يا راكِباً أَقبَلَ مِن ثَهمَدٍ

يا راكِباً أَقبَلَ مِن ثَهمَدٍ

كَيفَ تَرَكتَ الإِبلَ وَالشاءَ

كَيفَ تَرَكتَ الإِبلَ وَالشاءَ

O rider who has come from Thahmad,

O rider coming from Thahmad,

Oh rider approaching from Thahmad,

how did you leave the camels and the sheep?

How did you leave the camels and sheep,

How did you leave the camels and the sheep?

وَكَيفَ خَلَّفتَ لَدى قَعنَبٍ

وَكَيفَ خَلَّفتَ لَدى قَعنَبٍ

حَيثُ تَرى التَنَّوُمَ وَالآءَ

حَيثُ تَرى التَنَّوُمَ وَالآءَ

And how did you leave them with Qaʿnab,

And how did you abandon at Qa’nab,

And how did you leave matters with Qa'nab,

where you see turnsole and āʾ shrubs?

Where you see the sleep and shelter?

There, where the tannum and the 'aa plants grow?

جاءَ مِنَ البَدوِ أَبو خالِدٍ

جاءَ مِنَ البَدوِ أَبو خالِدٍ

وَلَم يَزَل بِالمِصرِ تَنّاءَ

وَلَم يَزَل بِالمِصرِ تَنّاءَ

Abu Khalid came from the desert,

Abu Khalid came from the desert,

Abu Khalid arrived from the Bedouin lands,

and in the city he remained a peasant farmer.

And did not cease to yearn in Egypt,

And has remained a dweller in the metropolis.

يَعرِفُ لِلنارِ أَبو خالِدٍ

يَعرِفُ لِلنارِ أَبو خالِدٍ

سِوى اِسمَها في الناسِ أَسماءَ

سِوى اِسمَها في الناسِ أَسماءَ

Abu Khalid knows, for fire,

Abu Khalid knows nothing for fire,

Abu Khalid knows nothing of fire,

names besides the name people use.

Except its name among people as names.

Except for the name 'Asma' among the people.

إِذا دَعا الصاحِبَ يَهيا بِهِ

إِذا دَعا الصاحِبَ يَهيا بِهِ

وَيُتبِعُ اليَهياءَ يَهياءَ

وَيُتبِعُ اليَهياءَ يَهياءَ

When he calls a companion, he shouts 'hey!' to him,

When he calls upon a friend enthusiastically,

When he calls a companion, he shouts 'Hey you!',

and follows one 'hey!' with another.

And follows the call enthusiastically with a call,

And follows one 'Hey you!' with another.

لَو كُنتَ مِن فاكِهَةٍ تُشتَهى

لَو كُنتَ مِن فاكِهَةٍ تُشتَهى

لِطيبِها كُنتَ الغُبَيراءَ

لِطيبِها كُنتَ الغُبَيراءَ

If you were a fruit desired

If you were a delicious fruit,

If you were a fruit to be desired

for its flavor, you would be the sorb fruit:

You would be the ripest for your sweetness.

For its sweetness, you would be the dry ghubayra,

لا تَعبُرُ الحَلقَ إِلى داخِلي

لا تَعبُرُ الحَلقَ إِلى داخِلي

حَتّى تَحَسّى دونَها الماءَ

حَتّى تَحَسّى دونَها الماءَ

it would not pass through the throat into me

Do not pass my throat to my inside,

Which does not cross the throat to the inside

until one sipped water before it.

Until you feel the water below it.

Until one gulps down water to wash it through.