يا أيها المولَى الذي اصطنَعَ الورى

يا أيها المولَى الذي اصطنَعَ الورى

شرقاً وغربَا

شرقاً وغربَا

O lord, who has bestowed favor on humankind,

O Lord who fashioned all creation,

east and west,

East and West,

والمُستعانُ على الزمان إِذا اعتَرى

والمُستعانُ على الزمان إِذا اعتَرى

وأجدَّ حربا

وأجدَّ حربا

And whose aid is sought against Time when it assails

The one we call upon when times grow hard

and wages war in earnest.

And grievous wars unfold.

أقسمتُ بالبُزْلِ النوافحِ في البُرَى

أقسمتُ بالبُزْلِ النوافحِ في البُرَى

قُوداً وقُبَّا

قُوداً وقُبَّا

I swear by the mature camels snorting through their nose-rings,

I swear by the driving rain across the land,

long-necked and lean-bellied,

Fettered, hemmed in,

واصلنَ نحوَ البيتِ بالسير السُّرَى

واصلنَ نحوَ البيتِ بالسير السُّرَى

يحملن رَكْبا

يحملن رَكْبا

That continued their night marches toward the House,

That came to the House by secret ways,

carrying a company of riders.

Bearing a riding band.

يُرضيهمُ بعدَ الصدى وِرْدُ الصَّرَى

يُرضيهمُ بعدَ الصدى وِرْدُ الصَّرَى

رِفْهَاً وغِبَّا

رِفْهَاً وغِبَّا

After thirst, a drink of stagnant water satisfies them,

Whom, after long estrangement, the return of rain,

daily or on alternate days.

Solace and plenty, satisfies.

لقد ابتنيتَ المُلكَ مرفوعَ الذُّرَى

لقد ابتنيتَ المُلكَ مرفوعَ الذُّرَى

بكَ مستتبَّا

بكَ مستتبَّا

You have indeed built the kingdom with its summits raised,

You built a kingdom ever raised in fame,

firmly established through you.

Through you made firm and fast.

وتركتَ دينَ اللّه مشدودَ العُرَى

وتركتَ دينَ اللّه مشدودَ العُرَى

بُعْداً وقُرْبَا

بُعْداً وقُرْبَا

And you have left God's faith with its bonds drawn tight,

And left God's faith a naked corpse cast down

far and near.

In plain and hill.

وضَمِنْتَ للدنيا ومن فيها القِرَى

وضَمِنْتَ للدنيا ومن فيها القِرَى

وكشفتَ جدبَا

وكشفتَ جدبَا

And you have guaranteed hospitality to the world and those within it,

You guaranteed the world and all its realms

and dispelled barrenness.

A buffer 'gainst want's pangs.

من قالَ غيرُكَ للعُلَى فقد افترى

من قالَ غيرُكَ للعُلَى فقد افترى

مَيْناً وكذْبَا

مَيْناً وكذْبَا

Whoever says anyone but you is fit for glory has fabricated

Say, who but you presumption's path has trod,

falsehood and lies.

Erring, fabricating wrong?

قَرُبَ الرحيلُ وزندُ عبدِكَ ما ورَى

قَرُبَ الرحيلُ وزندُ عبدِكَ ما ورَى

فيما أَحبَّا

فيما أَحبَّا

Departure draws near, yet your servant's fire-stick has not sparked

My death draws near, while still your servant sees

in what he has desired.

Nothing he longed for.

فأَجرْهُ من دهرٍ بَراهُ كَما تَرى

فأَجرْهُ من دهرٍ بَراهُ كَما تَرى

طعناً وضربا

طعناً وضربا

So shelter him from Time, which has worn him down, as you see,

So save him from a long life lived in woe

with stabs and blows.

As you see fit.

أرخَى فضولَ عِنانه لمَّا جَرَى

أرخَى فضولَ عِنانه لمَّا جَرَى

فكبَا وكَبَّا

فكبَا وكَبَّا

It let out the slack of its reins as it raced,

He let caprice hold sway when fortune smiled,

then stumbled and flung him down.

Tripping, stumbling.

فانظُرْ إِليهِ وهو مطرودُ الكرى

فانظُرْ إِليهِ وهو مطرودُ الكرى

ضُرَّاً وجدبا

ضُرَّاً وجدبا

So look upon him, with sleep driven away from him

Look on him: scorn has hounded him away,

by suffering and barrenness.

Barren, dejected.

هجر الأنامَ إليك طُرَّاً واشترى

هجر الأنامَ إليك طُرَّاً واشترى

بالجَدْب خِصْبَا

بالجَدْب خِصْبَا

He forsook all humankind to turn to you, and bought

Shunning all mankind, to you he crept, acquired

fertile abundance with barrenness.

Through dearth, abundance.

فأتاكَ يرتَعُ في ذراك وبالحَرى

فأتاكَ يرتَعُ في ذراك وبالحَرى

ألّا يُذبَّا

ألّا يُذبَّا

So he came to you to graze in your shelter, and it is only fitting

To you he comes to browse in your estate,

that he not be driven away.

No more to be destroyed.