إذاif اللهGod لمdoes not يسقِsend rain إلاexcept to الكرامthe noble
إذا الله لم يسقِ إلا الكرام
فأسقيthen I pray for rain upon ديارdwellings بنيthe sons of حنبلHanbal
فأسقي ديار بني حنبل
If God sends rain to none but the noble,
If God does not give water except to the generous,
Then I pray for rain upon the dwellings of Banu Hanbal:
Then give water to the homes of the family of Hanbal,
مُلثّاًpersistent مُربَّاَlingering لهit has هيدبa trailing fringe
مُلثّاً مُربَّاَ له هيدب
صدوقtrue to its promise الرواعدthe thunderclaps والأزملand the roar
صدوق الرواعد والأزمل
A persistent, lingering raincloud with a trailing fringe,
A home sprinkled and nurtured for him, Haydib,
True to the promise of its thunderclaps and roar.
Honest in thunder and late winter rain,
كأنّas though السحابthe cloud دُوينjust beneath السماءthe sky
كأنّ السحاب دُوين السماء
نعامostriches تعلقhang suspended بالأرجلby their legs
نعام تعلق بالأرجل
As though the cloud, just beneath the sky,
As if the clouds are ostrich chicks in the sky
Were ostriches hanging by their legs.
Ostriches hanging by their feet,
تكركرهroll it to and fro خضخضاتchurning gusts الجنوبthe south wind
تكركره خضخضات الجنوب
وتفزعهand startles it هزةa jolt الشمألthe north wind
وتفزعه هزة الشمأل
The south wind's churning gusts roll it to and fro,
Rumbling with the gurgling of the south wind
And the north wind's jolt startles it.
And startled by the shaking of the north wind,
فسقىso may it water ديارهمtheir dwellings باكراًearly
فسقى ديارهم باكراً
منwith some of الغيثthe rain فيin الزمنthe season الممحلdrought-stricken
من الغيث في الزمن الممحل
So may it water their dwellings early,
So he gave their homes an early drink
With rain in the drought-stricken season.
Of rain in the due season.