الحمدpraise للهto God نجَّانيHe saved me وخَلَّصَنيand freed me
الحمد لله نجَّاني وخَلَّصَني
منfrom ابنIbn (son of) جَهراءَJahrāʾ والبوصِيَّand the būṣī boat قدalready حَبَساheld captive
من ابن جَهراءَ والبوصِيَّ قد حَبَسا
Praise be to God, who saved me and set me free
Praise be to God who saved me and delivered me
from Ibn Jahrāʾ and the būṣī boat that held me captive.
From the son of Jahraa and the evil advisor who imprisoned me
مَنwhoever يَركبِrides البحرَthe sea والبوصِيَّand the būṣī boat مُعتَرِضاًcrossing across
مَن يَركبِ البحرَ والبوصِيَّ مُعتَرِضاً
إِلىtoward حَضَوضىḤaḍawḍā فبئسthen wretched is المركبُthe vessel التمساhe sought
إِلى حَضَوضى فبئس المركبُ التمسا
Whoever crosses the sea aboard the būṣī boat
Whoever sails the sea with the evil advisor blocking the way
toward Ḥaḍawḍā—what a wretched vessel he has sought!
To tumultuous waves, so miserable is the ship they sought
أبلغconvey لديكwhere you are أباAbu (father of) حفصٍHafs مُغَلغَلَةًa far-traveling message
أبلغ لديك أبا حفصٍ مُغَلغَلَةً
عَبدَservant of الإلهGod إذاwhen ماfor emphasis غارَhe goes to the lowlands أوor جلساhe goes to the uplands
عَبدَ الإله إذا ما غارَ أو جلسا
Convey, from where you are, a far-traveling message to Abū Ḥafṣ,
Convey to Abu Hafs in shackles
God’s servant, whether he goes to the lowlands or the uplands:
The servant of God whether he attacks or sits still
إنيindeed I أكُرُّcharge علىagainst الأُولىthe foremost إذاwhen فَزِعواthey take fright
إني أكُرُّ على الأُولى إذا فَزِعوا
يوماًone day وأحبِسُand hold تحتَbeneath الرايةthe banner الفَرَسَاthe horse
يوماً وأحبِسُ تحتَ الراية الفَرَسَا
Indeed, I charge at the foremost when they take fright,
I charge again when they panic
and on such a day I hold my horse beneath the banner.
One day and hold under the horse banner the knight
أغشىI plunge into الصِياحَthe shouting وتَغشانيand envelops me مُضاعَفَةٌa double-layered coat of mail
أغشى الصِياحَ وتَغشاني مُضاعَفَةٌ
منof الحَديدِiron إذاwhen ماfor emphasis بَعضُهمsome of them خَنَسَاshrank back
من الحَديدِ إذا ما بَعضُهم خَنَسَا
I plunge into the din, and a double coat of mail envelops me,
I cover up the screaming and duplicity covers me
made of iron, when some of them shrink back.
Of iron when some of them sneak