يَا خَيْرَ مَنْ أَمَّ الرِّكَابْ

يَا خَيْرَ مَنْ أَمَّ الرِّكَابْ

مِنْهُ الْهُدَى بَيْنَ الْهِضَابْ

مِنْهُ الْهُدَى بَيْنَ الْهِضَابْ

O best of those who led the riding camels,

O best of those towards whom the caravans journey,

From him comes guidance among the hills.

From whom guidance emerges among the hills,

مِنْ أَيِّ ذَنْبٍ أُهْمِلَتْ

مِنْ أَيِّ ذَنْبٍ أُهْمِلَتْ

عَرِّجْ بِمُنْعَرِجِ الْهِضَابْ

عَرِّجْ بِمُنْعَرِجِ الْهِضَابْ

For what sin has she been neglected?

For what sin has she been neglected?

Turn aside at the bend in the hills.

Halt at the winding path of the hills,

وَهْيَ التِي أَرْبَتْ عَلَى

وَهْيَ التِي أَرْبَتْ عَلَى

رَيَّاوَزَيْنَبَ وَالرَّبَابْ

رَيَّاوَزَيْنَبَ وَالرَّبَابْ

And she is the one who surpassed

Even though she has far surpassed

Rayya and Zaynab and al-Rabab.

Rayya, Zaynab, and Rabab.

وَالطَّبْعُ مَجْبُولٌ عَلَى

وَالطَّبْعُ مَجْبُولٌ عَلَى

بُغْضِ الْمُسِنَّةِ لاَ الْكَعَابْ

بُغْضِ الْمُسِنَّةِ لاَ الْكَعَابْ

And nature is predisposed to

And human nature is inherently disposed

Hatred of the elderly woman, not the nubile maiden.

To spurn the aged woman, not the youthful maiden.

فَاعْدِلْ لَهَا يَا رَبَّهَا

فَاعْدِلْ لَهَا يَا رَبَّهَا

فَالْعَدْلُ أَوْجَبَهُ الْكِتَابْ

فَالْعَدْلُ أَوْجَبَهُ الْكِتَابْ

So do her justice, O her master,

So deal justly with her, O her master,

For the Book has made justice obligatory.

For justice is a mandate of the Book.

وَأَزِحْ لَنَا عَنْ وَجْهِهَا

وَأَزِحْ لَنَا عَنْ وَجْهِهَا

قَيْدَ النُّهَى فَضْلَ النِّقَابْ

قَيْدَ النُّهَى فَضْلَ النِّقَابْ

And remove for us from her face

And lift for us from her countenance

The mind's fetter—the veil's excess.

The veil's excess, that fetter of the mind.

إِنَّ الْفُؤَادَ وَحَقِّكُمْ

إِنَّ الْفُؤَادَ وَحَقِّكُمْ

مِنْ أَجْلِ ذَلكَ فِي اكْتِئَابْ

مِنْ أَجْلِ ذَلكَ فِي اكْتِئَابْ

Indeed, the heart—by your honor—

Truly the heart, I swear by your right,

Is despondent because of that.

Because of this, is mired in sorrow.

أَبْقَى الإِلَهُ لَنَا بِكُمْ

أَبْقَى الإِلَهُ لَنَا بِكُمْ

سَمْشَ الرشَادِ بِلا سَحَابْ

سَمْشَ الرشَادِ بِلا سَحَابْ

May God preserve for us through you

May God preserve for us, through you,

The sun of right guidance, without clouds,

The sun of rightful guidance without a cloud,

وَالْبَحْرَ بَحْرَ حَقِيقَةٍ

وَالْبَحْرَ بَحْرَ حَقِيقَةٍ

وَشَرِيعَةٍ طَامِي الْعُبَابْ

وَشَرِيعَةٍ طَامِي الْعُبَابْ

And the sea—a sea of truth

And the ocean, an ocean of spiritual truth,

And sacred law, its billows surging high.

And sacred law, with its overflowing waves.