قل لذي الدلّ تولَبِ

قل لذي الدلّ تولَبِ

يا فداكَ الردى أبي

يا فداكَ الردى أبي

Say to coquettish Tawlab:

Say to the one whose affections turn

Say to the coy one, "You wild young foal,"

Ah, may my father ransom you from death!

My father ransomed you from ruin

May my father be a ransom for your life,

أنتَ واللَهِ مركبٌ

أنتَ واللَهِ مركبٌ

موطأٌ خير مركب

موطأٌ خير مركب

You, by God, are a mount,

You are, by God, a ship

By God, you are truly a magnificent mount,

Well-cushioned—the finest mount.

A harbor better than any ship

A smooth-riding steed, the finest of vessels.

ما ترى كان صائراً

ما ترى كان صائراً

لكَ لو قلتَ أقربِ

لكَ لو قلتَ أقربِ

What do you think would have happened

Do you not see you would have headed

What do you think would come to pass,

To you, had you said, “Come closer”?

To me, had you but said: Come nearer

If you were to whisper to me, "Come close"?

فإذا ما دنوت مقترب

فإذا ما دنوت مقترب

باً قلتَ لي اركب

باً قلتَ لي اركب

Then, when I drew near, approach-

So when you come close

And once I had drawn myself near to you,

ing, you said to me, “Mount!”

Say to me: Get on!

You said to me invitingly, "Ride!"

فوقَ سرجٍ سرجتهُ

فوقَ سرجٍ سرجتهُ

فوق حقوَيكَ مُذهَبِ

فوق حقوَيكَ مُذهَبِ

Upon a saddle you had fitted,

Onto a saddle I adorned

Upon a saddle that I have cinched,

Above your two hips, gilded;

Above your shoulders gilded

Set above your hips, gleaming like gold,

لا يُعلّى بكمنجا

لا يُعلّى بكمنجا

تٍ ولا عودِ قَبقب

تٍ ولا عودِ قَبقب

Not raised by fidd-

Not elevated by any pommel

Not heightened by the sound of violins,

les, nor a clattering lute,

Or inlaid wood of a high saddle

Nor by the strumming of the wooden lute,

فوق قرموزٍ تح

فوق قرموزٍ تح

ت قطنٍ مُضرّبِ

ت قطنٍ مُضرّبِ

Above crimson cloth, un-

But on a soft cloth of cotton

But atop a crimson cushion placed

der quilted cotton,

Above a belly round and plump

Beneath padding of quilted cotton,

وحرامٍ بعُكنةٍ

وحرامٍ بعُكنةٍ

فوق بطنٍ مقبَّبِ

فوق بطنٍ مقبَّبِ

And a blanket at a fold of flesh,

And a bit scented of amber

And a waistband hugging a fold of flesh

Above a rounded belly,

Bear me upon your ride

Above a belly, rounded and domed,

ولجامٍ من العبيرِ

ولجامٍ من العبيرِ

أشيلِ المركبِ

أشيلِ المركبِ

And a bridle of perfume.

That suffers neither from sun

With a bridle woven of fragrant scent

High at the riding-place,

Nor from ruggedness of ascents

To guide the vessel, riding high,

لا يُعاني من الشما

لا يُعاني من الشما

سِ ولا من تصعّبِ

سِ ولا من تصعّبِ

It suffers no skittish-

So when you have me mount it

Showing no stubbornness or shying away,

ness, nor unruliness.

Say: This is the son of Mahallabi

Nor offering any resistance at all,

فإذا ما ركبتَهُ

فإذا ما ركبتَهُ

قلتَ ذا ابنُ المهلّبِ

قلتَ ذا ابنُ المهلّبِ

Then, when you mounted him,

So that when you firmly ride upon it,

You said, “This is Ibn al-Muhallab.”

You cry, "Here is the son of Muhallab!"