فقد رضينا بالغلام الأمرد

فقد رضينا بالغلام الأمرد

وقد فرغنا غير أن لم نشهد

وقد فرغنا غير أن لم نشهد

So we are indeed content with the beardless youth.

We were satisfied with the eternal boy

And we have finished, except that we were not present,

Though we finished, we did not witness

وغير أن العقد لم يؤكد

وغير أن العقد لم يؤكد

فلو سمعنا قولك امدد امدد

فلو سمعنا قولك امدد امدد

And except that the compact has not been confirmed.

And the contract was not confirmed

So if we heard you say, 'Stretch out, stretch out,'

If we heard you say, extend, extend

كانت لنا كزِعقة الوِرد الصدى

كانت لنا كزِعقة الوِرد الصدى

فناد للبيعة جمعاً نحشد

فناد للبيعة جمعاً نحشد

It would be to us like the cry of a thirsty crowd coming to water.

It would be for us like the echo of a rosebud

So summon a gathering for the pledge of allegiance; we shall muster,

So call for the oath, we will gather

في يومنا الحاضر هذا او غدِ

في يومنا الحاضر هذا او غدِ

واصنع كما شئت وردّ يُردَد

واصنع كما شئت وردّ يُردَد

On this present day of ours, or tomorrow.

On this day of ours, present or tomorrow

Do as you wish; return it, and it will be returned.

And do as you wish, it will be reciprocated

وردّه منك رداء يرتد

وردّه منك رداء يرتد

فهو رداء السابق المقلد

فهو رداء السابق المقلد

And clothe him in a mantle from you for him to wear,

His reciprocation from you is a cloak to be worn

For it is the mantle of the garlanded forerunner.

So it is the cloak of the preceding role model

وكان يروى أنها كأن قد

وكان يروى أنها كأن قد

عادت ولو قد نقلت لم تُردد

عادت ولو قد نقلت لم تُردد

And it was related that it was as though it had already

And it was narrated that it was as if

Returned; and had it been transferred, it would not have been returned.

It had returned even if it was transmitted, it would not be doubted

اقول في كرى احاديث الغد

اقول في كرى احاديث الغد

لِّه درّى من اخ ومنشد

لِّه درّى من اخ ومنشد

In slumber I tell tomorrow's tales:

I say in the peak of tomorrow's talks

What a fine brother and reciter I would be,

For him is my love, from a brother and reciter

لو نلتُ حظ الحبشي الأسوَد

لو نلتُ حظ الحبشي الأسوَد

If I won the black Abyssinian's share!

If I attained the fortune of the black Ethiopian