وَراحِلٍ سِرتُ في صَحبٍ أُؤَمِّلُهُ

وَراحِلٍ سِرتُ في صَحبٍ أُؤَمِّلُهُ

تَبارَكَ اللَهُ ما أَشقى المَساكينا

تَبارَكَ اللَهُ ما أَشقى المَساكينا

And for a traveler I journeyed with companions, placing my hopes in him—

With companions I traveled hoping for rain

Blessed be God! How wretched the poor are!

Blessed is Allah, how wretched are the poor

جِئنا إِلى بابِهِ لاجينَ نَسأَلُهُ

جِئنا إِلى بابِهِ لاجينَ نَسأَلُهُ

فَلَيتَنا عاقَنا مَوتٌ وَلا جينا

فَلَيتَنا عاقَنا مَوتٌ وَلا جينا

We came to his door seeking refuge, asking him;

We came to his door begging for water

If only death had held us back, and we had not come!

If only death had kept us from coming here

لاجينَ نَسأَلُ مَيتاً لا حَراكَ بِهِ

لاجينَ نَسأَلُ مَيتاً لا حَراكَ بِهِ

مِثلَ النَصارى إِلى الأَصنامِ لاجينا

مِثلَ النَصارى إِلى الأَصنامِ لاجينا

Seeking refuge, we ask a dead man who does not stir,

We begged from the dead, lifeless, still

Like Christians seeking refuge with idols.

Like Christians begging their idols