مَولايَ يامَن لَهُ أَيادٍ

مَولايَ يامَن لَهُ أَيادٍ

لَيسَ إِلى عَدِّها سَبيلُ

لَيسَ إِلى عَدِّها سَبيلُ

My lord, O one whose favors

My Master, You whose hands are bountiful

cannot possibly be counted,

With no limit to be counted

وَمَن إِذا قَلَّتِ العَطايا

وَمَن إِذا قَلَّتِ العَطايا

فَجودُهُ وافِرٌ جَزيلُ

فَجودُهُ وافِرٌ جَزيلُ

and who, when gifts grow scarce,

And whose generosity overflows

has bounty plentiful and immense:

When gifts are few, munificent and plentiful

إِلَيهِ إِن جارَتِ اللَيالي

إِلَيهِ إِن جارَتِ اللَيالي

نَأوي وَفي ظِلِّهِ نَقيلُ

نَأوي وَفي ظِلِّهِ نَقيلُ

to him, when the nights turn cruel,

To You I flee when nights are long

we seek refuge, and in his shade rest at noon.

And in Your shade find restful sleep

إِنَّ كُمَيتي العَتيقَ سِنّاً

إِنَّ كُمَيتي العَتيقَ سِنّاً

لَهُ حَديثٌ مَعي طَويلُ

لَهُ حَديثٌ مَعي طَويلُ

Indeed, my bay horse, old in years,

My old camel, worn by many years

has a long history with me.

Has long tales to tell me in his keep

كانَ شِرايَ لَهُ فَضولاً

كانَ شِرايَ لَهُ فَضولاً

فَاِعجَب لِما يَجلِبُ الفُضولُ

فَاِعجَب لِما يَجلِبُ الفُضولُ

My purchase of him was a needless venture;

I thought to make of him a gift

so marvel at what needless ventures bring.

But gifts can often trouble bring

ظَنَنتُهُ حامِلاً لِرَحلي

ظَنَنتُهُ حامِلاً لِرَحلي

فَخابَ ظَنّي فيهِ الجَميلُ

فَخابَ ظَنّي فيهِ الجَميلُ

I thought he would carry my baggage,

I hoped that he might bear my load

but my good opinion of him proved vain.

But failed me has my reckoning

وَلَم إِخَل لِلشَقاءِ أَنّي

وَلَم إِخَل لِلشَقاءِ أَنّي

لِثِقلِ أَعبائِهِ حَمولُ

لِثِقلِ أَعبائِهِ حَمولُ

Nor did I imagine, to my misfortune, that I

I bear the burden of misfortune

would bear the weight of his burdens.

Too heavy for this beast to haul

فَإِن أَكُن عالِياً عَلَيهِ

فَإِن أَكُن عالِياً عَلَيهِ

فَهوَ عَلى كاهِلي ثَقيلُ

فَهوَ عَلى كاهِلي ثَقيلُ

If I sit high upon him,

If I'm too much for him to carry

he weighs heavily upon my shoulders.

He's far too much for me to stall

أَرحَلُ كَالبومِ لَيسَ فيهِ

أَرحَلُ كَالبومِ لَيسَ فيهِ

خَيرٌ كَثيرٌ وَلا قَليلُ

خَيرٌ كَثيرٌ وَلا قَليلُ

White-backed like an owl; in him there is no

Like a owl with neither good nor bad

good, either much or little.

No beauty and no cheerfulness

لَيسَ لَهُ مَخبَرٌ حَميدٌ

لَيسَ لَهُ مَخبَرٌ حَميدٌ

وَلا لَهُ مَنظَرٌ جَميلُ

وَلا لَهُ مَنظَرٌ جَميلُ

He has no praiseworthy character,

A mule, slow yet greedy for all food

nor any handsome appearance.

Not swift nor docile in his dullness

وَهوَ حَرونٌ وَفيهِ بُطءٌ

وَهوَ حَرونٌ وَفيهِ بُطءٌ

فَلا جَوادٌ وَلا ذَلولُ

فَلا جَوادٌ وَلا ذَلولُ

He is balky, and slow besides,

Unimpressed by views along the way

neither swift nor docile.

No charm or beauty to beguile

لا كَفَلٌ مُعجِبٌ لِراءٍ

لا كَفَلٌ مُعجِبٌ لِراءٍ

إِذا رَآهُ وَلا تَليلُ

إِذا رَآهُ وَلا تَليلُ

No rump to please an onlooker

Lazy when walking yet most eager

when he sees him, nor a pleasing neck.

If dinner's served, he'll walk a mile

مُقَصِّرٌ إِن مَشى وَلَكِن

مُقَصِّرٌ إِن مَشى وَلَكِن

إِن حَضَرَ الأَكلُ مُستَطيلُ

إِن حَضَرَ الأَكلُ مُستَطيلُ

He falls short when he walks, but

He loves the hay, unwashed barley

when food appears, he stretches out.

Bran and beans are his great thrill

يُعجِبُهُ التِبنُ وَالشَعيرُ ال

يُعجِبُهُ التِبنُ وَالشَعيرُ ال

مَغسولُ وَالقَتُّ وَالقَصيلُ

مَغسولُ وَالقَتُّ وَالقَصيلُ

He likes straw and the barley

Seeing leftovers, he will drool

that is washed, and alfalfa hay and green fodder.

Until gravy his mouth does fill

فَإِن رَأى عِكرِشاً رَأَيتَ ال

فَإِن رَأى عِكرِشاً رَأَيتَ ال

لُعابَ مِن فَكِّهِ يَسيلُ

لُعابَ مِن فَكِّهِ يَسيلُ

If he sees ʿikrish grass, you will see the

He's good for nothing, only eating

saliva flowing from his jaw.

So grant him, sir, what you can spare

وَلَيسَ فيهِ مِنَ المَعاني

وَلَيسَ فيهِ مِنَ المَعاني

شَيءٌ سِوى أَنَّهُ أَكولُ

شَيءٌ سِوى أَنَّهُ أَكولُ

And among his qualities there is

And gift him something you allow

nothing except that he is a glutton.

For to him, even little is fair

فَهَب لَهُ أَنتَ ما تَسَنّى

فَهَب لَهُ أَنتَ ما تَسَنّى

وَهَبهُ مِن بَعضِ ما تُنيلُ

وَهَبهُ مِن بَعضِ ما تُنيلُ

So you yourself give him whatever you can,

Do not say this camel is too little

and grant him some of what you bestow.

For the small to him is dear

وَلا تَقُل إِنَّ ذا قَليلٌ

وَلا تَقُل إِنَّ ذا قَليلٌ

فَالجِلُّ في عَينِهِ جَليلُ

فَالجِلُّ في عَينِهِ جَليلُ

And do not say, 'This is little,'

for crop stalks are grand in his eyes.