وَسالَ رَسولُ اللَهِ وَالحَقُّ لازِمٌ

وَسالَ رَسولُ اللَهِ وَالحَقُّ لازِمٌ

لِمَن سالَ مِنّا مَن تُسَمّونَ سَيِّدا

لِمَن سالَ مِنّا مَن تُسَمّونَ سَيِّدا

And God's Messenger asked—and truth is binding—

The Messenger of Allah asked, and truth is binding,

those of us he questioned, “Whom do you call a chief?”

"Who do you call the foremost among you?" We said,

فَقُلنا لَهُ جِدُّ اِبنُ قَيسٍ عَلى الَذي

فَقُلنا لَهُ جِدُّ اِبنُ قَيسٍ عَلى الَذي

نُبَخِّلُهُ فينا وَإِن نالَ سُؤدَدا

نُبَخِّلُهُ فينا وَإِن نالَ سُؤدَدا

So we told him, “Jadd ibn Qays, despite the fact

"Jadd son of Qais, though we begrudge him nothing,

that we deem him miserly among us, though he has attained eminence.”

Even if he attained great fortune."

فَقالَ وَأَيُّ الداءِ أَدوى مِنَ الَذي

فَقالَ وَأَيُّ الداءِ أَدوى مِنَ الَذي

رَمَيتُم بِهِ جَدّاً وَأَغلى بِها يَدا

رَمَيتُم بِهِ جَدّاً وَأَغلى بِها يَدا

Then he said, “What disease is more harmful than that

He said, "What malady is more grievous than that

with which you charged Jadd?” And thereby he made a hand more precious.

With which you have assailed Jadd and spent wealth?"

فَسَوَّدَ بِشرَ اِبنَ البَراءِ بِجودِهِ

فَسَوَّدَ بِشرَ اِبنَ البَراءِ بِجودِهِ

وَحَقَّ لِبِشرِ اِبنِ البَرا أَن يُسوَّدا

وَحَقَّ لِبِشرِ اِبنِ البَرا أَن يُسوَّدا

So he made Bishr ibn al-Bara' chief for his generosity,

So he blackened Bishr son of Al-Bara with his munificence,

and Bishr ibn al-Bara' deserved to be made chief.

And Bishr son of Al-Bara has the right to blacken.

فَلَيسَ بِخاطٍ خَطوَةً لِدَنِيَّةٍ

فَلَيسَ بِخاطٍ خَطوَةً لِدَنِيَّةٍ

وَلا باسِطٍ يَوماً إِلى سَوأَةٍ يَدا

وَلا باسِطٍ يَوماً إِلى سَوأَةٍ يَدا

For he takes no step toward a base deed,

He never takes a step toward baseness,

nor ever stretches out a hand toward a shameful act.

Nor ever stretches out a hand to vileness.

إِذا جائَهُ السُؤآلُ أَنهَبَ مالَهُ

إِذا جائَهُ السُؤآلُ أَنهَبَ مالَهُ

وَقالَ خُذوهُ إِنَّهُ عائِدٌ غَدا

وَقالَ خُذوهُ إِنَّهُ عائِدٌ غَدا

When petitioners come to him, he throws his wealth open for the taking,

When asked, he lavishes his wealth

and says, “Take it; it will return tomorrow.”

And says, "Take it, for it will return tomorrow."

فَلَو كُنتَ يا جَدُّ بنِ قَيسٍ عَلى الَّتي

فَلَو كُنتَ يا جَدُّ بنِ قَيسٍ عَلى الَّتي

عَلى مِثلِها بِشرٌ لَكُنتَ المُسَوَّدا

عَلى مِثلِها بِشرٌ لَكُنتَ المُسَوَّدا

So had you, O Jadd ibn Qays, possessed the quality

O Jadd son of Qais, if you were in the place

that Bishr possesses, you would have been made chief.

Of Bishr, you would have been the blackened one!