بِأَبيwith my father as ransom الوَليدal-Walid وَأُمِّand the mother of نَفسيmy own self كُلّماwhenever
بِأَبي الوَليد وَأُمِّ نَفسي كُلّما
كانَcame الصَباحُthe morning وَذَرَّand appeared قَرنُthe horn of الشارِقِthe rising sun
كانَ الصَباحُ وَذَرَّ قَرنُ الشارِقِ
May my father, my mother, and my own life ransom al-Walid whenever
May my father and my own mother be al-Walid’s ransom, whenever
morning comes and the rising sun’s first ray breaks forth.
Morning comes and the rising sun’s horn appears.
أَثوىhe provided lodging فَأَحسَنَso he did well فيin الثَواءِthe stay وَقُضّيتand were fulfilled
أَثوى فَأَحسَنَ في الثَواءِ وَقُضّيت
حاجاتُناour needs مِنfrom عِندِthe presence of أَبيَضَa fair-skinned man باسِقِtowering
حاجاتُنا مِن عِندِ أَبيَضَ باسِقِ
He lodged us and graced our stay, and there were fulfilled
He lodged us and treated us well during our stay; and fulfilled were
our needs, at the hands of a radiant, towering lord.
Our needs, by a fair-skinned, towering man.
كَمhow much عِندَهُhe has مِنof نائِلٍbounty وَسَماحَةٍand generosity
كَم عِندَهُ مِن نائِلٍ وَسَماحَةٍ
وَشَمائِلِand manners مَيمونَةٍauspicious وَخلائِقِand character traits
وَشَمائِلِ مَيمونَةٍ وَخلائِقِ
How many a gift he had, how much open-handedness,
How much bounty and generosity he has,
what auspicious qualities and noble traits!
And auspicious manners and traits of character,
وَكرامَةٍand honor لِلمُعتَفينَfor seekers of bounty إِذاwhen أَعتَفواthey seek bounty
وَكرامَةٍ لِلمُعتَفينَ إِذا أَعتَفوا
فيin مالهِhis wealth حَقّاًtruly وَقَولٍand speech صادِقِtruthful
في مالهِ حَقّاً وَقَولٍ صادِقِ
And generous treatment for the self-restrained, when they sought his bounty:
And honor for those seeking bounty, when they seek it,
in his wealth they had a rightful share, and his word was true.
Truly shown through his wealth, and truthful speech.
قالَsaid الوَليدُal-Walid يَديmy hand لَكُمfor you all وَلِغَيرِكُمand for others besides you
قالَ الوَليدُ يَدي لَكُم وَلِغَيرِكُم
رَهنٌa pledge بِصامِتِbacked by the silent portion of مالِهِhis wealth وَالناطِقِand the speaking portion (livestock)
رَهنٌ بِصامِتِ مالِهِ وَالناطِقِ
Al-Walid said, “My hand is yours—and others’ too—
Al-Walid said that his hand, for you and for others,
a pledge secured by all his wealth, mute and speaking.”
Was a pledge backed by his wealth, both silent and speaking.
لاmay ... not تَبعُدَنَّever perish إِداوَةٌa leather flask مَطروحَةٌcast aside
لا تَبعُدَنَّ إِداوَةٌ مَطروحَةٌ
كانَتit was زَماناًfor a time لِلشَرابِfor the drink العائِقِthat holds one back
كانَت زَماناً لِلشَرابِ العائِقِ
Never be far from us, O cast-aside waterskin,
May a cast-aside leather flask never perish,
once a vessel for the drink that fetters reason.
Once used for the drink that holds one back.
