شَمِّر ثِيابَكَ وَاِستَعِدَّ لِقائِل

شَمِّر ثِيابَكَ وَاِستَعِدَّ لِقائِل

وَاِحكُك جَبينَكَ لِلقَضاءِ بِثومِ

وَاِحكُك جَبينَكَ لِلقَضاءِ بِثومِ

Gird up your robes, and ready yourself for one who speaks;

Tuck up your robes and prepare yourself for a speaker.

Rub your brow with garlic for the work of judgment;

And rub your forehead with garlic for judicial office.

وَعَلَيكَ بِالغَنَوِيِّ فَاِجلِس عِندَه

وَعَلَيكَ بِالغَنَوِيِّ فَاِجلِس عِندَه

حَتّى تُصيبَ وَديعَةً لِيَتيمِ

حَتّى تُصيبَ وَديعَةً لِيَتيمِ

Seek out al-Ghanawī, and sit beside him

And go to al-Ghanawi, then sit with him,

Until you obtain a deposit belonging to an orphan.

Until you obtain a deposit belonging to an orphan.