رُبَّ خِلٍّ طَرَقتُهُ لِلسَلامِ

رُبَّ خِلٍّ طَرَقتُهُ لِلسَلامِ

ظَنَّ أَنّي أَتَيتُهُ لِلطَعامِ

ظَنَّ أَنّي أَتَيتُهُ لِلطَعامِ

Many a friend have I visited merely to offer greetings;

Many a friend I called on to offer greetings

he imagined that I had come to him for food.

thought I had come to him for food.

فَتَمطى سَويعةً ثُمَّ نادى

فَتَمطى سَويعةً ثُمَّ نادى

يا غُلامي وَأَينَ لي بِغُلامي

يا غُلامي وَأَينَ لي بِغُلامي

He stalled for a little while, then called out,

So he stretched a little while, then called out:

“My servant boy!”—though where would I get a servant boy?

'My servant boy! And where can I find my servant boy?

هاتِ لي حُقَّةَ الجُوارِشِ إِنّي

هاتِ لي حُقَّةَ الجُوارِشِ إِنّي

بَشِمٌ من هَريسَةٍ وَهُلامِ

بَشِمٌ من هَريسَةٍ وَهُلامِ

“Bring me the jar of digestive electuary, for I

Bring me the jar of digestive electuary; I am

am overfull with harīsa and hulām.”

overfull from harisa and hulam.'

قُلتُ قَد قُمتُ عَنكَ قالَ وَمَن لي

قُلتُ قَد قُمتُ عَنكَ قالَ وَمَن لي

مِنكَ يا مَن فَقَدتُهُ بِالقِيامِ

مِنكَ يا مَن فَقَدتُهُ بِالقِيامِ

I said, “I am rising to leave you.” He said, “And who will rid me

I said, 'I have risen to leave you.' He said, 'And who will deliver me

of you—O you whose rising I have so sorely missed?”

from you, O you whom I have lost by your rising?'

أَحمَدُ اللَهَ أَقسَمَ اللَهُ أَن لا

أَحمَدُ اللَهَ أَقسَمَ اللَهُ أَن لا

يَتَوَخّى بِالرِزقِ غَيرَ اللِئامِ

يَتَوَخّى بِالرِزقِ غَيرَ اللِئامِ

I praise God—God has sworn that He will never

I praise God! God has sworn that He will not

single out for sustenance any but the ignoble.

single out any but the ignoble for sustenance.