ورَكْبٍ أَممَّوا قَحطا

ورَكْبٍ أَممَّوا قَحطا

نَ والَّليلُ بِهِمْ يَسطُو

نَ والَّليلُ بِهِمْ يَسطُو

And a band of riders made for Qahtan,

A people passed with their mounts, suffering drought

while night assailed them.

As night stretched over them during their journey

فحطُّوا رَحلَهم منه

فحطُّوا رَحلَهم منه

بوادي الجَدْبِ إذ حَطُّوا

بوادي الجَدْبِ إذ حَطُّوا

So they set down their baggage with him,

So they unloaded their belongings in that place

in the valley of barrenness when they alighted.

In the valley of barrenness when they stopped there

وأنَّى يَفْعَلُ الخَيْرَ

وأنَّى يَفْعَلُ الخَيْرَ

فتى نِصفُ اسمِه قَحطُ

فتى نِصفُ اسمِه قَحطُ

And how can he do good—

How could good possibly come

a youth half of whose name is “drought”?

From a lad whose name means drought