إِلَيكَ سَعيدَ الخَيرِ جابَت مَطِيَّتي

فُروجَ الفَيافي وَهِيَ عَوجاءُ عَيهَلُ

My she-camel carried me to you, O good fortune,

Through the dusty paths, though lame and weak.

بأَشعثَ مِن طُولِ السُرى عَسَفَت بِهِ

إِلَيكَ عَلَنداةٌ مِنَ العَيسِ عَيطَلُ

Disheveled by the long journey, still she struggled on,

Bearing me to you, though tired and worn.

تَرى أَنَّهُ لا قَصرَ عَنكَ وَما لَها

سَواءَكَ مِن قَصرٍ وَلا عَنكَ مَعدِلُ

You'll find her not lacking, though she's no palace,

For you she's equal, be you in hut or hall.

فَما بَلَغَت كَفُّ اِمرِئٍ مُتَناوِلٍ

مِنَ المَجدِ إِلّا حَيثُ ما نِلتَ أَطوَلُ

No mortal's reach has grasped the heights of glory,

Save only where your hand has grasped their all.

وَلا بَلَغَ المُهدون نَحوكَ مِدحَةً

وَلَو صَدَقوا إِلّا الَّذي فيكَ أَفضَلُ

Those who praise you, though sincere, can't match you;

Only you yourself are best qualified.

وَكَم مِن ثَناءٍ صالِحٍ كُنتَ أَهلَهُ

مُدِحتَ بِهِ تُجزى بِذاكَ وَتَقبلُ

You, the chosen among Quraysh, are a pillar

For those who seek you - salvation, refuge, shield.

وَإِنَّ المُصَفّى مِن قُرَيشٍ دِعامَةٌ

لَمَن نابَهُ حِرزٌ نَجاةٌ وَمَعقِلُ

The sands of Mecca know that you alone

Possess its glory, its ancient rights upheld.

وَقَد عَلِمَت بَطحاءُ مَكَّةَ أَنَّهُ

لَهُ العِزُّ مِنها وَالقَديمُ المُؤثَّلُ

When Quraysh's clans all spread their lofty branches,

Yours is the highest, your glory is extolled.

إِذا ما تَسامَت مِن قُرَيشٍ فُروعُها

فَبَيتُكَ أَعلاها وَعِزُّكَ أَطوَلُ

Brother of generosity - your cauldrons

Are ever brimming and shared with young and old.

أَخو شَتَواتٍ لا تَزالُ قُدورُهُ

يُحَلُّ عَلى أَرجائِها ثُمَّ يُرحَلُ

When the destitute come to warm themselves around,

You see the fires lit, the meaty stewpot rolled.

إِذا ما اِنتَحاها المُرمِلونَ رَأَيتَها

لَوَشكِ قِراها وَهِيَ بِالجَزلِ تُشعَلُ

You hear the loud babble as the crowd gathers,

Like camels' grunting when their milk is pulled.

سَمِعتَ لَها لَغطاً إِذا ما تَغَطمَطَت

كَهَدرِ الجِمالِ رُزَّماً حينَ تُجفَلُ

You see the noble she-camels vying in splendor,

Young, robust, their saddle-cloths still unsmeared.

تَرى كُلَّ دَهماءِ السَراةِ نَبيلَةٍ

شُماخِيَّةٍ في يافِعٍ لا تُزَمَّلُ

Plump waterskins, fully distended bellies

Pressed down in their middles, still unpierced.

تَرى البازِلَ الكَوماءَ فيها بِأَسرِها

مُقَبَّضَةً في قَعرِها ما تَحَلحَل

Like the elderly camels, snorting in their stalls

When they sneeze in the cold and their noses drip.

كَأَنَّ الكُهولَ الشُمطَ في حَجَراتِها

تَعاطَسُ في تَيّارِها حينَ تَحفِلُ

When the waves surge, they're like frightened camels

Huddling for shelter from the night's harsh chill.

إِذا التَطَمَت أَمواجُها فَكأَنَّها

عَوائِذُ دُهمٌ في المَحَلَّةِ قُيَّلُ

When the cooking pots boil, it's as if they'd spill

With the fierce rocks and bubbles fit to burst.

إِذا اِحتَفَلَت أَوشازُها فَكَأَنَّما

يُزَعزِعُها مِن شِدَّةِ الغَليِ أَفكَلُ

Such are cauldrons that will always remain

To sustain those who seek them - their food, their thirst.

فَتِلكَ قُدورٌ لا تَزالُ مُقيمَةً

لِمَن نابَها فيها مَعاشٌ وَمَأكَلُ

Your neighbor is guarded, secure from all harm,

Safe from injustice, with dignity preserved.

وَجارُكَ مُحفوظٌ مَنيعٌ بِنَجوَةٍ

عَن الضَيمِ لا يُقصى وَلا يَتَذَلَّلُ

You refuse to give in to anger's whim,

But gently calm it, with friendship well served.

وَتَأبى فَلا تُعطي عَلى الخَسفِ دِرَّةً

مُبِسّاً وَلَكِن بِالتَوَدُدِ تُخبِلُ

Of the people, one who suffers oppression

Is like a snake whose hole is laid bare - beware!

مِنَ القَومِ مَغشِيُّ الرَواقِ كَأَنَّهُ

إِذا سيمَ ضَيماً خادِرٌ يَتَبَسَّلُ

A fierce lion who attacks the protected,

With his den in the woods and his cubs in his care.

ضُبارِمَةٌ لَيثٌ مُدِلٌ مُؤارِبٌ

لَهُ في عَرينِ الغابِ عِرسٌ وَأَشبُلُ

Brother to honor, you honor faith and bounty,

Bonded while fragrance lingers and roses bloom.

أَخو العُرفِ مَعروفٌ لَهُ الدينُ وَالنَدى

حَليفانِ ما دامَت تِعارٌ وَيَذبُلُ

You've reveled joyfully in glory's abundance,

Exalted, towering over valley and dune.

تَبَحبَحتَ في بَحبُوحَةِ المَجدِ مِنهُمُ

بِرابِيَةٍ تَعلو الرَوابِيَ مِن عَلُ

I saw a rift between us, and mended it

Gently and tactfully, as a tear can be sewn.

رَأَيتُ اِنثِلاماً بَينَنا فَرَقَعتُهُ

بِرفِقي وَإِحيائي وَقَد يُرقَعُ الثلمُ