّك كافلاً بنجاحي

ويكون بِرُّك كافلاً بنجاحي

So that I may guarantee thanks for your kindness,

So that I will repay your kindness

And your kindness may guarantee my success?

And your kindness will repay my success