لِلَّهِ دَرُّكَ يا مَهدِيُّ مِن مَلِكٍ

لِلَّهِ دَرُّكَ يا مَهدِيُّ مِن مَلِكٍ

لَولا اِصطِناعُكَ يَعقوبَ بنَ داودِ

لَولا اِصطِناعُكَ يَعقوبَ بنَ داودِ

God bless you, Mahdi—what a king you would be,

For God, your gifts are precious O Mahdi of a king

Were it not for your patronage of Ya‘qub son of Dawud!

If not for honoring Ya'qub (Jacob), son of Dawood (David)

أَمّا النَهارَ فَنَخماتٌ وَقَرقَرَةٌ

أَمّا النَهارَ فَنَخماتٌ وَقَرقَرَةٌ

وَاللَيلَ يَأوي إِلى المِزمارِ وَالعودِ

وَاللَيلَ يَأوي إِلى المِزمارِ وَالعودِ

As for the day: hawking and gurgling;

By day idle chatter and rumbling

And at night he turns to the flute and the lute.

By night taking refuge in music and oud