يا طِرْسُ قُلْ لخَليلَيَّ اللذَينِ هُمَا

يا طِرْسُ قُلْ لخَليلَيَّ اللذَينِ هُمَا

كالعَينِ لِي في اجْتِلابِ النَّفْعِ والأُذنِ

كالعَينِ لِي في اجْتِلابِ النَّفْعِ والأُذنِ

O page, tell my two dear friends, who are

Oh Tires, tell my two dear friends, who are

like the eye and the ear to me in bringing benefit,

Like eyes to me in gaining benefits and like ears

يُمنَى يَدَيَّ ويُسْرَاهَا ومَنْ مَلَكَا

يُمنَى يَدَيَّ ويُسْرَاهَا ومَنْ مَلَكَا

رِقِّي بِما أَسْلَفَا عِندي مِنَ المِنَنِ

رِقِّي بِما أَسْلَفَا عِندي مِنَ المِنَنِ

my right hand and my left, and those who have won

That assist my hands, right and left, and who have gained

my servitude through the favors they have already bestowed upon me.

My gratitude for their past favors,

هذَا يَميني إذَا كَانَ الدِّفَاعُ وذا

هذَا يَميني إذَا كَانَ الدِّفَاعُ وذا

يُسْرَاي إنْ أَسْتعنْ يَوماً بِها تعِنِ

يُسْرَاي إنْ أَسْتعنْ يَوماً بِها تعِنِ

This one is my right hand when defense is called for, and that one

This one is my right hand when defense is needed,

my left hand: if ever I seek its aid, it helps.

And that one assists me when I need help someday,

السَّيّدُ النُدْبُ درويش وصَاحِبُهُ

السَّيّدُ النُدْبُ درويش وصَاحِبُهُ

جَمَال عَطَّارةُ الأَمْصَارِ والمُدنِ

جَمَال عَطَّارةُ الأَمْصَارِ والمُدنِ

The gallant lord Darwish and his companion,

My master, the pilgrim, Darwish, and his companion

Jamal, perfumer of the great towns and cities,

Jamal Atta the noblest of cities and towns,

أُنُس المجَالِسِ نَجم الدِّين أطْربُ مَنْ

أُنُس المجَالِسِ نَجم الدِّين أطْربُ مَنْ

شَدَا ومَنْ بمُراعَاةِ اللُّحُونِ عُنِي

شَدَا ومَنْ بمُراعَاةِ اللُّحُونِ عُنِي

the delight of gatherings, Najm al-Din, the most enchanting of those who

Delight of gatherings, star of faith, most melodious of those

have sung, and of those who attend carefully to melodies.

Who sang, and was interested in refined joys,

هَدَاكُمَا اللَّهُ إنِّي ما صَحبْتُكُمَا

هَدَاكُمَا اللَّهُ إنِّي ما صَحبْتُكُمَا

إلاَّ وأرْجُوكُما عَوْناً عَلَى الزَّمَنِ

إلاَّ وأرْجُوكُما عَوْناً عَلَى الزَّمَنِ

May God guide you both: I have never kept your company

May God guide you both, I did not befriend you

except in the hope of your help against time.

Except in hopes of aid against fate,

ولا لَبِسْتُكُمَا في كُلِّ نَائِبةٍ

ولا لَبِسْتُكُمَا في كُلِّ نَائِبةٍ

إلاّ لِكَونِكُما من أَحْصَنِ الجُنَنِ

إلاّ لِكَونِكُما من أَحْصَنِ الجُنَنِ

Nor have I clothed myself in you through every calamity

And did not wear you in every calamity

except because you are among the strongest shields.

Except for your being the strongest of shields,

فَمَالِي اليَّومَ أستعْطِيكُما تِتَناً

فَمَالِي اليَّومَ أستعْطِيكُما تِتَناً

وهَانَ لا بَارَكَ الرَّحمنُ في التِّتن

وهَانَ لا بَارَكَ الرَّحمنُ في التِّتن

So why, when I ask you both for tobacco today

Why do I beg from you today importunately

(and it is paltry—may the All-Merciful not bless tobacco!),

When importuning is not blessed by the Merciful?

فَتَجْبَهاني بِرَدٍّ لا يقومُ لَهُ

فَتَجْبَهاني بِرَدٍّ لا يقومُ لَهُ

صَبْرِي ولا يَتَقضَّى عندَهُ حزني

صَبْرِي ولا يَتَقضَّى عندَهُ حزني

do you confront me with a refusal that cannot be withstood

So you vex me with a rejection beyond

by my patience, and over which my grief never ends?

My patience or grief finding solace in it,

ما كَانَ عُذْرُكُمَا قَولاً لأَسْمَعُهُ

ما كَانَ عُذْرُكُمَا قَولاً لأَسْمَعُهُ

فإنَّ تتنَكُمَا مِنْ أعظَمِ الفِتَنِ

فإنَّ تتنَكُمَا مِنْ أعظَمِ الفِتَنِ

What was your excuse? Put it into words for me to hear;

Your excuse was not a saying I could hear

for your tobacco is among the greatest temptations.

For your vexation is among the greatest trials,

لو سُمْتُمانِيهِ بَيْعاً كُنتُ جِئْتُكُمَا

لو سُمْتُمانِيهِ بَيْعاً كُنتُ جِئْتُكُمَا

سَعْياً بما شِئْتُمَا بهِ من الثَّمَنِ

سَعْياً بما شِئْتُمَا بهِ من الثَّمَنِ

Had you offered it to me for sale, I would have come to you both

Had you named me a price I'd have come to you

hurrying, with whatever price you both wished for it.

Seeking it, whatever you wished of ransom,

إنِّي لأنشُدُ إذْ خَيَّبتُمَا أمَلِي

إنِّي لأنشُدُ إذْ خَيَّبتُمَا أمَلِي

بَيتاً لبعضٍ ذَوي الألْبابِ والفِطَنِ

بَيتاً لبعضٍ ذَوي الألْبابِ والفِطَنِ

Indeed, since you both have dashed my hope, I recite

I now recite, since you've disappointed my hopes,

a verse by one of those with intellect and discernment:

A verse by one of the discerning and wise:

ما كنتُ أوَّلَ سَارٍ غَرَّهُ قَمَرٌ

ما كنتُ أوَّلَ سَارٍ غَرَّهُ قَمَرٌ

ورَائدٍ أعْجبَتْهُ خُضْرَةُ الدِّمَنِ

ورَائدٍ أعْجبَتْهُ خُضْرَةُ الدِّمَنِ

“I was not the first night-traveler deceived by a moon,

I was not the first traveler fooled by a moon,

nor the first scout charmed by the greenery of dung heaps.”

Or guide impressed by the greenness of a valley.

وَقَاكُمَا اللَّهُ عُتْبي إنَّ أيْسَرَهُ

وَقَاكُمَا اللَّهُ عُتْبي إنَّ أيْسَرَهُ

لا تَستقِرُّ عَليهِ الرُّوحُ في البَدَنِ

لا تَستقِرُّ عَليهِ الرُّوحُ في البَدَنِ

May God shield you both from my reproach, for its mildest form

May God protect you from my blame, for its easiest

leaves the soul unable to remain within the body.

Does not settle on the soul within the body.

وسَلَّمَ اللَّهُ رَبِّي كُلَّ شَارِقَةٍ

وسَلَّمَ اللَّهُ رَبِّي كُلَّ شَارِقَةٍ

عَليكُمَا ما شَدَتْ ورْقَاءُ في غُصُنِ

عَليكُمَا ما شَدَتْ ورْقَاءُ في غُصُنِ

And may God, my Lord, send peace at every sunrise

And may my Lord grant you, wherever dawn rises,

upon you both, as long as a gray dove sings on a branch.

Safety, so long as the tender leaf grows on the branch.