أيا من غدا في اللُّغز سبّاقَ غاية

أيا من غدا في اللُّغز سبّاقَ غاية

فغادرني أهدي إليه الأحاجيا

فغادرني أهدي إليه الأحاجيا

O one who has become first to the finish in riddles,

O you who tomorrow races towards the finish line

and has left me offering riddles to him:

Leave me be, I gift you this riddle

فما اسمٌ ثلاثي شرود موانس

فما اسمٌ ثلاثي شرود موانس

تركَّبَ من عشرٍ ويلفي ثمانيا

تركَّبَ من عشرٍ ويلفي ثمانيا

What, then, is a three-letter name, elusive yet companionable,

For it is not a three-letter name of chatting friends

composed of ten, yet found to be eight?

Made of ten and wrapped in eight

تعلقْتُه حتى وردت نميره

تعلقْتُه حتى وردت نميره

وأصبحتُ منه بالفرائد حاليا

وأصبحتُ منه بالفرائد حاليا

I grew attached to it until I reached its pure waters,

I clung to it until its bells rang

and through it became adorned with peerless pearls.

And I became lost in its unique wonders

فلو كنتُ في عهد ابن حمدان ماثلاً

فلو كنتُ في عهد ابن حمدان ماثلاً

لغادر زندي منه بالحدِّ واريا

لغادر زندي منه بالحدِّ واريا

For had I been present in Ibn Hamdan's time,

Had I been in the time of Ibn Hamdan alive

my fire-stick would, through it, have been left kindled by the sharp edge;

I would have left its secret as a bare witness

ورحتُ لما قال ابنُ ميمون منشداً

ورحتُ لما قال ابنُ ميمون منشداً

أَحثُّ به نَحْوَ الديارِ المهاريا

أَحثُّ به نَحْوَ الديارِ المهاريا

and I would have set out reciting what Ibn Maymun said,

And went when Ibn Maymun recited saying

urging the Mahri camels with it toward the dwellings:

I hurry with it towards the skillful abodes

دعاني فأدناني وقرَّبَ مَجْلسي

دعاني فأدناني وقرَّبَ مَجْلسي

ورَّحبَ بي وانتاشني واصطفانيا

ورَّحبَ بي وانتاشني واصطفانيا

“He summoned me, then brought me near and drew my seat close,

He called me, brought me near and honored my gathering

and welcomed me, rescued me, and chose me.”

Welcoming me, choosing me, and drawing me close

أجب عن يتيمٍ ماتَ في الناس أهلهُ

أجب عن يتيمٍ ماتَ في الناس أهلهُ

ودُم في ذُرى الآدابِ فَرْداً يمانيا

ودُم في ذُرى الآدابِ فَرْداً يمانيا

Answer concerning an orphan whose kin have died among the people,

Answer the orphan who died among people without kin

and remain upon the heights of letters, a peerless Yemeni.

His blood spilled in the valleys of literature, singularly Yemeni