لِي سيِّدٌ رأيُهُ في كلِّ مُظلِمَةٍ

لِي سيِّدٌ رأيُهُ في كلِّ مُظلِمَةٍ

منَ الأُمورِ إذا استهدَيْتَهُ هادِي

منَ الأُمورِ إذا استهدَيْتَهُ هادِي

I have a master whose counsel, in every dark quandary

I have a master whose view in every darkness

of affairs, is a guide when you seek his guidance.

Of affairs, if you seek his guidance, is a guide

فَعَوْدُ عاداتِه بالخَيرِ مبدؤُهُ

فَعَوْدُ عاداتِه بالخَيرِ مبدؤُهُ

إذا عدا عادةً مِن عادِهَا عادي

إذا عدا عادةً مِن عادِهَا عادي

So the renewal of his customs begins with goodness,

So his habit of doing good is his principle

when a transgressor forsakes one of those customs.

If he breaks a habit, he soon returns to the old way

ناديهِ نادي النَّدى تلقى مُناديهِ

ناديهِ نادي النَّدى تلقى مُناديهِ

يصيحُ بالرَّكْب لا تَغدوا بذَا النّادي

يصيحُ بالرَّكْب لا تَغدوا بذَا النّادي

His gathering is generosity’s gathering; you find his herald

Call him, call the caller of the dew, you will find his caller

calling to the caravan: “Do not go past this gathering at dawn!”

Shouting to the caravan - do not set out at this call

ولا تخافوا زماناً حين يُؤْمِنُكُمْ

ولا تخافوا زماناً حين يُؤْمِنُكُمْ

فليسَ يندؤُكُمْ من شَرِّهِ نادي

فليسَ يندؤُكُمْ من شَرِّهِ نادي

And do not fear time when he assures you of safety,

And do not fear a time when he gives you safety

for no calamity from its evil will assail you.

For no caller can hurt you from its evil

للهِ آراؤه نورٌ لُمرتَبِكٍ

للهِ آراؤه نورٌ لُمرتَبِكٍ

يَعيا بهادٍ من بني الأوغادِ أو غادي

يَعيا بهادٍ من بني الأوغادِ أو غادي

How wondrous his counsels—a light for one perplexed,

To God belong his views, a light for the confused

who is at a loss with a guide from the sons of scoundrels, or a traveler at dawn.

Guided by a guide from the sons of the ignorant or the lost

لله أيّامه الّلاتي إذا اجْتُلِيِتْ

لله أيّامه الّلاتي إذا اجْتُلِيِتْ

كانتْ ببهجَتِها أعيادَ أعيادي

كانتْ ببهجَتِها أعيادَ أعيادي

How wondrous his days, which, when beheld,

To God belong his days which when they pass

were, in their splendor, the feast days of my feast days.

With their joy are holidays upon holidays

نَجني نَداهُ وإمّا يَجْنِ جاهِلُنا

نَجني نَداهُ وإمّا يَجْنِ جاهِلُنا

قالَتْ يداهُ صُراحاً للنّدى نادي

قالَتْ يداهُ صُراحاً للنّدى نادي

We reap his bounty; and if our fool commits a wrong,

His call rescued me or else an ignorant one would attack me

his hands say plainly to generosity: “Call out!”

His hands said clearly to the dew's caller

لا زالَ يبقى لأَرفادٍ ودامَ لهُ

لا زالَ يبقى لأَرفادٍ ودامَ لهُ

من الزَّمانِزمانٌ مُسعِدٌ فادي

من الزَّمانِزمانٌ مُسعِدٌ فادي

May he always remain to bestow gifts, and may there endure for him

He remains forever for the feeble and his time

a span of time that aids and redeems him.

Remains auspicious, redeeming, for him