وأقولُ إِني لَو ظَفِر

وأقولُ إِني لَو ظَفِر

تُ ففُزتُ مِن نَفسي بِطاعَه

تُ ففُزتُ مِن نَفسي بِطاعَه

And I say: if I were to prevail

And I say, if only I gained

and win obedience from my own self,

Victory over myself through obedience

لقَطعتُ أَفراسَ الغِنى

لقَطعتُ أَفراسَ الغِنى

سَبقاً عَلى حُمُر القَناعَه

سَبقاً عَلى حُمُر القَناعَه

I would outstrip the steeds of wealth,

I would race the horses of wealth

racing on the donkeys of contentment,

Ahead of the donkeys of contentment

لصناعةٍ باتَت تُكَل

لصناعةٍ باتَت تُكَل

لِفُني البكورَ إلى الصِّناعَه

لِفُني البكورَ إلى الصِّناعَه

for a craft that has come to require

For an art that has become

me to set out early to work.

My whole endeavor from dawn to dusk

أسعَى وَقَد أبصَرتَني

أسعَى وَقَد أبصَرتَني

هل فيَّ للسَّعي استِطاعَه

هل فيَّ للسَّعي استِطاعَه

I strive—and you have seen me:

I strive though you see in me

have I the strength to strive?

No aptitude for striving

والشَّيخُ أَولى مَن يَقو

والشَّيخُ أَولى مَن يَقو

مُ مَعي فيَكشفُ لي ذِراعَه

مُ مَعي فيَكشفُ لي ذِراعَه

And the elder is the one most fit to stand

Yet the Shaykh is best placed

beside me, baring his arm for me,

To aid me and extend to me his hand

ويمدُّ همَّتَه وعُد

ويمدُّ همَّتَه وعُد

دَتَهُ ونجدَتَه وباعَه

دَتَهُ ونجدَتَه وباعَه

and put forth his resolve and his

And bolster my resolve, his help

resources, his aid, and his reach.

And assistance and goods at every moment

جَرَت الهباتُ بذِكرِه

جَرَت الهباتُ بذِكرِه

نسَباً وفعلاً كلَّ ساعَه

نسَباً وفعلاً كلَّ ساعَه

Gifts have flowed at the mention of him,

His gifts flow, his lineage

in lineage and in deed, at every hour.

And deeds, at all times

فهو ابنُ واحِده إذا

فهو ابنُ واحِده إذا

نَسَبُوه وهو أبو جَماعَه

نَسَبُوه وهو أبو جَماعَه

For he is the son of one woman when

He is one, if they trace his line

they trace his lineage, yet he is the father of many.

And he is father to a whole community