أَلا أَبلِغ أَبا بَحرٍ خَليلي

أَلا أَبلِغ أَبا بَحرٍ خَليلي

فَنِعمَ أَخو المَوَدَّةِ وَالخَليلُ

فَنِعمَ أَخو المَوَدَّةِ وَالخَليلُ

Listen: tell my dear friend Abū Baḥr—

Shall I not inform Abu Bahar, my friend

For he is a fine brother in affection and a close friend—

What an excellent brother of affection and friend

بِأن قَد تَمَّ بَعدُكُمُ بِنائي

بِأن قَد تَمَّ بَعدُكُمُ بِنائي

وَضَنَّ عَليَّ بِالمَعروفِ فيلُ

وَضَنَّ عَليَّ بِالمَعروفِ فيلُ

That my building has been completed in your absence,

That after you my building has been completed

And Fīl has begrudged me a kindness.

And your elephant has been kind to me

فَهَب لي مِن جذوعِكُمُ جذوعاً

فَهَب لي مِن جذوعِكُمُ جذوعاً

وَأَكثَرُ لَيسَ خَيرَكُم الغَليلُ

وَأَكثَرُ لَيسَ خَيرَكُم الغَليلُ

So give me trunks from among your tree trunks,

So grant me from your trunks, trunks

And more—burning thirst is not your bounty.

And much is not the best of you, O large army