قَدْ سَاقَنِي مِنْ نازِعِ المَسَاقِ

قَدْ سَاقَنِي مِنْ نازِعِ المَسَاقِ

قَدْرٌ وَحاجاتُ امْرِئٍ تَوَّاقِ

قَدْرٌ وَحاجاتُ امْرِئٍ تَوَّاقِ

From a far-off course I have been driven

Fate and a man’s needs have led me

by fate and the needs of a yearning man.

To come knocking at your door.

إِذَا سُرَى المَهْرِيَّةِ العِتاقِ

إِذَا سُرَى المَهْرِيَّةِ العِتاقِ

خاضَتْ إِلَيْكَ اللَيْلَ بِالأَعْناقِ

خاضَتْ إِلَيْكَ اللَيْلَ بِالأَعْناقِ

When the highbred Mahri she-camels, traveling by night,

When the procession of litters

waded through the night toward you, necks outstretched,

Approached you through the night,

وَالأَرْكُبِ الرامِينَ بِالأَرْواقِ

وَالأَرْكُبِ الرامِينَ بِالأَرْواقِ

فِي سَبْسَبٍ مُنْجَرِد الأَخْلاقِ

فِي سَبْسَبٍ مُنْجَرِد الأَخْلاقِ

and with riders throwing their whole weight forward,

And the riders firing volleys

across a level waste, its worn surfaces stripped bare,

In the narrow alley—

غَيْرِ الفِجاجِ عَمِق الأَعْماقِ

غَيْرِ الفِجاجِ عَمِق الأَعْماقِ

يُفْضِي إِلَى نازِحَة الأَمآقِ

يُفْضِي إِلَى نازِحَة الأَمآقِ

without broad paths, deep in its depths,

Galloping without check

opening onto a waste with far-flung bounds,

Through the deepest gloom—

خَوْقاءُ مُفْضاهَا إِلَى مُنْخاقِ

خَوْقاءُ مُفْضاهَا إِلَى مُنْخاقِ

إِذَا جَرَى مِنْ آلِها الرَقْرَاقِ

إِذَا جَرَى مِنْ آلِها الرَقْرَاقِ

a gaping waste, its opening into a yawning expanse;

Making for the place of camel litters

when from its shimmering mirage there flowed

With snorting nostrils and rattling tackle

رَيْقٌ وَضَحْضاحٌ عَلَى القَيَاقِي

رَيْقٌ وَضَحْضاحٌ عَلَى القَيَاقِي

غَرَفْنَ مِنْ نائِلِكَ الدَفّاقِ

غَرَفْنَ مِنْ نائِلِكَ الدَفّاقِ

a first sheen and shallow water over the stony flats,

As their equipment jingles and clashes.

they scooped from your overflowing bounty

We took great draughts from your overflowing cup,

مَجْداً وَعَذْباً لَيْسَ بِالزُعاقِ

مَجْداً وَعَذْباً لَيْسَ بِالزُعاقِ

سَجْلُكَ سَجْلٌ مُتْرَعُ الإِتْآقِ

سَجْلُكَ سَجْلٌ مُتْرَعُ الإِتْآقِ

glory and fresh water, no bitter brine.

Sweet, unmixed; your glory lacks no grace:

Your bucket is a bucket filled to the very brim,

Devoutly fearful, rightly guided leader,

رَحْبُ الفُرُوغِ مُكْرَبُ العَرَاقِي

رَحْبُ الفُرُوغِ مُكْرَبُ العَرَاقِي

تَسْقِي بِهِ الحَقَّ سَقَاكَ السَاقِي

تَسْقِي بِهِ الحَقَّ سَقَاكَ السَاقِي

broad at its pouring lips, its crossbars firmly lashed.

Scorning base intrigues, warding off oppression.

With it you water justice; may the cupbearer give you drink

Through you truth finds its mark and slakes its thirst,

مِنْ كَأْسِهِ بِلَذَّةٍ دِهاقِ

مِنْ كَأْسِهِ بِلَذَّةٍ دِهاقِ

بِلالُ يَا ابْن الأَنْجُم الأَطْلاقِ

بِلالُ يَا ابْن الأَنْجُم الأَطْلاقِ

from his cup, with delight in full measure.

As your cupbearer gives you to drink

Bilal, O son of the auspicious stars,

A delicious, exhilarating draft.

لَيْسَ بِنَحْساتٍ وَلا أَمْحاقِ

لَيْسَ بِنَحْساتٍ وَلا أَمْحاقِ

وَالأَبْيَضَيْنِ البَدْرِ وَالإِشْراقِ

وَالأَبْيَضَيْنِ البَدْرِ وَالإِشْراقِ

neither ill-omened nor bereft of light,

What luck shone on your birth, son of bright stars!

and of the two bright ones, the full moon and sunrise,

You are flawless, peerless

فِي الأَشْعرِينَ طَيِّبِي الأَعْراقِ

فِي الأَشْعرِينَ طَيِّبِي الأَعْراقِ

أَحْسابُهُمْ عالِيَةُ النَفاقِ

أَحْسابُهُمْ عالِيَةُ النَفاقِ

among the Ash'aris, pure in their ancestral roots.

Like the full moons of Badr and dawn’s first light.

Their ancestral honors are held in high esteem,

Arab patriarchs, sweet of stock,

مِنْ أُسْرَةٍ لِمَجْدِهِم مَراقِ

مِنْ أُسْرَةٍ لِمَجْدِهِم مَراقِ

مِنْ حَظِّكُمٍْ وَعِظَم الأَخْلاقِ

مِنْ حَظِّكُمٍْ وَعِظَم الأَخْلاقِ

from a family with steps ascending to their glory,

Of lofty, generous souls.

through your good fortune and greatness of character.

From a line ennobled in ancestral glory,

فِيكُمْ جَلالاتٌ عَنِ الدِقاقِ

فِيكُمْ جَلالاتٌ عَنِ الدِقاقِ

عَرَّضْتُ نَفْسِي وَدَنَا انْطِلاقِي

عَرَّضْتُ نَفْسِي وَدَنَا انْطِلاقِي

In you are lofty qualities, above petty things.

By your good fortune and noble deeds.

I have put myself forward, and my departure draws near;

You have sublime qualities, far from all guile;

وَالمالُ يَفْنَى وَالثَناءُ باقِ

وَالمالُ يَفْنَى وَالثَناءُ باقِ

ما وَجْزُ مَعْرُوفِكَ بِالرِماقِ

ما وَجْزُ مَعْرُوفِكَ بِالرِماقِ

and wealth perishes, and praise endures.

I exposed myself and drew near to take my leave

Even the least of your kindness is no mere pittance,

As wealth fades but fair fame endures.

وَمَا مَوَاخاتُكَ بِالْمِذَاقِ

وَمَا مَوَاخاتُكَ بِالْمِذَاقِ

وَلا كَبَرْقِ الخُلَّبِ الرَيَّاقِ

وَلا كَبَرْقِ الخُلَّبِ الرَيَّاقِ

nor is your brotherly friendship watered down,

Grace and favor can hardly repay your kindness,

nor like glittering lightning that brings no rain.

Or intimacy parallel your gentle ways