يا سيدي دعوةُ من لم تزل

يا سيدي دعوةُ من لم تزل

تعديه بالجود على دهرهِ

تعديه بالجود على دهرهِ

My master, this is the plea of one whom you have never ceased

O my lord, a request from one whom you have never ceased

to aid with generosity against his fate.

To oblige with generosity throughout his life

إن لي ابناً أمس خلفتهُ

إن لي ابناً أمس خلفتهُ

في منزلي كالفرخ في وكره

في منزلي كالفرخ في وكره

I have a son whom I left yesterday

I have a son whom yesterday I begot

in my home, like a fledgling in its nest.

In my home like a chick in its nest

يبكي إذا ما عن ذكري له

يبكي إذا ما عن ذكري له

وفي فؤادي النار من ذكره

وفي فؤادي النار من ذكره

He weeps whenever the thought of me comes to him,

He weeps when I am mentioned to him

and in my heart is fire at the thought of him.

And in my heart there is fire from thoughts of him

والعزم بي قد جد يا سيدي

والعزم بي قد جد يا سيدي

في شهرنا الأدنى على طهره

في شهرنا الأدنى على طهره

And my resolve has grown firm, my master,

And I am determined, my lord

to have him circumcised in our coming month.

In this our sacred month to purify myself for him

قفوني إني ضعيفُ القوى

قفوني إني ضعيفُ القوى

على الذي أنوبه في أمره

على الذي أنوبه في أمره

Favor me, for my strength is weak

Support me, for I am weak in strength

for what I must undertake concerning him.

For that task which I take on for his sake

فأنت سترُ الله في وجه من

فأنت سترُ الله في وجه من

أصبح ذاك الطفل في ستره

أصبح ذاك الطفل في ستره

For you are God's shield before the face of one

For you are God's veil before the face of one

in whose shelter that child now lives.

For whom that child has become his veil